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How the Fear of Being a “Simp” Is Killing Real Connection
You won’t lose your power by caring — but you might lose someone who needed you to show it.
He pursued me for years. Earnest. Emotionally present. Bold in ways that made my breath away. And for a long time, I resisted not because I didn’t feel something — but because I was cautious. Guarded. Careful.
Finally, I opened and met him in the space he had made. I showed up with my own tenderness and matched his effort. But that’s when he started fading.
The warmth that once defined his text messages became dry, routine. The man who once made me feel chosen started acting like I was… convenient.
One morning, during one of our playful exchanges, he asked, “Do you think I’m a simp?”
I laughed, confused by the word — I didn’t even know what that meant so I had to Google it. So, I did — then laughed for a second and reassured him: “No, of course you’re not”.
But I get it now. Too well.
We have an affair, and like many, this one is secret, too. No one knows he’s gentle. No one sees how he softens. No bros are lurking in the background mocking his tenderness. The fear isn’t external. It’s internal. So he isn’t being judged, but I reckon he’s…