Men share 25 things they didn't know about women until they got into a relationship with one

Editor's Note: This article was originally published on June 15, 2022. It has since been updated.

Are women really that much of an enigma? You would think, given how women make up a substantial chunk of the global population, that men would by now know a thing or two about us. However, many still consider women an unfathomable mystery and have no idea what it's like to be in a relationship with one. Hopefully, the responses to a question posed on the Reddit community might finally paint a clearer picture. Posted by Reddit user u/Foolu, the query reads as such: "Guys of Reddit, what is something you learned about girls after getting into a relationship?"

Here are 25 of the top answers shared by Reddit users:

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"In my first relationship, I always wondered why my girlfriend would rant at me about things like horrible coworkers, stress dealing with projects, etc., and then get mad at me when I tried to talk through the problems, break them down and help come up with workable solutions. In my second relationship I realized when women do this, they just want to rant and have a hug at the end. They don't want your advice, they don't want a calm, rational discussion about what they can do to make a situation better. Don't pour kerosene on that fire, just let it burn out." — dave8271

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"That relationships take a f**k ton of work and commitment. Before I got into one, I thought love and passion were all that were needed. I couldn't have been more wrong. A real relationship takes so much practical work. Love, passion, dedication, and trust are the foundations, yes. However, there are so many more practical considerations on top of that.

Some prominent examples:- Attachment styles, finances, distance, emotional bandwidth, maturity level, sacrifice, commitment, discomfort and confrontation, learning how to argue and disagree healthily, concerns about intimacy and sex, power dynamics, place in life and relative experiences, sexual and otherwise. The list goes on.

Relationships are a LOT of fu**ing work and as I learned the hard way, you could love someone more than life itself and be willing to die for them and think they are your one true soul mate AND THEY CAN FEEL THE SAME EXACT WAY but if these other things aren't in place, then it will NOT work and you will experience the most soul-crushing and excruciating heartbreak of your entire existence." — Sagacity89

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"Periods suck. Bras suck. Shaving suck. Women don’t get enough pockets on their clothing. And they appreciate compliments A LOT on things they may be insecure about (Like stretch marks or thighs)."— BaldEagleNor

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"That penetration without clitoral stimulation doesn't do the trick for a lot of women." — Checkersmack

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"They don't... stop... thinking... at all. I can be sitting on the sofa staring at the wall and my mind is a void... occasionally a thought may float past, like a discarded crisp packet in the breeze... then... back to silence.
Whereas every woman I've been with seems to have a brain like an 80's stock exchange... that's on fire... and full of angry murder hornets.... so much activity." — Shougatenma

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"Honestly? How much unnecessary guilt women carry around with them over everything.

The first girlfriend I had (18 at the time) every time I did something nice would either apologize or promise some kind of sexual reward. At first, it seemed hot but after a few times in a row I just told her I wasn't doing nice things for a reward but because I cared about her. Made her cry and we talked it out afterward but yeah after that (and just other things I talked to my female friends about) my eyes were opened to how invalid women seem to feel." — King-of-Karthadasht

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"They appreciate the gifts you've made, even if they're not good, just the fact that you put effort into making them something." — 2boneskuLL

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"Finding a doctor who won't assume they're either on their period or that it's 'all in their head' is insanely hard. It's difficult to understand if every trip to the doctor has been normal and helpful as a dude." — NobilisUltima

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