…about the extent to which women — at least of my generation — have “let go” of things for the sake of harmony with the men in their lives.
It’s gotten better with the rise of feminism. We are no longer expected to “let go of” jobs we like or people we care about once we’re married, but it remains practically a reflex. Hell, through much of the 20th and 21st century, entire books were written telling women how we should edit ourselves to “keep a man.” (And before anyone hastens to tell me what men have “let go of” for women, yes, I know men make sacrifices — but I have not seen a similar avalanche of books advising men on how to alter their behavior in order to “keep” a woman.)
Among the things I’ve “let go of” for various men, all for the sake of harmony:
Wearing certain clothes, because they are either “dowdy” or “slutty.”
Venting about problems at work after a hard day.
Mentioning a relative/friend he disliked.
Openly enjoying things he disliked/disapproved of, like certain video games, TV shows, etc.
Expressing a political/religious/cultural view he didn’t share.
I was younger then, of course. Now I’m old and cranky and shameless and married to a good man. That old feminine reflex of ‘letting it go’ has atrophied.
So the answer to the question is “I honestly can’t think of anything at the moment. Maybe later something will occur to me.”
Pam Troy 