I think independence for any gender can be determined by how that person maintains and handles challenges in life. I’ve heard women and myself being coined the phrase the independent woman. What exactly is an independent woman?
I have been told this many of time, when sharing my outlook on myself in relationships. When discussing with others on genders expectations with a woman or man they seem to view and label my comments as the independent women scenario. I figure this phase has been coined when women like myself has an opinion or communicates strongly about what is acceptable and not acceptable conduct in relationships. I never speak on what a man has to do for me, but how we can share the same gender responsibilities that do not way heavy on one partner and being open and honest with our feeling towards the other.
I say I am liberal in values and principals; I communicate trust and well being. Happiness for me is having a strong interpersonal connection between us as partners that reflects our unity. I speak of choices and multiple roles. Genders alike have view my comments and statements as an independent woman. Most women I know say a man has to wine and dine them; spend money on them, and bring home the bacon. Then the women would reward her mate for example, preparing a bath for them, cooking them food, and sex. Then they wake up and do it all as a ritual or dance. If not the man is punished and she does not perform her wifey duties. Most women that speak the wifey duties talk think this is the norm. ‘Our ways of knowing and communicating are influenced by our context of thinking, communicating and performing identity, including gender” support my commentary above, taken from the book Gender Lives, by Julia Woods.