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Men ask what do women want', so what do women want?

What is it that we as women look for in men? Is it the rustic cowboy or the urbane metro-sexual? Whatever it is, I hardly think it is universal- in terms of appearance, style, and personality- and that is about it. As much as we may think we are different, and surely, in many ways we are, there really is a general consensus about the way a woman would like to be treated. She wants to be treated-well- like a woman.

Clearly that is not to put forth the at-best obsolete chauvinistic mind frame. The reality of the twentieth century reveals that independence, rather than ignorance is bliss. Women desire to assert their credibility, and, thereby, test the male specimen in terms of their ability to act accordingly. The cowboy may be appealing until he shoves his lovely lady into the kitchen. The metro-sexual, however, will not forgo his masculinity in order to create an ultra sexy, vibrant modern man. He can be a man and an equal, the perfect match for the modern woman. This innate need for equality is certainly not a new concept. Take Shakespeare (sixteenth century): Macbeth, for instance, viewed his lady, despite the general consensus surrounding the times, as a complement, a partner in crime. With her, and no one else, he shared the secrets that the witches brought to him. She helped him execute Duncan's murder. And what do we say of this? Is Shakespeare a feminist?

As far as his literary works may be concerned, it may be possible that he sought to understand women beyond the apparent irrational claim to their being inherently irrational. Though there were the inevitable young and gullible Ophelias, who were powerless and coy, there also appeared the Queen Gertrudes who, though seemingly nave, were cunning and manipulative if one is to read between the lines'. Gertrude, had she refused to marry the incestuous Claudius, would have been easily disposed of as a queen. It was in her best interest to secure the throne, and clearly, in her best interest to pursue the relationship so quickly after her late husband's death.

So what Shakespeare creates through his characters' actions is the idea that women are strategic, smart; that they are not entirely controlled by their sudden whims of fancy and sporadic bouts of PMS. Regardless other faults that Shakespeare may attest to, he certainly got one thing right, and it serves to inch at least one step closer to solving the puzzle: never underestimate a woman- women want respect.

But then, conversely, what trait is it that women seek in men? I often find myself in a catch-22, trying to recognize why, despite the fact that I am perfectly capable of intimidating men, I never fall for the men that I intimidate. Perhaps it is a test that I do in order to see whether or not a man is a man. So Shakespeare was, again, right on point. Like Macbeth who treasured the opinion of his lady, a woman desires to respect the man who she is with. No, she does not want to step all over him, and any man who believes his virtue to be his lack of a backbone should have a rude awakening upon reading this! Women want men who have opinions but who are willing to respect theirs' as well.

The reason that we are attracted to men who are assertive is because we want them to deserve our respect and we, likewise, desire to earn theirs. If those two cases appear simultaneously, then there is potential for a something substantial, a relationship, perhaps? If, however, a woman feels herself belittled by a man, it should, like it does vice versa, indicate that a man has little respect for her. And why would that cowboy be worth it?

Learn more about this author, Marina Tsipenyuk.
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