There's Dignity and Then There's Women's Dignity

The Republican governor of Virginia, Bob McDonnell, defining the term "dignity" for us:

In November of 2010, Gov. Bob McDonnell (R-VA) joined the public outcry against the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) security precautions in airports by describing body scans and mandatory pat downs as crossing “the line” in regard “to people’s concerns about privacy” and “beneath the dignity” of air travelers.

And the Republican governor of Virginia, Bob McDonnell, defining the term "dignity of women" for us:

Following a public outcry, McDonnell revised the measure to exempt women from the more invasive procedure, but not before encountering the wit of comedian Jon Stewart, who characterized the bill as “a TSA pat-down inside their vagina.” McDonnell addressed the contradiction between supporting mandatory ultrasounds for women and opposing “invasive” TSA pat downs during a radio interview this morning on WTOP and claimed that there is no comparison between the legislation and the enhanced security procedures:
MCDONNELL: There are things that are required in the interest of public safety, like TSA procedures. There are ways to accomplish the same result without an invasive patdown. [...]
I believe this is something that respects the dignity of women by making sure they have necessary information.

Bolds are mine.

The definition of "dignity" has that odd gendered aspect among social and religious conservatives. I first came across it in the writings of the current pope (when he was still the youthful Cardinal Ratzo). He offered us wimminfolk "dignity" as opposed to rights, fairness or equality.

Given the seriousness of such a trade-off it's crucial to know what conservatives mean by "women's dignity."

Hence my gratitude for McDonnell who tells us that the state of Virginia must subject women who seek abortions to a medically unnecessary ultrasound because those women might not know they are pregnant!

I believe this is something that respects the dignity of women by making sure they have necessary information.

I did suspect that the conservative idea of "women's dignity" had to do with someone having to protect the little ladies from themselves. I've seen glimpses of this in earlier writings but they are disguised as "the essential nature of women" or similar gobbledegook.