Lately social media has turned into one big platform for people to complain on, and that's okay. Everyone has a right to their own opinion, and everyone has the right to express it. However, it seems that more and more people are twisting facts to fit their opinions and that is just extremely irritating to me. Especially when, in the midst of their rants, they tear down or mock other people.
Recently there was an article published on romper.com titled "Honest;y, Daddy Daughter Dates Are Anything But Innocent." The author of this article says that "They [Father-Daughter Dates] aren't sweet. They aren't cute. They're creepy, and they seek to enforce patriarchal notions of femininity" She uses the fact that fathers do things like open doors, compliment, pull out chairs for their daughters, and "even pick out their dresses and purses" indicating that we, as women,are incapable and need them to do everything for us.
Now let me dispute this. I myself have been on multiple "father-daughter dates" where my father paid for everything, and helped me pick out my dress. We had dinner, and we danced, and he complimented me and told me how proud he was of the "beautiful young woman I was growing into." And yet, I don't think a man has to do everything for me? In fact, I have been in a relationship with my current boyfriend for 2 years and anyone will tell you that he far from waits on me hand and foot and nor do I expect or want him too. Going on a daddy-daughter date did not put this idea in my head that I needed a man, but instead it taught me how it felt to be appreciated. It gave me confidence so that I understood that I didn't need all of this from a man, because I will always have that from my father.
Her next point, and this was probably the most infuriating, was that "daddy-daughter date sounds like a porno" and "you can't escape the incest-inspired overtone of these dances and dates" WHAT? The author then attempts to support her claim with statistics from the New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault which says that "10 million Americans have been the victim of incest, with 11 percent of rape victims specifically victimized by their father" and with a study done by Marshall University "that found out of 1,521 individuals, 19 were victim of incest by their father." She continues on with more statistics about incest, incest by family members, and incest by fathers. However, none of these studies show that children who go on "daddy-daughter dates" are more likely to be victims of these, are already victims of this, or that fathers who partake in this are rapists, pedophiles, or partake in incest.
And by the way, if dancing with your father is a sign of incest then what about father-daughter dances at weddings? Or any other time a father takes his daughter to dinner? When you see a man and his little girl at dinner do you automatically think that she is a victim of incest? Probably not. And if you do maybe their is something wrong with you?
She goes on to discuss the fact that she doesn't have daughters, but that allowing your daughters to go on daddy-daughter dates affects her sons as well by priming them to "grow up to expect girls who are submissive and passive." She then says "It's only a sidestep from rape culture." Taking your daughter to dinner, and dancing with her is a sidestep from rape culture? Seriously? Let me guess, you were one of the women wearing vaginas on their heads, weren't you? Because you seem to take things WAY too far.
My father and I have had many issues. Like, a ton! But my favorite memories, my best memories, was the daddy-daughter dates we went on. And I think him for doing that. I think my mother for not thinking that Daddy-Daughter dates are "creepy" and a steo down from rape. I think the people that hosted these dates and did such a wonderful job of allowing us to spend time with our fathers and learn to respect ourselves.
