m
by LARRY CYRUS
Dear Editor,
"Concerning Rate-a-Chick", a group of ten male students proclaimed themselves "King of the Fountain" each day around noon during the months of April and May, and proceeded to "rate" similar in fashion to the system of scoring used in diving competitions  female passersby .
We would see these "hard-up males" holding up their numbered cards in mocking triumph over the objecting, yet quietly expectant bod of some abject female. Impromtu as it was, the essence of her feminity was entirely on the line.
The Kernel was full of letters from women, both for and against, containing such ridiculous statements as: "They are 'boys' who apparently see women only superficially, and I would like to request that they obtain permission before subjecting any women to the absurdity of an impromtu beauty contest." and, "The only reason I think its disgusting is that I didn't rate a 10."
Personally, I believe their endeavor has been misinterpreted as an outcry to reassert their dominance.
I would dearly love to see the reactions of these men if they were given a dose of their own medicine. Let them get themselves up in drag and see how the other half lives! Or, better yet, let them parade before a "rate-a-prick" squad; I'd wager that, juding from the photos in the Kernel, most of the cards would bear negative numbers.
The observer can only guess at the motive behind such a blatantly barbaric activity. Supposedly, however; the perpetrators were attempting to reassert male dominance, i.e., "rate-a-chick" was a political statement, a backlash against the feminist gams in recent years.
I would like to point out that adolescent males are not the only guilty parties in our sexist society. All those young women who cultivate men's view of them as sex objects by wearing (or not wearing) the latest fashions in clothing or in hair styles until their own self image becomes that of a decoration, a bauble, an attractive plaything for men, are equally at
fault. If you play the role of attractive body, rather than person, then you can hardly object to men valuing you according to how well you play that role.
Many women still spend their lives doing everything conceivable to their bodies so that they will be appealing enough to attract some male, any male; in the great matrimonial-sexual auction  and heaven help them if they fail, for there is no sin more venial and no state of being more suspect for a woman than being manless.
Because of this fear that has been drilled into every female since birth, such grotesqueries as rate-a-chick go on unchallenged by too many women.
It has been said that hind-sight is far better and more accurate than fore-sight.
So ... in the basement of Pence Hall, a group of enterprising young men had a better idea. It was based on the principle of "hindsight" and was observed in much the same fashion a snake-in-the-grass might view the situation. For once, being in the basement proved to be an asset to these shy and crafty animals with whistles like wolves. In fact, the events that took place from this vantage point became so revered that the knoll in front of the windows became known as "Fanny Hill."
They are perpetuating and reinforcing the long standing sexist ideology, that of male dominance.
Fearing their lack of manhood should be discovered by the gradual chipping away of the quality of women, they have re-exerted themselves.
The "meat-mentality," responsible for the sexist male-made dehumanizing activities, was concerned with, second only to the apathy and lifelessness on campus, the state of arousal caused them when in a group of mutual liars they could exploit and verbalize fantasies about the women on parade before them .
Sincerely,
Joe Doe
Junior Anatomy major
P.S. I found a copy of the rating system which I feel you might be interested in and have
copied it below for your benefit.
When I look at you, I think this:
0-3 .. . you're so ugly you have to sneak up on a water fountain to get a drink,. 3.01-5 . . . keep on walking,. 5.01-7.3 . . . maybe plastic surgery
would help,. 7.31-8.5 . . . strutting outstandingly,. 8.51-9.99 . . .Ummm! 10 ... I must have made a mistake, take a closer look,. EDITOR'S NOTE: The following was almost entirely composed of letters to the Kernel editors. It is not the feelings of the Kentuckian staff, but reflect a combination of the views held by students during this campus fad . T
457