Ear rings a hardly a form of "self-mutilation" as the previous knee-jerk poster asserts. However, these bauble-like body decorations do reinforce the paradigm that a woman is merely a thing like a car, to be decorated or "tricked out" as the prized possession of her male owner.

In much the same way, a woman to this day often surrenders her family's name in favor of that of her male companion in marriage, harkening to the reprehensible view that a woman was merely property and marriage was merely the transfer of that property from one man's house into another's.

I do believe that these practices reinforce psychologically the premises once behind them, and that we must weed out once and for all this self-destructive training that patriarchal culture foists upon unknown women and girls through fashion magazines and television.

They are the last vestiges of the disease that is patriarchy - a disease of the mind but no less real. We have almost won the war against them, but now is not the time to let up.

A woman's mind must be celebrated, not relegated to the shadow cast by mundane idolization of her body (an enduring facet of patriarcy, you must admit). It is established fact that in non-heterosexual relationships, a much greater emphasis is placed upon emotional bonding, support, and building a pair relationship that is nurturing.

A woman is not a Christmas tree, my friend. But this icon in use above, does reinforce that belief. I too would like to see it updated to reflect these hopefully more-enlightened times.

With respect,
Darren P.