![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/0_Happy-African-American-woman-proposing-to-her-boyfriend-at-home-696x392.jpg\" "\\"0_Happy-African-American-woman-proposing-to-her-boyfriend-at-home\\"\/")
<\/div>\nIn today\u2019s society, we\u2019re much more accepting when it comes to breaking down barriers for women and traditional gender roles are being left behind. <\/p>\n
But one woman\u00a0on Reddit\u00a0has discovered there are still some people who don\u2019t want to let go of their gendered views \u2013 as her friends told her she would \u201chumiliate\u201d her boyfriend if she\u00a0proposed.<\/p>\n
The woman explained she and her partner have spoken about\u00a0marriage\u00a0and she wants to surprise him by getting down on one knee at his birthday party in March, but her friends have told her not to because it might make him feel like less of a man.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cI met my\u00a0boyfriend\u00a0almost three years ago now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Things remained professional and friendly between us for months because we were working for the same corporation, but as soon as we kissed we took things seriously.<\/p>\n \u201cIt then all evolved quickly and very naturally. I\u2019ve never felt as happy and safe romantically as I can be with him. Marrying each other is something we both see happen, and we know that\u2019s something we want.<\/p>\n \u201cTalking with a mutual friend, I admitted that I was considering proposing at his\u00a0birthday party\u00a0in March, but I was not expecting the friend to laugh at me.\u201d<\/p>\n The woman claimed her friend told her she would \u201churt\u201d her boyfriend by proposing as it would likely emasculate him, as it is traditionally a man\u2019s job to get down on one knee.<\/p>\n She added: \u201cHe said that I should know better than to propose to such an \u2018alpha, strong, proud man and that it would only hurt him if I was the one making that step because then it would be humiliating to him.<\/p>\n \u201cThe discussion shocked me so I asked a few of his friends who all claimed the same. They said the man has to propose and if I don\u2019t give him that chance, it will be the same as publicly castrating him.\u201d <\/p>\n Commenters on the post were split on the subject, as while many of them insisted the gender of the person proposing doesn\u2019t matter, they were also keen to mention that surprising him in public isn\u2019t a good idea.<\/p>\n One person said: \u201cI don\u2019t give a s**t about gender roles. Ladies can propose, non-binaries can propose, men can propose, that\u2019s all fine.<\/p>\n \u201cThe thing you can\u2019t do is propose at a public function, it creates immense pressure to say yes. Just arrange a private place to ask or discuss marriage.\u201d<\/p>\n And another added: \u201cYou\u2019re not the a**hole for wanting to propose, but you would be the a**hole if you did it publicly, especially on his birthday.\u201d<\/p>\n While a third commented: \u201cIf you propose in private it\u2019s fine. But you would be the a**hole if you proposed in front of his friends.<\/p>\n \u201cYou already know that even if your boyfriend is overjoyed, his friends are going to crap all over this event and make you both feel like shit.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/0_Woman-proposing-to-a-man-on-a-park-bench.jpg\")