Dear Men,

Welcome to the world of women. I'm here today to help you get a better understanding of why we are the way we are. Thanks to the help of some of the best ladies I know, please enjoy as you discover the side of women that includes tampons, glitter, and tears.

1. Periods and pain.

When it comes to periods, most men think, “It can’t be that bad...” Okay. Well, how about you tell me how you would feel if you bled out of your genitals non-stop for a week out of the month? Oh yeah, and also don’t forget the excruciating pain that is cramping. Such a great time. (Please note: sarcasm.)

2. How uncomfortable a bra is.

There’s a wire, a cup, and a strap. The restriction along with swoob (boob sweat) is so real. Need I say more?

3. Shaving is annoying AF.

Okay, now I know that men typically do have to shave. But you only have to shave your face. On the other hand, women have to shave their legs, toes, armpits, stomachs, lower backs, and private areas too. Do you know how annoying that is? And don’t get me started on the accidental cuts it brings and how often we have to do it. God forbid we shave and a cold wind breezes over our legs. Well, there goes all of that hard work.

4. Going to the bathroom in groups.

I’ve been going to the bathroom with my girlfriends ever since I was a little girl. In all honesty, I can’t tell you why we do that. I’d like to think of the bathroom as a place for us to chat, gossip, re-apply makeup, and maybe hand over a tampon if a surprise period comes. You gotta have a buddy in the bathroom in case something goes wrong. Always be prepared. Always.

5. The importance of compliments.

Complements are things that we don’t expect, but really love to be showered with. Knowing that you think we're beautiful at the most random times will catch us off guard and keep me smiling and thinking about it for hours. The next time you question why a girl wants to be complimented, just remember you’re only making her happier in the end.

6. The importance of social media posts.

I once dated this guy where he would never post about me on social media but we were in a semi-serious relationship. It bothered me because I felt like he was ashamed of me or didn’t want everyone to know about us. Word of advice: post about your girl on social media. Logging on to Facebook or Instagram and getting that notification that you did that will make her day and help her feel more appreciated. Especially when it’s NOT #WomanCrushWednesday.

7. Why we wear heels.

Wearing heels make us feel like a boss ass bitch. I think that’s the best explanation I can give for that. We want to feel like Beyoncé, so we put on the heels. It’s simple math, really.

8. Why we wear makeup.

As a lover of all things cosmetics, I have to tell you that doing my makeup is one of the most pleasurable things I can do for myself. Creating that smoky eye, and making that fierce contour along with that poppin’ highlight makes me feel some type of way. Ladies, you know what I’m talking about. Don’t question why we want to wear makeup or why we do it. It makes us feel beautiful and sexy. Truth is, we tend to wear makeup more for ourselves than we do to impress men.

9. Why we don't want to wear makeup.

Even though I'm a lover and wearer of makeup, there are definitely days where I don’t wear it. Sometimes we feel most confident without it. It’s such a process to put on and take off, and that shit is expensive. We gotta make that shit last as long as possible. If you really think my “natural” look is me without makeup, please get your eyes checked. I don’t have naturally matte lids, and minimized pores. If only…

10. Why we say "we're fine" when we're really not.

Since the dawn of time, women have never really said what they meant. That should be a no-brainer. For us, it’s all about the tone. If we say “I’m fine.” but we sound pissed off, just know, we are not fine. Even though it seems unfair, we really just want you to understand us without us having to explain ourselves. So that’s why we do this.

11. Why we don't want to make the first move.

Because there is this standard that men are supposed to ask the woman out, it can be pretty intimidating for a woman to break that standard and make the first move. We fear that it might seem desperate or “thirsty” to go after what we want. So we’ll just wait.

12. Why we want YOU to make the first move.

I know that I’ve previously said it’s okay for women to make the first move. But, a woman shouldn’t feel like she has to make the first move all the time just like men. Most women want equality in a relationship. Don’t be afraid to surprise her with flowers, guys. She’ll love it and it'll definitely boost her confidence of knowing that you went after her.

13. Why we're so open and emotional.

As women, a good majority of us like to express our feelings. I’d like to think we open up a lot and express our emotions because we’d like you to do the same back. Being open and emotional helps us get to know the real you better. Don’t be afraid to express your feelings. It’s okay. It’s cute.

14. Why we cry over animals.

Seeing a puppy and crying is inevitable for me and I am not sorry. How can you NOT cry when you see a little puppy?! Weird.

15. Cat-calling is annoying. Please stop.

Screaming, “Nice ass!” down the street to us is not cute. Do you really think a whistle is going to make us want you even more?! Come on now.

16. Why we carry pepper spray.

In today’s society, sexual assault and rape are becoming bigger issues. It’s important for us to feel safe and protected. Never knowing when something terrible could happen to you is a terrible feeling. So what do we do if we’re all alone? We carry pepper spray. It helps us feel safer and more in control of our own safety.

17. Our self-consciousness.

I feel like many people think girls claim they’re self-conscious just to gain attention or complements. While that may be true for some, for most that is not the case. Just because you think we’re beautiful doesn’t mean that we do. We see ourselves in a different way. Unfortunately, society has held this standard for us to look a certain way so we result in comparing ourselves to other women and put ourselves down.

18. Our pettiness.

Sometimes we mean to and sometimes we don’t. Pettiness is just in our nature. If we see someone we don’t like doing something that we don’t like, you best believe that we are going to go to full levels of petty. We may not always hold a grudge, but we WILL always have our pettiness.

19. If you f*cked up once, don't come crawling back.

If you didn’t understand the first time, understand it now. If a girl says no to you, drop it. Don’t come crawling back and play mind games with her just to not give her what she wants in the end. We just want men to be straight up with us. Cut the mind games, and know that when we say, “goodbye” it means goodbye.

20. Why some women want to be single.

Even though it may seem like all women want serious relationships, I can tell you that there are plenty of women out there who just want to be single. Being single is the best way to self-improve, get to know yourself better, and gain independence. After being in stressful relationships, some women might just want to relax and take a break from relationships. Don’t be surprised if a woman is interested in a purely sexual relationship – we have needs too, and don't always want strings attached.

21. We are always right.

When we say we're right, you better believe we are right. We are always right. We will always be right. Yesterday? We were right. Even when I’m wrong I’m right. Glad we got that covered.

Now that you've seen the efforts it takes to be a woman, hopefully, you will have a better understanding of us and all of our glory. Being a woman is definitely not easy, but it is a rewarding role. No one can rock discomfort like we do. It's kind of our thing.

Sincerely,

Fine Ass Women of the Universe (FAWOTU)