Courtship and feminism have been changing significantly over the last 50 years. Through the many bra-burning revolutions of the sixties, when feminism was at its peak, and through the slower yet still productive 40 years since, the modern woman has been born. And how has this changed the dating world? How do women act now at the very start of a romance? Here are a few pointers…

Taking the initiative

In the eighties and nineties, and even into the noughties, men were expected to do all the chasing. They would be the ones to approach women in the bar, arrange dates and eventually propose. This is all changing now, though. More and more women are taking the initiative to make that first move, and it is now common for women to make marriage proposals. A modern way around this whole tricky first stage of courtship is online dating. Many modern women now use a dating site such as www.eharmony.co.uk to find a partner, taking their love life fully into their own hands.

Chivalry not chauvinism

The feminist movement has brought up a delicate issue for all dating men. No longer are some acts of chivalry acceptable, as they are considered chauvinistic. Some modern women will be insulted if a man offers to pay the bill at a restaurant, for example. Modern men must find the balance between chivalry and chauvinism, avoiding the patronising pull-out-chair treatment, but knowing when to send flowers and come to a girl’s defence.

More choice, less pressure

The women of today are also much freer to choose. The family focus has been removed – declining religious faith and the introduction of birth control options such as the pill have meant it is considered less important to start a family. Women are also no longer pressured into finding a husband to support them financially, as they are now independent earners. Women can choose who to date, where it will take them, and whether they ever want to marry and have kids at the end of it all.

Financial irrelevance

Choice of partner is definitely less about material assets for the modern woman. As they earn their own income, their partner’s income becomes irrelevant. In fact, figures have shown that 25% of women now earn more than their partners. Women are far more interested in catching a man with matching psychometric test results and finding compatibility than catching the man with the highest pay cheque.

Busy and important

Finally, modern women enjoy playing games as much as men. The ‘hard to get’ side of dating, where texts are answered three days late and Facebook messages are ignored, is a common tactic for both sexes. It seems to be essential to appear busy and important in the dating world – anything to avoid appearing too keen and over-interested.

Thanks to feminism, the dating game is very different to how it was 50 years ago. The modern woman can keep up with a man’s games and salary, has many more choices and usually gets exactly what she wants.