Why We Should Stop Telling Women To Be Flattered By The Attention Of Men
What I wish the younger me had known back then
“Enjoy it while it lasts. You’ll miss the attention when you’re old,” they said.
By ‘they’ I’m referring to women. Hundreds of well-meaning, kind women who’ve said I should feel grateful and flattered that boys and men were hitting on young, teenage me.
Into my 20’s the same advice was repeated to me.
“Oh, lucky you! When I was your age I got hit on all the time. To be young and beautiful! It doesn’t last y’know. Enjoy it while it does.”
Ugh.
It was drilled into me from a young age to see the attention of men, unwanted or otherwise, as a compliment. As if my self-esteem should feel a boost from their advances.
All my life I got this “advice” from adults, family members, and older friends, both men, and women.
When my friends and I would come home after a night out, we’d sit around with popcorn, dissecting which guys had approached us on the dance floor, as if it was a measuring stick for our attractiveness.
Essentially, the message that was being sent to me and other girls my age was that our desirability was measured by how many guys approach…
