It can be hard to stick to your values, but 25-year-old Carly Raull has found a way to remain a staunch feminist despite having a loving and committed boyfriend. Her method is simple: She just never mentions him and avoids acknowledging his presence unless he’s in the room and she literally has to.
Carly, who believes that having a boyfriend is “anti-feminist”, is happy to have a loving and supportive male partner, but has no desire to talk about or bring him up in conversation if he’s not within her sight lines. In fact, Carly talks about Chris as little as possible, to the point of it being weird and a little rude.
“I’m an independent woman and never thought I’d be the kind of girl who is in a serious relationship, and so I operate as if I’m not,” says Raull. “The only times I acknowledge Chris are when I absolutely have to. Like when he’s in the room, right beside me, asking to be introduced to my friends.”
Way to stick it to the man even though this is a good one who really cares about you!
Understandably, Chris would rather Carly be proud of their relationship.
“I came to her office party and she immediately apologized to her coworkers and spent the next few minutes insisting that she doesn’t even really like me or any men at all,” says Chris. “I don’t get it. We’ve been dating for three years and she’s met my whole family.”
Carly’s friends have mixed feelings about their friend’s firm stance on dating and relationships.
“We’re all really happy for Carly because Chris treats her really well,” says childhood friend Gloria Piper. “But she doesn’t have to be so weird about it. You can be a feminist and still have a boyfriend. I feel like maybe she doesn’t understand what feminism is?”
“I feel really bad for Chris,” says another friend Taylor Fischer. “The fact of the matter is no one would be mad if she brought up her boyfriend. We’re actually a little mad she doesn’t?”
Still, Carly believes the only way for her to be a true feminist and also date a man is by ignoring him until she has no other choice but to address him because he’s in the room, on one knee, asking her to marry him in front of her friends and family.
Wow! Feminist hero? We’re not sure, but you go, girl!
