My husband feels that way and I tell him "absolutely not!".
My daughter is not a prize to protect. She's not property. She's a human being and I TRUST she will have the judgment and ability to stand her own ground, if not, she's not ready to date. My sons will be raised the same. Women aren't dainty little figurines that need their protection and they're not something for daddy to hide behind glass and to give away some day. They deserve respect, boy or girl. I expect my children to treat others as they wish to be treated themselves and to know to walk away when they are to being treated right. Self defense classes will be taken, by all of them. That doesn't mean the boys can't hold a door open, but so can a girl. Johnathan already holds doors open, he loves doing that.
That said. I am not about to let a young teen go on a date with someone I don't know. I am glad to take the whole flock of them somewhere and let them have fun, but there's no reason for them to be alone at that age. Now, once I get to know the kid, he or she's been over to my house a couple of times, had dinner with us etc. Sure, take my kid to the prom. Hope you have fun, don't be back too early, me and dad enjoy the quiet time. Don't drink. If you drink, for the love of all that's holy don't drive. I will come get you. I will probably chew you out and proper punishment will be in place, but being grounded beats being dead or killing someone else.
My husband will realize that's how he grew up. His parents were everyones parents. They were the band chaperones, they were the house with the pool where all the kids hung out. They knew every single one of his friends (and therefor all of the girls he'd date). When his mother passed away last year, the pall bearers were those boys he grew up with: the fellow band kids, a few cousins that had actually lived with his parents at the time.
Alright, putting my soap box up for the day
Kids will only grow as responsible as you let them be.
