It is a stereotypical view that once a woman starts dating and committing themselves to one man that she now becomes his. This is false and misogynistic. It's a sexist view since it is the woman that is considered to be property and to be losing some of herself to a man.

In a loving relationship, you can still be completely independent while being wholly faithful to your significant other.

It all comes down to communication and trust; it is key and the foundation in any healthy relationship. You're not giving away any of your independence by letting your boyfriend know where you are and what you are up to. In fact, if it is serious you're probably already telling him everything that is currently happening in your life down to the exact moment.

It becomes an unhealthy relationship once you either feel the need or your significant other feels the need to constantly be reassured of your location. That is a lack of trust.

Trust factors into since your boyfriend should be totally fine with how you are continuing your life. It's acceptable for him to wish to know what you're doing and where you are, and he should be completely fine when he gets his answer.

Communication and trust go hand in hand.

You're absolutely allowed to go to that concert that you wish to go to with your friends, go out of town or even out of the country, and continue to do you.

It is a false idea that if you have a boyfriend, he must give you permission to do anything you want to do. You guys should communicate with each other, but he has no right to straight tell you "no, you cannot do this." And he has undeniably no right to get upset if you plan to do something benefitting your happiness if you're in a serious, healthy and loving relationship.

Yes, I had trouble with some of these concepts when I started dating my first boyfriend of three years. I am a very independent woman who didn't grasp the idea that it was okay for him to want to know every detail of my life and what I'm doing at the moment.

At first, I did have the impression that he wanted to know because he wanted to be in control since he is a guy and they tend to be possessive.

This was sexist towards all men for me to assume.

He genuinely wanted to know what's currently going on in my life.

Also, I had the stereotypical belief that I can't truly be "an independent woman" once in a relationship; I have to stay single to keep living my life the way I want to.

My relationship for the past three years has been wonderful and I love my boyfriend for accompanying me on my life journeys, as I have in his.

He did not give me his permission to study abroad in Italy for three weeks in the summer. He didn't allow me to choose where I wanted to live and with who. He didn't let me choose whether I wanted to continue school through grad school.

We had and have conversations about our decisions in life, especially major ones that deal with being apart from each other.

But, it's my final choice in the end over my life decisions and my boyfriend understands that (The exact same applies to him as well).

It is totally possible to be in a serious, committed relationship with a guy and not lose any independence you had as a single woman.