You’d think that by the year 2012 urban, educated men would think women are capable, sentient beings, now wouldn’t you? Turns out, not exactly. Not all of them, anyways. But I am being unfair I think for I’ve found that it’s not just some men who think along those lines but also some women. It annoys me beyond reason when somebody judges my actions and my moods according to how it might or might not be related to a man.

Seriously, I have a life apart from all of that. If I get upset, or joyous or thoughtful, a guy doesn’t necessarily have to be the driving force behind those emotions. So this is what happened most recently. Somebody I know began whatsapping me and started asking me about my day etc. And I was a tad unwell at the time and told him as much (it was something I ate, I guess and a lot of people also believed it to be the ever-present factor in life: stress). He still pressed on for details about what’s new in my life and what all I do all day to pass time because he so desperately wants to get to know me and would do anything to get familiar with my many quirks (and yet, I doubt if he’s ever read my blog, like, ever). I had no choice but to tell him that at the moment my life is quite dull for I sit at home with my hair running wild (much like Merida from Brave) read books obsessively. And then he asked me—if I had a boyfriend because if I did, the reason for my “bad mood” was miraculously explained. Because, you see, it is believed by so many that me, being a women, would get upset because of relationship problems. My supposed boyfriend would, of course, not be half as bothered as me and probably goes out with his friends for some male bonding time.

What. The. Hell.

As if I cannot have any other aspect of life. Whether or not I am dating/seeing/engaged to/married to is besides the point. The point is that why jump to conclusions that my mood varies as per the exact point of where my relationship would be on. It is so presumptuous that I would be clinically depressed, no less, because of a minor fight with my boyfriend (or fiancé or husband likewise, you get the point). As if I don’t have the right to feel anything unless it directly affects my love life. I have a weird feeling that such people think that being a single woman is the biggest misfortune that can possibly befall a girl (as opposed to being a single man, which is okay because men can apparently “tale care” of themselves).

And then, as of that bit of duche-headedness wasn’t enough, I was told that he would gladly be there to make my life better, to “take care” of me and so on. And also that he would try to “steal” me away. As if I’m some sort of a property that can be stolen! There goes my individuality. Also, as if I’d ever even think about being with someone like that.

It’s not just that guy and it’s not just this incident. Whenever I dress up a little bit, a lot of girls hound me asking and hinting me if I’m going to meet up someone special later on. If I sound happy, a lot of people presume it’s because I must have made a head on advance in the groom or boyfriend hunt.

I don’t get it.

Fine, yes, so I am a heterosexual girl and I adore Mr. Darcy and I am not a robot…if I fought with someone I love (anyone straight from my parents to my dog to my friends to anyone I love), it would upset me and upset me a lot. But I just don’t think it’s fair to just assume that the only aspect centering a woman’s life is relationships. I could be worried about my career, education, the cervical cancer vaccination shot…a million things.