LETTER: Response to advice article
I have read some offensive articles in this newspaper, but your article “How to get the guy while his current relationship seems to be fizzing out” is more offensive to me, as a woman, than Mitt Romney’s “binders full of women” comment.
First of all, I have been in my relationship for over a year now, and the fact that this newspaper thinks it is appropriate to hand out advice on how to end that disgusts me. Relationships are hard enough; we don’t need to be manipulating each other’s significant others into ending their current relationships.
Your first piece of advice, “Make sure you look your best,” is awful.
You just told women, who are getting a college education, that the easiest way to get the man is by looking good. Whatever happened to impressing him with your intellect, sense of humor or confidence?
Then, you continued to tell women to change their interests in order to be compatible with the man.
No woman should ever have to change herself to get a boyfriend. If she does, she will end up miserable pretending to be someone she isn’t. Number four on your list of advice, however, is by far the worst thing you said.
You advised women to pretend they are weak in order to get help from a man, because validating his masculinity will make him like you. Essentially, you told women to forget about being strong and independent, because he will never like you that way. This is not the 1950s. You are giving this advice to women who are getting a college education, who will have careers and success.
I hope you are thoroughly ashamed of this article, because I know I am ashamed to go to a university that would put this in its school newspaper.
Margaret Herrinton
CMU student
