Are men still intimidated by confident women?
In a world that is constantly changing, the dynamics of modern relationships is more complex and now things are very different in the 21st century. So, is it still true that successful women are still intimidating to men? Sadly, there is no single or definitive answer to why some men feel threatened by successful, (often considered) Alpha women.
Whether you are a successful entrepreneur,; on the fast track in the corporate world or that stay at home mum taking charge of her family; women continue to advance when given the opportunity.
Opinions differ but some men will feel threatened and this could be based on a wide range of individual, cultural and societal factors. However, many women find they are still ‘dumbing’ down or 'compromising' in order to attract a partner or have a long term relationship.
No woman should have to change her essential self in order to make her partner love her. Here are some possible reasons why men may feel threatened by successful women:
Traditional gender roles: Some men may have grown up in a culture that reinforces traditional gender roles. Where men are expected to be the primary providers and women are expected to be caretakers. Where men have grown up in this environment they will find it difficult to be in a relationship with a strong woman.
Sadly, when a woman becomes successful, independent and starts speaking her mind, it can challenge these traditional gender roles. Today, the women’s role goes far beyond cooking, cleaning and pushing out babies!
Some men may feel that their masculinity is being threatened when the woman starts to make these boss moves and will either put his foot down or leave the relationship.
Feelings of insecurity:
Not every man is confident to be around a woman who knows what she wants and is a go-getter? They may be intimidated by her financial success and stability or she grows more successful during the relationship. and eclipses his feelings of authority. This may trigger feelings of inadequacy, jealousy or more terrifying (to him) she may even leave him.
Maybe they are used to being in relationships where there were co-dependency issues and the man has become accustomed to a woman who needs constant reassurance. Successful women may find it difficult to depend on their partner to define their lifestyle and will make no apology about accomplishing the goals she has set out for herself.
Your partner's insecurity maybe based on his feelings of vulnerability and weakness and feeling challenged. But without open, honest and respectful communication, this will prove a problem in the long run.
It’s not all bad news. On a lighter note it could be simply that he’s shorter than you and you don’t laugh at his jokes!
Power dynamics: In some cases, men may feel threatened by successful women because they perceive them as a threat to their own power or realm of influence. This can be especially true where they operate in overly male-dominated industries or professions where they need to be the stronger, more confident partner in the relationship.
It becomes an issue when there is no gender equality balance in the relationship and women could possibly be involved with a narcissist or someone could turn out to be coercive and controlling over time. Watch out for the signs.
Let us be clear, it is not helpful when society keeps reinforcing certain stereotypes between the genders. Yes, some men do like being the breadwinner and in charge, but relationship dynamics are rapidly changing so men need to put their ego in check and focus on building healthy, harmonious relationships.
Respect goes both ways and its worth working on this together either via relationship coaching, your spiritual advisor or a professional to find the balance. in your relationship in the long term.
Fear of rejection:
Some men may feel that a self-assured, confident woman is less likely to be interested in them, or that they may not measure up to the woman's high standards.
Where her life appears more exciting than his, he may take her subconscious message as trying to make him feel inadequate, especially if she is constantly outperforming him both personally and professionally.
This fear of rejection can lead to feelings of failure or insecurity especially if he is not as intellectual of curious about life as the woman is.
It's important to note that not all men feel threatened by successful, independent women, and that these feelings are not limited to men. Many people of all genders and backgrounds can feel insecure or threatened by the success of others, and it's important to recognise and address these feelings in order to build stronger and more supportive, loving relationships and communities.
Apart from the stigma of attached to ‘independent’ women, what your thoughts on what recommendations, ideas and insights can you offer to avoid misunderstandings and myths about men seeing confident women as a threat in the comment section below.
