“What did you do on Valentine’s Day?”
As February comes and goes, the one topic that is omnipresent across luncheons or dinners and drinks across the world is whether you have spent the month of love with or without a romantic prospect.
Valentine’s Day celebration may not be for everyone. To some, the day to celebrate love is overrated and has come to represent the commercialisation of relationships.
Having said that, mainstream culture (driven by the marketers) has romanticised it so much so that there lies an unspoken rule of thumb where women secretly assess the state of their relationships on Valentine’s.
What does this mean for the singletons?
A recent survey by National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN) showed that 35.7 percent of Malaysian women are marrying late because they could not find a suitable partner.
READ: Singlehood in Malaysia: An infographic
This phenomenon is nothing new. I know plenty of brilliant and brainy women from my line of work. A large percentage of them are single professionals, some of whom remain single out of choice.
‘Modern women are too choosy when it comes to romance’, we’ve been told.
But I believe it has more to do with the change of circumstances — while it is still predominantly a male-dominated world, modern dating has shifted in the wake of female empowerment both at home and at work. Some men may feel intimidated by self-sufficient women, but that is beyond our control.
READ: Late marriage: "Men back off when they learn I'm pursuing my PhD"
Generally speaking, new age women know exactly what they want, have more diversified career options and greater financial independence.
More women are now upholding a set of standards when finding love. Some even proclaim ‘I don’t need a man.’
Sounds familiar? I was one of them.
Competitive and fiercely independent, I put in one too many additional hours in my early to mid twenties to build my career.
Along with like-minded friends, we vowed to never put up with shitty dates (loosely defined, as it depends on individual preferences) or ungentlemanly behaviour.
There was no space for a man, because independent as we are, we filled in the role of that man.
At one point, I came to realise that I have been so used to get things done on my own that I was shutting people (and potential love interests) out.
I so wanted to live up to the image of an independent career woman that I was afraid to let my guard down and express my vulnerabilities.
While I hold true to my independent nature, I recognise that relationships are also a partnership. It’s also a balancing act. There is no perfect relationship, only what we make out of it.
Cherish Leow
Mon Feb 29 2016
![Are modern Malaysian women too choosy when it comes to love? Are modern Malaysian women too choosy when it comes to love?](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2015-08/81439085721_WORKINGWOMEN.jpg)
New age women know exactly what they want, have more diversified career options and greater financial independence.
![Hukuman penjara bapa lakukan serangan seksual ke atas 3 anak perempuan dikurangkan Hukuman penjara bapa lakukan serangan seksual ke atas 3 anak perempuan dikurangkan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-04/51714453013_courtgavelmahkam.jpg)
Hukuman penjara bapa lakukan serangan seksual ke atas 3 anak perempuan dikurangkan
Dalam penghakimannya, Che Mohd Ruzima berkata perayu gagal membuktikan bahawa Mahkamah Sesyen terkhilaf dalam memutuskan kes itu.
Malaysia-Brunei adakan rundingan mudahkan urusan Imigresen
Malaysia dan Brunei akan mengadakan rundingan bagi memudahkan proses keluar masuk rakyat kedua-dua negara.
![Pan-gon mahu kekal hubungan baik dengan Malaysia Pan-gon mahu kekal hubungan baik dengan Malaysia](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81721124936_KimPanGon.jpg)
Pan-gon mahu kekal hubungan baik dengan Malaysia
Bekas ketua jurulatih Harimau Malaya Kim Pan-gon mahu mengekalkan hubungan baik dengan skuad itu biarpun tidak lagi bersama.
Kos pampasan tanah fasa 1B proses Projek LPB Sabah RM1.2 bilion - Alexander
Anggaran kos pengambilan balik tanah bagi keseluruhan Fasa 1B proses pengambilan tanah dan penilaian pampasan tanah bagi Projek Lebuh Raya Pan Borneo Sabah (LPB Sabah) berjumlah RM1.2 bilion.
Sentiasa berhati-hati, ribut petir diramal berlaku di Sabah
Orang ramai khususnya yang tinggal di kawasan berisiko di Sabah disaran agar bersiap siaga terutama dari segi perubahan cuaca yang tidak menentu yang seterusnya akan mengakibatkan bencana banjir dan pokok tumbang.
Nasib acara sepak takraw wanita diketahui Khamis ini
Nasib acara sepak takraw wanita berpasukan dalam Sukan Malaysia (SUKMA) edisi ke-21 di Sarawak akan ditentukan dalam Mesyuarat Jawatankuasa SUKMA Peringkat Kebangsaan pada Khamis ini.
JPBM Sabah serah jentera khas buat pasukan sukarela
Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia (JBPM) negeri Sabah sedang dalam perancangan untuk menyerahkan jentera khas, iaitu Volunter Fire Rescue Tender (VFRT) untuk Pasukan Bomba Sukarela (PBS) di Sabah.
Sarawak akan pertahan pingat sukan Muay Thai edisi lalu
Skuad Sarawak akan berusaha mempertahankan masing-masing dua emas, perak dan gangsa dalam kejohanan SUKMA yang dimenangi dalam edisi lalu.
![Usaha pujuk Pan-gon tidak berhasil - Yusoff Mahadi Usaha pujuk Pan-gon tidak berhasil - Yusoff Mahadi](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81721124841_TBFAM.jpg)
Usaha pujuk Pan-gon tidak berhasil - Yusoff Mahadi
FAM pernah berusaha memujuk Kim Pan-gon untuk terus mengemudi skuad Harimau Malaya hingga kontraknya tamat secara rasmi pada akhir tahun depan.
![Kaspersky tinggalkan pasaran AS bermula 20 Julai ini Kaspersky tinggalkan pasaran AS bermula 20 Julai ini](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-02/51708604164_kasperskyancamans.jpg)
Kaspersky tinggalkan pasaran AS bermula 20 Julai ini
Kaspersky mengesahkan kurang 50 pekerja akan terkesan, dan mereka akan diberikan pampasan susulan penutupan syarikat tersebut.
![Bieber-Selena Gomez tidak selindung aksi romantis Bieber-Selena Gomez tidak selindung aksi romantis](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2017-11/81510808205_SelenaJustin.jpg)
Bieber-Selena Gomez tidak selindung aksi romantis
Orang ramai mula menyedari kehadiran pasangan selebriti ini di beberapa kawasan yang kurang dikunjungi di Los Angeles, California.
![Disebalik cahaya festival 'Fear, Love, Hope' Disebalik cahaya festival 'Fear, Love, Hope'](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2015-12/41450671994_Floh.jpg)
Disebalik cahaya festival 'Fear, Love, Hope'
Festival Fear, Love, Hope (F.LO.H) menarik perhatian umum khususnya golongan muda untuk terus bergiat aktif dalam bidang-bidang terlibat.