“Popa is absolutely correct as a much older single i have received gelilah all too often its like the gabbai is saying well you aren’t man enough to deserve an aliyah but i have to give you something because you are here this is one of the reasons i rarely go to shul.”
I’m sorry to hear that, Goq — that’s sad. Maybe you could find another shul that deals with honors differently?
I think this is the reason why some people like Chabad kiruv shuls. In my experience they just give honors to everybody with no apparent pattern.