403: Do you really want to take the next step in your relationship -- or is it just what's expected? (ft. Amy Gahran)
About this episode
The episode discusses the pressures of traditional relationship milestones and explores alternative choices with guest Amy Gahran.
Ever felt obligated to "take the next step" in a relationship -- for example, becoming exclusive, moving in together, getting married, buying a house, having children, etc.? Was it what you really wanted, or was it just what your partner or others thought you should be doing at that point? Millions of people quietly make alternative life choices and relationship choices -- but we rarely talk about them. Enter Amy Gahran and her book, Stepping Off the Relationship Escalator . In the world of sex, dating, and love relationships, the cultural norm is the "relationship escalator" -- it's the familiar rom-com plotline where you date, become monogamous, put a ring on it, get married, buy a single-family home in the suburbs (don't forget the white picket fence!), have children, and then only "win" at marriage if you stay together until death parts you. You never get to acknowledge attraction to anyone else, and you both avoid questions around emotional closeness with anyone outside your relationship. Here, we talk about what it looks like to get OFF the relationship escalator.Here are a few concrete examples: You want kids, and your partner doesn't. Instead of breaking up, your partner…
More episodes of Dear Men: How to Rock Sex, Dating, and Relationships With Women
- 410: Does her emotional intensity overwhelm you? (ft. Jason Lange)
- 409: Have you ever felt adrift as a man? (ft. Scott Kaltenbaugh and Djeli Celestia)
- 408: What if your blocks to love aren't even yours? (ft. Violet Lange)
- 407: Can't get it up, keep it up, or cum when you want? (ft. Dr. Luke Adler)
- 406: How do you strengthen your masculine energy? (ft. Dr. Luke Adler)
- 405: You'll be empty nesters soon. What'll happen to the marriage? (ft. Jason Lange)
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Dear Men: How to Rock Sex, Dating, and Relationships With Women podcast page.