Today I went out to get my boyfriend a gift for Valentine’s Day. Those of you who read my article where I interviewed him last year know that he doesn’t really have many prized possessions. When asked what his favorite article of clothing was, he responded with “any black t-shirt.” I was at a loss. If you, like myself, are in a relationship with a heterosexual man, these 5 gift ideas might come in handy:
- Basic empathy skills
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Even though it’s not my job as a woman to convince men that they should care about issues that don’t directly concern them, I would love to get this out of the way on Valentine’s Day so that I don’t have to deal with it every other day of the year.
- The ability to put their dirty clothes in the washing machine/hamper
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I lived with my boyfriend for the better half of 2020. At one point, I decided to conduct an experiment: How many shirts would be on our bathroom floor if I didn’t pick them up? Too many.
- “Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism: And Other Arguments for Economic Independence” by Khristen R. Ghodsee
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Unlike the other items on this list, you can actually purchase this on Amazon. I read this book for a class I took at Columbia last year and re-read it over winter break. It’s a great introductory piece on the impact of capitalist economic policies on women. I’m sure the title will put off most of the men I know, because they think socialism is a dirty word and they’re not really concerned about whether or not women have good sex, but it might be worth a shot.
- A year of psychoanalysis sessions
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And pray they’ll take it.
- A normal-sized condom
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Shut up, we both know it fits.
I would like to dedicate this article to my boyfriend, who has skimmed through Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism, and has never once complained about wearing a condom. You’re better than 99% of the men I know. Happy Valentine’s Day!