Is she really going out with him? Cause if my eyes don't deceive me there's something going wrong around here......

Are women taught to settle as we're growing up?  It's just that I see so many beautiful, intelligent women with men they are so much better than.

Realising once again this could just be my misandry talking, but I rarely see it the other way round.  I mean I hardly ever see a couple and think 'Wow! he's just too (insert word here) for her'

I'm not talking about the physical side of it or even so much the intellect (although that is an issue), I'm mainly thinking about women who endure, tolerate and put up with guys who really treat them like shit.  It concerns me as a strong, independent, more than slightly feminist female. 

Are we really that afraid to be left on the shelf?  The lonely old cat women, living in the middle of the forest in the cottage made of candy luring small children to their peril.....cue: sexist fairy tales.  Ending up childless and unmarried the 'spinster' of our local neighbourhood.  Even that word is awful isn't it?  'Spinster' very different from 'Bachelor', the smooth older gentleman living in he's modern yet tasteful apartment, with just a touch of silver hair on his temples reading the Guardian,seducing young aspiring actresses to he's pad.....hee hee too much Madmen in my head there me thinks.

Or that situation at a wedding/christening/family type party when someone asks you when you're going to get married or have children (I'm not sure if guys get asked this) is completely infuriating.  I always wanted to make up really dramatic awful stories about diseases, accidents and fiancees left at sea to make people feel awful for asking such a personal question.  Or my favourite just responding with 'so do you and your husband practice anal?'  Which I feel is an equally personal and unnecessary line of questioning at a social gathering.  You show me your (offensive and extremely personal qustion)and I'll show you mine.

But seriously who teaches us that we have to put up with this shit, is it our parents, society a pre-programmed biologically determinist learned behaviour?  Our need to breed and be the perfect mother/wife/sex goddess?

Women have so much power and more often that not we don't allow ourselves to truly shine.  Sabotaging ourselves and our fellow sisters, denying our careers, our desires and needs, our happiness to capture that unobtainable (and not very worthy) love.  Enduring physical, psychological and sexual abuse as a part of a gendered role.

We need to wake the fuck up, we are the stronger sex in so many ways and the only thing that is letting the team down is us. 

Men can only do this to us if we allow it and more often than not, we do it to ourselves, we allow ourselves to be subjugated, we are our own worst enemy, when you get angry really angry in a relationship...honestly who are you more angry at him or yourself?.........and breath.

Tomorrow I will be a calm tourist again... :)