Women *are* objectified by society. I see it too.

I also see, as I think AkAngel is trying to say, that this does not apply 100%. All women are not objectified all of the time by all men. But it still happens too often for me to be comfortable with it.

Fins is right on, about those beauty pageants. Lately they try to make it a big emphasis on "it's a scholarship pageant, and it empowers women by helping them get an education." Then why do the women have to be paraded out and judged by looks, like cattle, in order to qualify for the scholarship? It only affirms women who fit society's standard of beauty? Who are young, the right height, and have the right measurements? The vast majority of us, who look like regular women, have to work hard to put ourselves through college instead? Yeah, I feel empowered.

And, even though I never thought of it that way, and it doesn't trigger me like that, any time someone is working on a car and then says, "OK, start her up," it serves as a reminder to fins that women are objects.

I hear you, fins.

EDITED TO ADD:

When I said phobias aren't logical, I wasn't referring to the part that is fact. Women *are* objectified, fact. It's the fear response that is from the heart, not the head, and I call it "not logical" because it relies on emotion, not computation. Staying in the head, and out of the heart, is easier said than done, and I'm not sure it *should* be done. But "not logical" isn't the same as "not correct."