Gender, Dating, and Proposals

In response to the article on BustedHalo, I thought it was an interesting perspective on something we take for granted. I, for one, enjoy watching wedding shows like Say Yes to the Dress. I never really thought about it, but the media has definitely perpetuated traditional, outdated, and possibly even harmful traditions such as the surprise of an engagement. Weddings and proposals are so sensationalized-- whether it's in the movies, TV shows, or insane coverage of the royal wedding-- that we tend to expect our lives to play out in the exact same manner. I thought that it was interesting that the author talked about and encouraged women proposing to men-- this doesn't happen very often, but there's no reason why it shouldn't (I always thought that was a pointless rule anyway). But the most poignant point the author presented was the suggestion of actually talking to your partner about marriage before you propose. This conversation (an extremely important one) is very seldom portrayed in the movies, I guess because it's not seen as "romantic." However, it is better for the relationship to be founded on a solid foundation of mutual communication rather than surprises. As for my family's experiences, my mom told me that when she was proposed to she had a conversation beforehand with her then-boyfriend about getting married. They went to go pick out the ring together, which I thought was a cool idea for both parties to be actively involved in the engagement. I think that the trend for the upcoming years will be moving even more in the direction of mutual communication and decision, as society tends to cling less to its outdated traditions and embrace more fully the equality of the sexes.