system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
I believe engagement rings are a sexist and outdated practice which perpetuate harmful gender roles. CMV

I'm passionate about gender studies and gender equality (for both men and women). 

There's a lot of things I could post but I want to start with a smaller issue: I think engagement rings are sexist (towards both men and women).

A man is expected to put a significant amount of money towards the purchase of an engagement ring, at least three months' salary. "Expected" by traditional society -- yet also by most women, some of whom fight for gender equality. 

In a world where single, childless women between 21 and 30 (i.e., those most likely to be getting married) currently outlearn their male counterparts, [1] I think it's completely wrong to expect the man to make such a big financial contribution towards what is supposed to be an "equal" relationship. 

Additionally, I believe that when a man gives a woman a $3000++ ring in exchange for her hand in marriage, he is in a way "purchasing" her and therefore "objectifying" her. 

Thus, I believe it's hypocritical to want gender equality yet support something like engagement rings, which holds men to their traditional value (i.e. their wealth) and holds women to theirs (i.e. their passive objectification).

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[1] "Women now outnumber men on college campuses, and single, childless women out earn their male counterparts." (Forbes, "Why Are So Many Professional Millennial Women Unable To Find Dateable Men?", 2012)

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EDIT 2/12/14 8:36 AM EST: Have to run to work. Will comment more when I return. Thanks for the responses so far.
gpt
I agree that engagement rings have many bad practices associated with them, but is there anything fundamentally wrong with giving someone a wearable symbol of your commitment to them? If you are opposed to the sale of a Hummer for environmental reasons, do you have to be opposed to the sale of all cars? Yes, a large, gaudy ring can represent all the negative traits you describe, but if both partners decide to buy each other small, tasteful (relative to their own perception) rings to symbolize their love for one another, what's wrong with it?

Rings, especially when evenly valued, can convey love and commitment without also symbolizing a sexist tradition. Many gay and lesbian couples give marriage or commitment rings to one another in this way. It is all about context. Just because sexists give/wear wedding rings doesn't mean they ruin the beauty of it for everyone else.