Respect is part of the foundation of any healthy relationship, and you won’t really get it from a man who thinks equal rights have been truly achieved and feminism is just a fad for man-haters.
Check out the top reasons to date a feminist man, and you might discover something that’s been missing from your previous relationships. While some guys just claim to be a feminist, but still retain ugly biases, you’ll know a real feminist from the way he treats all women, not just you. Here’s why you a feminist makes the right partner.
1. He Has an Open Mind
If he can understand the struggles that women still have to face all over the world, caused by misogyny, he’ll keep an open mind when it comes to other important issues as well. While you might not think that’s important in a partner, you’ll appreciate it later on, when building a future together won’t become more difficult because of any antiquated views.
2. He Will Respect You
Without gender equality, and an acceptance of the fact that there’s still a long way to go until it’s complete, you can’t count on him to really respect you. One of the most obvious reasons to date a feminist man is because he genuinely considers you an equal, and won’t make life harder for you or other women though his actions or inactions.
3. He Won’t Push Any Gender Stereotypes
While there are many men who don’t stick to gender stereotypes, a feminist actually knows why they’re wrong, so he’s less likely to fall back into them during your relationship. Splitting household chores more evenly is the most obvious advantage, but there are a lot of ways in which stereotypes can contribute to a less happy relationship.
4. You’ll Have Better Sex
Splitting those chores more evenly means equality, and that leads to one of the other major reasons to date a feminist man: you’ll have more satisfaction in the bedroom. Research from Cornell University has proven that “egalitarian partners were ranked slightly higher in all these categories, reporting more frequent sex and greater satisfaction with the frequency and quality of that sex than conventional couples,” according to a brief written for the Council of Contemporary Families.
5. He’ll Be More Compassionate
Understanding you better leads to more compassion in your relationship. A guy who thinks that catcalling isn’t a big problem doesn’t really respect women or understand how that makes them feel unsafe. By dating a feminist, you’ll know you have someone by your side who understands you and won’t side with other guys over you when it comes to sensitive issues.
6. He’ll Be Your Biggest Fan
Being financially independent was almost impossible for women a few generations ago. If you have ambitions of being independent, he will get them more and give you emotional support when you need it. One of the most important reasons to date a feminist man is the fact that he’ll know you can do everything he can.
7. He Won’t Objectify You
Even if he loves it when you wear a sexy dress, a feminist knows that he has no right to demand you dress or look a certain way just because that’s how he likes it. You can still do it if you appreciate how grateful it is, but he’s not entitled to ask you to change your appearance for his sake, just like you aren’t when it comes to his appearance either.
8. He Could Have a Daughter
Whether you have plans to start a family or you’re just having fun together for a while, one of the most important reasons to date a feminist man is the fact that he might become father to a daughter one day. Reinforcing his feminist point of view can be of great benefit to women in the future.
9. He Understands That Feminism Also Benefits Men
Gender equality can also be helpful for men, by helping them let go of harmful stereotypes. Men are less likely than women to seek mental health help, and that’s strongly linked to misogynist ideas about being less of man when you’re in touch with your emotions.
10. You’ll Be Able to Laugh Together
You won’t hear any sexist jokes from him, and that’s one of the best reasons to date a feminist man. Jokes that are degrading to women will probably stick around for a long time, but you don’t want to hear them from your guy.
