You can do anything, right?

Every so often I get e-mails from companies and market research groups to partake in surveys. I received such an e-mail today to fill out a “Ladies Own” survey, not all that uncommon, so I clicked through and complete it.

The survey itself, seems to be a Government funded/lobbyist funded attempt to try and garner a better understanding of what young women think about marriage, how it affects their careers, their education, and ultimately their choices, or their outlook on life.

I was asked my gender, age, basic demographic questions you would commonly expect, although not my sexuality.

So after answering a few questions on my view of marriage, on whether I would consider proposing to a partner ect, I get to this question. Which of the following celebrities, if any, would you most like to propose to?

The list of celebrities are all MEN.

I wouldn’t be so annoyed if there was an option on this list to declare that y’know, I don’t exactly like men, but no. It’s just assumed that I would find someone on this list I do find attractive, because as a woman, surely I must like one of these men? And if I don’t, well, it couldn’t possibly be because you know, one in ten of the population (although I reckon probably more) are something other than STRAIGHT. 

If the market research on these types of things can’t even be done in a means that doesn’t just totally reduce half the population to one pre-conceived ideal held out by the Conservative government, then what does that mean when the results of this survey are used by them or their lobbyists to push for social agendas or reform through the Commons?

Not to mention, if you, like me, are signed up and are willing to partake in surveys, it would probably be safe to say that you don’t mind occasionally ticking a box to say you’re gay/lesbian/other every once in a while, as long as it means that information will be used to properly assess the answers. Either this survey was the result of an atrocious amount of stupidity (which I doubt seeing as the rest of it seemed quite thorough), or it was the exercise of singled-minded thought and perception towards those who would respond that sexuality somehow doesn’t matter when you’re asking someone out of a list of possible candidates, who they would like to marry, and that these choices are valid for all, that marriage is apparently a option for all.

So congratulations to whomever was responsible for paying me for that survey, for compiling the questions, and the poor sods responsible for trifling through the responses. To the former, cease the heteronormative questions, yeah? To the latter, I really, really hope you enjoy my answers to my “What would you ask David Cameron” and “Any comments about this survey” questions.