Recently, I’ve noticed a lot of articles about dating and relationships creeping up on my Facebook feed. These articles are geared towards young women and usually list things about “perfect” boyfriends and what behaviors girls should thank their boyfriends for exhibiting. What concerns me the most is that many of the things these articles say set the standard really low.
I’ll be brief in summarizing some of the ways these articles set the bar far too low, lest I run off on a very long, arduous tangent. Basically, these articles perpetuate the notion that men can’t possibly care enough to actually listen to and care what their girlfriends have to say, so they should be applauded when they do (or at least when they pretend). It is basic decency to actually engage yourself in a conversation with someone so please realize that you should not associate, romantically or otherwise, with anyone who doesn’t respect you enough to truly listen to you. You are an intelligent, emotional creature and you deserve to be heard.
In a society where women have been fighting for over a century to have their voices heard, don’t let someone silence yours, especially if your silencer is someone who supposedly loves and cares about you. For those Perks of Being a Wallflower fans, please keep in mind the quote “we accept the love we think we deserve.” This has always resonated with me because too often I see people who stay in unhappy or even unhealthy relationships because they don’t think they deserve better than that. If you take away anything from this article, let it be this: you deserve to be happy. You don’t have to stay in a toxic relationship and if you’re single, you certainly don’t have to settle for whatever random guy who shows interest in you. Seek unwavering happiness in all of your relationships and don’t ever settle for less.