Women have come a long way over the last century — 100 years ago we couldn't even vote, and today we are arguably as likely as men to have careers. I don't consider myself a feminist. In fact, I'm guilty of sharing this meme:

Don't hate me.

The truth is, though, that I can't think of a single thing a man can do that I can't, so I've never felt oppressed as a female... until recently.

A couple of weeks ago, I met a guy. He was 26, five years older than me. He seemed like a great person—and I still believe he is—so this article isn't intended to bash him. He was a Marine Corps veteran, current WVU student, and possibly the most polite guy I have met. After a few dates (and I mean real dates; this guy was a gentleman), I invited him to spend the night at my apartment.

His response?

"You're not going to make me work for it?"

It was then that it hit me. It doesn't matter that the days of women not being able to vote are long gone, that women are no longer presupposed homemakers, that women are entrepreneurs and powerful executives of corporations, or even that women serve in political office.

Women are not equal to men.

As women, we've all been told (probably countless times) that we shouldn't get intimate with a guy too soon because he'll "lose interest" or "lose respect". I am no stranger to this mentality; I just have never experienced it quite so overtly.

Here's the thing: this mentality is barbaric, misogynistic, and—frankly—bullshit. Do I recommend going home with every random guy you meet at Bent Willey's? Of course not. But that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the fact that some men still subconsciously expect women to "hold out", and that whether a woman is deemed relationship-worthy is contingent on a perfectly executed waiting game.

I'd like to let men in on a little secret:

Women in 2017 have more important things to do than worry about whether or not men will still be interested after sex.

Sex is a very intimate connection between two human beings, and it should not be the case that one of them feels obligated to wait an "appropriate" amount of time to explore this connection. This decision should be natural, honest, and authentic, not strategic and contrived.

That said, it's important to note that this mentality is not men's fault alone. Yes, they initiated it by proving—time and again—that they are capable of losing interest after sex, even in a girl they originally had further intentions with. But like all other ignorant mentalities, it can evolve, but not without the help of women.

So now, I'll share something with the gals:

We exacerbate this mentality.

Imagine if your friend told you she loved boxing but was afraid to pursue it because people might think she's masculine. Would you say, "Yeah, you're right. Maybe you should be a cheerleader instead"? Or would you say, "Screw them, do what you want"? The latter, of course.

So why do women keep telling other women not to sleep with guys they like? Sure, not giving a guy "what he wants" right away gives him time to develop feelings, thereby decreasing the chances that he will disappear after sex.

But what about what we want?

Women have the same needs as men. The only difference is that we're expected to suppress them until some undetermined interval of time has passed in order to be considered datable. Withholding sex in hopes of earning a man's respect is taking the easy way out. By continuing to give each other this advice, women are actually condoning this mentality, and we have to stop.

Stop telling your friends it's too soon to have sex with the guys they're dating.

Stop telling guys you don't want to have sex with them yet because, if you do, they might not want to date you or talk to you anymore.

Don't tell your (future) daughter that girls who "give up" sex too soon have no self-respect.

Think about it. Do you want to be with someone whose feelings are so superficial anyways? No. So do what you want regardless of how another person may react because that is truly worthy of respect.

Of course, this is an age-old pattern of thinking that won't change overnight, especially since men often don't even realize or understand why they feel this way. In the meantime, find the ones who have already evolved because they do exist and they will love your bad-ass.