Hollister are accused of discriminating against people with disabilities. Lame! | Source: Facebook

Hollister is owned by Abercrombie & Fitch, and now they’re being accused of discrimination too!

(If you didn’t catch it last week, Abercrombie came under fire after its CEO basically said he doesn’t want overweight people shopping there and explained that’s why they don’t carry larger sizes. “Lame” isn’t even the word. “Douchetastic” might be.)

Now Hollister is getting some side eye because they’re being accused of discriminating against the disabled. However, the problems don’t lie with a jerk CEO talking smack, but with the way the shops are laid out. People in wheelchairs have issues getting up and down the steps of the stores, most of which are either raised or recessed. Additionally, the layout inside the stores is often too cluttered for people with wheelchairs to get around easily.

I wanted to give Hollister the benefit of the doubt, because while my butt is too big for me to fit into most of their clothes well, I don’t mind walking past it because it smells good and their music is usually less obnoxious than Abercrombie’s. So when I first heard about this, I thought, “Oh, maybe they just don’t know there’s a problem.” But it turns out, they do.

A lot of disability advocates and equal rights groups have brought the issue up to Hollister, but they won’t budge on it because they want their shops to feel like you’re walking into a beach house . . . even though you’re actually walking into a store in the mall.

The store also pointed out that they do have wheelchair accessible doors. Problem is, those “doors” are often disguised as shuttered windows on the “beach house” they’re trying to create, and they’re often blocked with tables and merchandise on the inside. Not nice!

Right now, Hollister is appealing a judge’s ruling–the judge said they actually went so far as to violate the Americans With Disabilities Act, which has been in place since the 90s to ensure stuff like this doesn’t happen.

The problem with Hollister and also with Abercrombie, its parent company, is that they’re trying to sell a lifestyle and not clothes–and they say so themselves: “It’s all about hot lifeguards and beautiful beaches . . . Young and fun, with a sense of humor, Hollister never takes itself too seriously. Hollister’s laid-back lifestyle and All-American image is timeless and effortlessly cool.”

Here’s the thing. Instead of appreciating the business they’re getting–or could get–from people with disabilities, they just drive the point home that in the Hollister world, they don’t belong. And let’s be honest: there’s nothing too American about making life harder for the underdog.

Do you think Hollister is deliberately discriminating against people with disabilities? Would you shop at Hollister if they were deliberately discriminatory against the disabled? Does this story make you want to avoid Hollister? Tell us in the comments!

Hollister and Abercrombie discrimination aren’t the only crappy things about the mall!

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Plain old nutmeg is said to be an aphrodisiac! Who wants to bake? | Source: ShutterStock

Aphrodisiacs like Spanish Fly have been around forever, and their usefulness and safety have been hotly debated. But new studies say that you probably have a few aphrodisiacs in your own kitchen right this second. Which household grub is said to lead to better sex?

Dr. Oz, lover of all things holistic and horticultural, said a big one is nutmeg (The fun name doesn’t hurt, either). He claims that studies in India showed nutmeg was an aphrodisiac because when animals consumed it, their nervous system got a lot more active. As a result, these animals enjoyed quite a bit more sexual activity. Still, while nutmeg is delish and all–in moderation, anyway–it’s not really clear how or why this would work. Plus, he also didn’t specify what all that “sexual activity” was. What if it leads to sexual activity you aren’t that into? (Again, not sure how that would work either, but that’s the point–there are not many details here.)

Ginseng, another wonder herb, was said to be an aphrodisiac. A study said that menopausal women–as in, ladies a bit older than we are–were more turned on and aroused during sex when they consumed Korean red ginseng beforehand. We’ll have to wait a good 30-something years before we need to worry about this, but still good to know, right?

Another biggie? The maca root, which studies suggest can reduce anxiety. While that’s not necessarily a direct aphrodisiac, lessened anxiety can lead to more confidence–which we all know leads to better sex.

Other rumored aphrodisiacs include figs and oysters. Does this mean you need to run out and go grocery shopping to improve your sex life? Not necessarily, but it’s a pretty fun thing to think about if you ever volunteer to cook your guy dinner. As for me? I’m sort of a picky eater, so in terms of aphrodisiacs, I’ll probably stick with chocolate and Thor on mute.

Have you ever tried aphrodisiacs? Do you think aphrodisiacs are real? Tell us in the comments!

Would You Rather: Sex Edition!

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My cheating situation didn’t go down as in-your-face as this one did! | Source: ShutterStock

“The other woman” in a cheating situation gets a lot of negative attention and a lot of times girls attack her instead of the actual cheater. But here’s the thing: A lot of times “the other girl” is just as in the dark about a cheating dude as his girlfriend is. I know this because it happened to me!

