Do all men look at women like this? If so, how to avoid it?
From what I've observed, the usual reaction of men, at the sight of a (more or less) pretty woman, is to express their sexual attraction to that woman. I even tried to do some mental exercises that consisted in trying to look at women around me with a man's eyes, in order to better understand this way of thinking, and indeed it looks like the first thing a man notices in a woman is her sexual desirability, or lack thereof.
Now I'm not what you'd call a feminist, but it sickens me to think that every man I interact with, from taxi drivers to shop assistants, may look at me through this prism. The possibility that my image is being sexualized in the mind of every male that sees me, it just makes my skin crawl. I'd like to know that there is such a thing as a strictly professional, or platonic, or just otherwise than sexual, relationship between a man and a woman. I'd like that the only men that look at me in this way are the ones I choose to, not just everyone. Perhaps all of this sounds weird, but I can tell what's in someone's mind when regarding someone else like this, and that's what offends me. They don't see your personal qualities, your accomplishments, your brilliant mind, or your fantastic skills in certain areas. They see just a nice body they'd like to bang. That's what I find offensive, this reductionist view of someone. My whole persona being reduced to just that.
I've talked to one of my guy friends about this, and all he could tell me is that all men think like that, no exceptions, and that I should just deal with it and maybe take advantage of it. But I find such a thing below my dignity, I would never do something like that. And I'd seriously like to think that there are at least some men left that listen first to their reason, not to their animal instincts.
So, does this apply to all men? And if it does, is there any way to avoid it, perhaps one that doesn't involve a sex change surgery, or damaging my physical appearance?
@Soulminer: Because humans are supposed to know better. There's also the "sapiens" part in "Homo sapiens". Violence is also part of natural behavior, yet most of us are sickened by it.
I can deal with someone judging me from an aesthetic point of view when he first meets me; actually this is quite welcome and I do it too. I don't like it, though, when I'm having a conversation with a guy on a more or less serious topic, and he's fantasizing about me sleeping with him or something like that.
@Maxi R: I think that in 30 years I might find someone whose appreciation of me is enough to no longer need second opinions, thank you very much.