Actually, I don’t think you can entirely separate the two, as civil rights are deeply intertwined with one’s ability to date and court. Hence why middle class women used to try to find a husband right out of high school when we had little other choice but to become teachers, nurses, or spinsters.

In 2024, I absolutely do not need a man to pay for me to be “courted.” I insist on Dutch until we agree we are a “thing,” at which point, asker pays, or we go in together on a splurge.

I want a teammate who can carry his own weight financially, emotionally and domestically, so we can work together as equals on our goals. That doesn’t mean rich, it just means able to carry his own weight, just as I carry mine. Fortunately, I have one!