Wait, Boyfriends Were Trending?

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Boyfriends? For spring? Groundbreaking. Recently, Vogue published an article that was, in fact, groundbreaking. It sparked controversy amongst everyone. Is having a boyfriend embarrassing now? It left single girls feeling validated, as if they were the ultimate 'it girls,' following trends that had yet to be invented.  

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The article itself explored how media audiences react when their favorite influencer posts a cute picture with their significant other. However, the decrease in followers' patterns revealed something bigger: women today seem to dislike the idea of having a boyfriend. This feeling of dislike of having a boyfriend comes from fear of girls degrading their own image. Yet, this ideology doesn't align with all the social media posts of girls yearning for a relationship or the ship edits of that one parasocial couple you can't stop trying to dissect. So, is this a feeling of embarrassment or fear of commitment?

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Throughout the article, the author discusses the fact that being in a relationship makes it much more private for women. The term "private but not secret" has gained considerable popularity over the years. It allows couples to show off their love, but not overdo it either. The "private but not secret" media presence usually includes a hand-holding picture, a picture of his hand on the steering wheel, or him holding a bouquet. It gives this sense of security, letting people know you are, in fact, in a happy relationship without posting to each other all day, every day.

On the other hand, some women prefer not to post their boyfriends at all. You might sit there and think it's weird, but it's more of a self-protective mechanism. I mean, think about it! Men have been embarrassing women since the beginning of time. Vogue was told that a woman in a 12-year-long relationship did not post their significant other. And thank god she didn't! She ended that interview by saying that men will embarrass you even after 12 years of being together, so claiming them just feels lame. 

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So is it embarrassing to have a boyfriend now? That depends on who you ask. Women are in a defining era, where all we want to do is be independent and figure it out on our own. Although it is not embarrassing to have a boyfriend, your relationship should not stop you from finding who you are and living to your full potential. 

Xoxo, 

     Isa & Mia