People Share Hard Dating Truths That We Wish We’d Heard, Like, Yesterday
Dating is really hard—there's no way around it. It can be difficult to figure out who is being genuine with you, and partners and society as a whole can make you feel like you're being unreasonable with how you approach your romantic endeavors.
These people came together to drop their best advice and information that you should keep in mind while dating.
Don't Justify Someone's Refusal To Commit
If you've made it clear that you want to get married, but your partner doesn't even consider the idea without clear reasoning as to why they won't, it doesn't matter how long you've been together—they won't take the next step.
He's Lying To You, Sis
Other lies include: "That's an old conversation and she just messaged me again," and "My friends were just messing around on my account, ahaha, it's not really me using it."
Your Body Is Fine Just The Way It Is
To both men and women: I'm sorry if a past partner tried to make you feel bad about your body, especially in bed, but know that a good, mature partner would never shame you about it or really even care.
Look Up Your Blind Dates Before Showing Up
Before going on a blind date, it's important to do a quick background search on the person. While they'll be totally normal most of the time, there are a few occasions where a Google search can keep you safe.
Sometimes, We Have To Look Inward
It can be easy to blame our dating failures on past partners, but sometimes we need to take accountability for our own choices. You're not going to get a better result if you keep consciously choosing the toxic person.
I Can Attest That He's Probably A Loser
I have never met a man who wanted to date women who were significantly younger than him who wasn't a total loser who no woman his age would give a second look. Trust me—he is not the type of guy you want.
The Irony Here Is Incredible
Ladies, listen to me: it is not shallow to want to date a man who you are attracted to. I can't believe it has to be said, but some men out there will try to make you seem like the problem for not wanting them. They are wrong.
Stop Apologizing For Asking For The Bare Minimum
If you feel like you have to beg someone to give you minimal respect, you need to walk away. Stop putting up with poor treatment when you're worth so much more than that.
Man, I Will Have You For 18 Years
Jokes aside, never accept a man's excuse for why he doesn't want to wear a condom or says he's unable to. There are latex-free ones for those with allergies, and he will never be "too big" for one.
"Friend-Zoned" Is A Stupid Term
The "friend zone" is a place made up by men who believe that by simply knowing you and talking to you, they deserve access to your sexuality. It's a garbage concept that tries to demonize women for not being into certain men.
It's The Lack Of Accountability For Me
Was she really crazy, or did he gaslight her, disrespect her regularly, and then get annoyed when he asked him to communicate with her? If a man tells me his ex was insane, it's a red flag.
Treat Others The Way They Treat You
We've all heard the golden rule—"treat others the way you want to be treated"—but I believe that there should be a caveat where, if someone actively disrespects you and your boundaries, you're allowed to return the rude energy.
I Stand By This Statement
Whenever a man says that he's scared to have daughters, what he means is: "I have mistreated women my whole life, I do not respect them, and I think women with sexual agency don't deserve to be treated like real people."
It Says More About Your Partner Than Them
Think about it the other way: if your friend tells you that her boyfriend has cheated on her and is rude and controlling, you dislike him before you even meet him. It's the same principle.
Men Just Hate Women They Can't Have
One of the most telling tropes in television and film media is when the broke guy comes into money and success, he wants to rub it in the face of the women who rejected him and proceeds to date other women like her.
Stay Safe Out There, Ladies!
There are a lot of guys who will say "not all men" until they lose their voices, but the reality is that some men offer a threat towards women and it's okay to actively protect yourself.
It's The Same Soup, Just Reheated
I want to be clear: just about every unattractive guy who says you should take a chance on him because he is "nice" is not actually nice, and he will treat you just as poorly as the hot guy.
This Works In All Aspects Of Life
Every woman I know has dealt with this kind of joke at some point in their lives: professionally, personally, romantically, etc. We need to stop laughing off or overlooking harassment and safely challenge the men who perpetuate it.
It's Okay To Demand More
I would genuinely rather be alone than be in a relationship that makes me feel inadequate. Let's destroy the notion that women should settle and instead raise the bar for romantic partners.
Good Luck Out There!
In a perfect world, we could choose our sexuality, and I would get married to a nice woman who has a high level of emotional intelligence. However, in this world, I am relegated to dating men and actively working to weed out the bad ones.