the scenarios to be described involves a friend of mine, it's about bringing dates to formal socialising parties. in this context it is a group of all guys who are expected to attend this event to learn how to make small talk, titter about their army lives, and schmooze up to important people, or anyway, people most likely to become important, since these are the top of the newbies hierarchy.
i first heard about this kind of things from shimmie, before she left she had to go to this navy thing with shingie. another friend of mine was talking to me about the same thing about a week back, and when he told me about it i got all uncomfortable and later i realised it was more like slight irritation, because there was something wrong there and i couldn't pinpoint it. now that i've realised what it is, i have to write it down.
does anyone realise how entirely male chauvinistic these events are? i at first imagined it was the army equivalent of like, a BBA networking party, 88 Broads and all that, and i was like, "okay, networking in the army! get to know the future top people so your son in the future won't die with his head stuffed in a pail of water!" that sort of thing. instead of exchanging name cards, they would exchange like, dog tag numbers or their peacetime equivalent.
what then, i was wondering, is the date for? from what my friend told me, it was like a compulsory thing, and i suppose dates mean girls, since i cannot imagine anyone in their right minds would bring a guy, friend or otherwise. these girls will have to shop for dresses and accessories, make up, style their hair, and go through all the prom shit at, think about it, *absolutely no benefits to themselves*. in formal networking parties elsewhere, women will have their own agenda and contacts to make. what would dates at army socialising talk about? can you imagine:
"oh, i say, Olay must have the best de-wrinkling facial wash ever!" "why, i must imagine it must be very... poweful to work for you!" "well, then i must suggest that you try some *immediately*, your face does look more... dessicated, i would say, than usual. ha ha ha." "oh, but i'd have to decline, because your wrinkles seem to have been compensated with zits. but you do look much better of course. ha ha ha. maybe for those you'd want to try camo cream next?"
my semi-feminist side protests at the notion that women live to hang off men's arms. i also find it oppressive that social conventions would not allow dates to say, roll their eyes at excruciatingly boring conversations or start playing bridge in a corner, or leave altogether. at least, social conventions are such that these are not considered *gracious* behaviors. patriachial social conventions are *also* such that well-bred women *have to be gracious*, and even the term 'well-bred women' is so insulting. does anyone say 'well-bred man'? rah!
in this case i would say the women do the men favours by complying to be dates, but the problem with patriachal societies is that men see it as the women's privilege to be asked to accompany them, and many even affect this kind of attitude outwardly.
not, of course, talking about my friend, but just irritated that the government is so chauvinistic, and some girls don't even realise it, and some guys see nothing wrong with it.
