The Love Trap: Why Modern Dating Feels Like a Rigged Game for Women

Breaking Free from Unrealistic Expectations and Choosing Self-Worth Over Social Norms

Natalie flung her phone onto the bed with a force that made her wince. For a split second, she considered checking if the screen had cracked. But honestly? A broken phone would be the perfect metaphor for her love life — shattered, glitchy, and barely functional despite repeated efforts to fix it.

“Screw this,” she muttered, feeling the bitterness of yet another failed date coat her throat like cheap whiskey.

She had spent hours getting ready — choosing an outfit that balanced sexy and sophisticated, applying just enough makeup to look effortless, and mentally preparing herself for another round of awkward small talk. And for what?

The man she had met for dinner had been attractive. On paper, he was her “ideal” match — financially stable, well-dressed, and charming in a way that made the first glass of wine go down smoothly. But the longer the evening stretched on, the more obvious it became that he was interested in only one thing: the way she looked in that dress.

No questions about her career, her passions, or her opinions. Just lingering stares, the occasional generic compliment, and an expectation that she would be flattered by the bare…