A walk in the park

I was walking through the park the other day when an older man glanced up at me and away from the two young women he was ogling.

First of all I was annoyed by the hungry look in his eyes. Then, when he saw me, I was shocked, hurt and finally angry, by the distaste in them.

You might think he could have been justified, that perhaps I looked dirty, or unkempt, or especially obnoxious in some way. That was my first thought too. Then I realized that I had run into quite a few people as I walked around that park. Each of them, the women, both young and old, and several young men, had smiled brightly and nodded, or said hello.

There was nothing wrong with me, but the idea that there might be flooded me with memories of other older men about the age of this man who have felt they are aging to perfection while women the same age are withering on the vine and spoiled. It also makes me pretty sure these men are not just enjoying looking at two pretty young women. They are probably imagining them in that old fashioned chauvinist day dream where the women are objects made to please them.

It is offensive. It does not go unnoticed and while it really says nothing about me and oodles about the men who think that way, it is something that needs to change.

Fortunately there are many more men, of all ages, who do not see women as pieces of well shaped meat out there for their sole enjoyment.

We can all enjoy looking at each other as beautiful human beings with hearts and minds and even beautiful bodies without that leering, or sneering, look that dehumanizes everyone.