Are You a Simp? Read this to find out!

 ARE YOU A SIMP?

1. Do you treat women with respect and equality?

2. Do you utilise basic manners around women, such as holding a door open for them?

3. Do you like to emotionally and maturely express your feelings for women?

If so, then you might be a simp!

At least, according to social media and today's standards.

You've probably seen the word 'simp' being thrown around quite often lately. It's definition, according to Urban Dictionary, is "someone who does way too much for a person they like." However it usually carries some different connotations. Lately, the term has been used to describe a man who does... well, anything for a woman.

You buy your girlfriend some flowers for her birthday? You're a simp. You spend some quality time with someone you like doing nice things together? You're a simp. It seems that lately being somewhat kind or affectionate means that you've become a simp. Even TikTok has a trend where guys pretend to be called out by their friends for doing seemingly 'simpish' behaviour, like wearing a face mask with their girlfriend, or going on a date. The horror! How dare they do something nice for their girlfriends!

What's the deal?

Real men know that there's nothing 'simpish' or emasculating for being affectionate or expressing their emotions. You're no less of a man for treating your girlfriend nicely. And it's strange that other men use this term derogatorily to shame others.

Toxic masculinity tells us that it's wrong to spoil your girlfriend or treat her well. That buying her gifts, or spending quality time together, or going out of your way to do something nice for her is shameful. As if that isn't what you do in a relationship. As if doing nice things for your partner and treating them well isn't the basic fundamentals of a relationship.

It's definitely not a mistake that the term 'simp' is only used to describe men. When a girlfriend watches her boyfriend play Call of Duty, or goes with him to a football match, or buys him a book based on an interest of his (that has nothing to do with her) she's not a simp. She's just treating her boyfriend, being a supportive girlfriend. So why is it that men are made a fool of for doing the same for women?

Social media (mostly twitter) sells you the narrative that women should treat their partners like 'kings' and that boyfriends should treat their girls like 'queens'. But when this is put into practice, it's rarely held up. And what this means is that women are settling for men who are giving them the bare minimum because they, as well as men, have been conditioned and taught to think that real men don't express their love. Real men don't communicate openly. Real men don't spoil their girlfriends.

LIES!

Boys, do not be afraid to spoil your girl. Do not be afraid to buy her flowers, get her nails done, take her out to dinner. Don't be afraid to be affectionate in public, or openly express your love for her. You want to post your girl all over social media? Do it! Don't be afraid to live your life how you want to based on the judgement of others (a rule for life in general but one that is especially important here). 

Don't look towards your single friends yelling 'simp' from the sidelines for getting lunch with your girlfriend. Because it's always the ones who are single which cast judgement on relationships, let's admit. Let them go home to their empty, loveless homes, whilst you and your girlfriend spend the night in each other's company.