Some of the most girly pleasures aren’t as appealing once you take away the expectation that women are meant to be excited about them.
The audience wasn’t invited
It sounds romantic. The idea of proposing to a woman in public seems like the stuff of movies, and it kind of is. But then you realize the entire restaurant is staring. Public proposals and surprise serenades, as well as giant announcements at parties, are all the same.
They put pressure on a woman, and she has nowhere to hide when it starts to feel awkward. She might actually love the person making the gesture. But that doesn’t matter, because she just doesn’t want other people involved in her relationship.
The party before the baby
Some people assume that all women love baby showers. They’re wrong. These events can be lovely sometimes, sure, but they often involve several hours of being watched and photographed. There are way too many hugs and questions, too.
That’s just for the pregnant woman. It’s even less fun when you’re a guest. Pregnant women are already tired and uncomfortable enough, so having to put on a performance of happiness makes things difficult. A lot of women would prefer to just relax.
The automatic baby enthusiasm
That’s not all for babies. Someone can walk into the room holding one and now, all of a sudden, every woman nearby is supposed to be happy about it. They’re supposed to coo and be excited to hold the baby. How annoying.
Not all women are interested in babies, and assuming that they are just makes things awkward. They might actually like children perfectly well. The difference is that they don’t always want one placed in their lap, and they don’t want to feel forced into pretending it’s okay.
The bouquet problem
There’s no denying that flowers are beautiful, and they do make for a sweet gift. It’s also true that they’re a short-lived household task. That’s why a lot of women dislike getting them as gifts, since they’re the ones who have to unwrap the flowers and trim the stems.
They need to find a vase for them and keep them watered. It’s a lot of work for something that’s supposed to be a gift. That’s not to say women hate flowers, plenty do like them. It’s just that a bouquet isn’t always the best of gifts for someone who just happens to be female.
Not another relationship debrief
There’s a very annoying stereotype about how women approach relationships. You know the one. It’s one that says they’re happy to spend four hours discussing one text message and another two hours debriefing about a relationship. There are some women who do this.
But not every woman wants to turn their dating life into an evening-long investigation. A lot of them get bored of it, and many more don’t enjoy talking about relationships whatsoever. The truth is, romance isn’t always the main topic of conversation. That’s all.
Everyone in the same outfit
It’s true that matching pajamas look adorable in the photograph, and so do matching outfits. They look good in bridal photographs. But getting everyone organized in that way is a different story. You have to figure out what outfit works for everyone, and then what color to get it in.
There are some women who genuinely love the whole coordinated look, sure, but not all of them feel that way. A lot of them actually wish they could choose their own clothes. In reality, beige isn’t everybody’s color.Â
Please retire the royal title
‘Princess’ is a nickname that can be sweet, as long as it comes from the right person. It rarely does. Yes, when a woman hears that name from a coworker or a stranger, it just comes off as pretty patronizing.
Most women don’t want to be spoken to in that way. That’s not all, though. ‘Princess’ sometimes means demanding or spoiled. It suggests a woman is high-maintenance, even when she’s not, and even when it’s meant affectionately.
The gossip assignment
The minute several women start talking, people start assuming they’re gossiping. They could be, but they could also be talking about mortgage rates. Not all women get a thrill from talking about who cheated on who and who gained weight.
You might be surprised to learn that, actually, many women find that kind of conversation tiring. They don’t all like dishing the dirt. Plus, gossip isn’t exclusive to women either, so it’s silly to treat it like a female hobby.
Hands out of the hair
It’s totally fine to admire someone’s hair. You just don’t need to know what it feels like, although not every person understands that message. Many women with curls or braids get a million questions about their hair, followed by hands running through it.
People don’t even ask to do it, either. That kind of curiosity can get pretty old when a woman also receives a ton of comments about their hair. They don’t enjoy unsolicited hair touching.
Relaxation with an appointment time
A spa day is nice enough in theory. It’s not so relaxing in practice, as a woman has to figure out where to park and what time to get there. She has to decide what afternoon she’s okay with giving up for the spa day. That doesn’t always feel like a treat.Â
There are lots of women who enjoy massages and all the rest, but only when they actually want them. Being told to take some time for pampering isn’t so sweet when your life is already packed. It just becomes another item on the calendar.
The hostess role nobody requested
Hosting is pretty stressful, no matter how it might seem. There’s food to buy and things to chop, as well as a house that needs cleaning and all sorts of decorating to do. That’s why a lot of women don’t like it.
They also don’t care for the expectation that a woman is supposed to enjoy being a host. It usually ends up being extra work disguised as a nice evening for them, anyway. She probably enjoys having everyone over, but she doesn’t enjoy being the one running it all.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
