Abby Connolly
Ladies, have you ever been in a relationship with a guy who claimed to really admire your success and acted as if they were comfortable being with a woman who was more accomplished or successful than them, only to bail or have an attitude the moment you are at the top of your game.
As Kacey Musgraves sings in her song “Breadwinner,” “He wants your shimmer to make him feel bigger until he starts feeling insecure.”
Many women have dealt with guys who talk a big game in wanting or loving women who are successful and have perhaps even accomplished more than them, only to be left confused when they eventually prove they aren’t as into it as they claimed.
Of course, there are lots of great men out there who genuinely want their partners to succeed and wish the best for the women in their lives. But unfortunately, in many dating scenarios, it can feel like those men are few and far between.
So, why are lots of men threatened by successful women?
Believe it or not, there’s been a lot of research done on this subject. Studies have shown that there are a lot of men who will claim to admire successful women but then go on to feel threatened whenever they interact with them in real life.
Many men feel less masculine or inferior when a woman is more successful than them, which often causes them to lose romantic interest in that woman. For some men, they may subconsciously see intelligent, wealthy, and successful women as less feminine and more masculine, which can be another deterrent.
Then, of course, there’s misogyny, which is still drilled into the minds of every human being in varying levels of severity. Men being envious, upset with, or impatient with women more successful than them is a nasty pattern that so desperately needs breaking.
So, as a successful woman, here’s what you should keep in mind – don’t make yourself small to please a man. Don’t feel like you have to dumb yourself down or act inferior to stay romantically involved with a man who, whether he admits it or not, is bothered by the notion of you being more accomplished than him.
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