How do you feel about boys asking parents' permission to date their daughters?

Let’s say John wants to date Mary. (They’re both 16.) Trying to be considerate, John asks Mary’s father if it’s okay for him to date Mary. Mary’s father thinks it’s a nice gesture and tells John to ask her out. Mary now has her first boyfriend. Yay, happy story.

Do you also see it as a nice gesture? John is perhaps a little old fashioned and thought it would be polite to ask Mary’s father first?

Or does it offend you and make you think John is treating Mary like cattle or property because he asked her father for permission, instead of being a “normal” randy teenager and just asking Mary out from the get-go?

I think it’s pretty sweet, and wouldn’t have minded if my husband had asked my father for his “permission” or “blessing” to propose to me. My sister-in-law, however, thinks it’s disgusting and archaic and is actually offended by it, saying both the boy and the father are treating the girl like she’s a cow to be sold.

What say you, jellies?