We’ll call this guy Frank. (I’m changing his name because he may be a cheating douchebag, but he doesn’t need his dirty laundry aired in public). He was my coworker Anne’s brother, and I met him when he came to drop something off to her. Apparently he’d popped in a few other times too, but I never noticed him before that. He started talking me about our favorite bands and asked if I wanted to grab food with him that weekend.

He was cute and didn’t seem like a sociopath, so I said yes–and he added me on Facebook later that day. He didn’t have many pictures up and no relationship status was listed, so I figured he was just a pretty private dude. (I was listed as married to my best friend for five years, so I wasn’t about judge.)

We hit it off and started hanging out once or twice a week after that. We both worked, sometimes at night, so I had no reason to think he was making plans with other girls behind my back. Which is why, when his sister mentioned “Frank’s girlfriend Danielle” at work one day, I almost fell over. We hadn’t had “the talk” yet, but, uh, my name isn’t Danielle, and I was making out with him pretty regularly.

I never mentioned anything to my coworker, because I didn’t want her to feel weird or awkward, so I just acted curious: “Oh, Frank has a girlfriend? That’s cute! How long have they been together?”

The answer? “About a year.” Wait, what? Anne then showed me Facebook photos of Frank and Danielle together. Apparently Frank had a lot of pictures on Facebook–he just blocked me from seeing them. Sleazy!

The next time Frank called me to go out, I told him, “Do you have Verizon too? My phone keeps doing this weird thing where I get calls meant for dudes’ girlfriends.”

I never got pissed at Danielle, because, well, what did she do to me? To this day I don’t know if she ever found out about me, but if she ever does, I hope she knows that I really didn’t do anything wrong–and I’m willing to bet a lot of girls have been in the same boat as me and gotten slut-shamed for it. Most girls wouldn’t date a dude who they knew already had a girlfriend, so if your guy is ever cheating–do us a favor. Be pissed at him.

Have you ever been “the other girl?” Have you ever been in a cheating situation that you didn’t know about? Have you ever been cheated on or cheated on someone else? Would you ever take back a cheater? How’d you deal? Tell us in the comments!

Should this girl give her cheating boyfriend another shot? Weigh in!

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Of course, the 2013 Billboard Music Awards also had their share of drama: Miley Cyrus threw some subtle shade, Miguel probably threw his back out and Chris Brown looked like a legitimate psychopath briefly (but that man can dance). Here’s a look at the Billboard Music Awards’ best moments–in motion!

Christina Aguilera just wanted to feel her hair. And something else.

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Miley Cyrus, meanwhile, wasn’t feeling whatever was written in this envelope.

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And some girls’ necks were feeling Miguel’s body weight . . . from his crotch. Awkward! And painful! (While he missed his mark, he didn’t miss a note, so still, kudos to him.)

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Taylor Swift, the biggest winner of the night, wasn’t feeling host Tracy Morgan’s jokes at her expense:

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Nor was she happy that she lost the Milestone Award to Justin Bieber. (Come on, Tay–they’re fan voted and Beliebers are the most rabidly loyal bunch there is. What’d you expect?)

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She also wasn’t happy with Justin Bieber smooching Selena Gomez backstage.

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Speaking of Justin Bieber, how’d he feel after winning his award, despite getting booed by a surprisingly rude audience?

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Wait, so who does Taylor Swift like? Ed Sheeran, of course–her tourmate and adorbs ginger BGF!

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She and Ed also heart Selena Gomez . . . but not everyone feels the same.

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Nicki Minaj, you go with that badonkadonk of yours.

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Chris Brown’s face sums up the reaction creeps everywhere had to Nicki’s body rolls:

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Dude, everyone loves Prince.

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Even Taylor!

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Did you catch the 2013 Billboard Music Awards? Whose 2013 Billboard Music Awards performance was your favorite? What was your favorite 2013 Billboard Music Awards moment? Tell us in the comments!

Taylor Swift isn’t Selena Gomez’s only celeb bestie!

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Afraid to be naked? You may have gymnophobia! | Source: ShutterStock

Most people are a little nervous the first time they get naked with someone else, but are you actually afraid to be naked? There’s actually a legitimate phobia for that. (A phobia is different from a regular fear in that an all-out phobia is usually irrational and interferes with your daily life and functioning.) If you’re afraid of being naked–not just uncomfortable being naked in front of someone else–you may have gymnophobia.

Experts say phobias, including gymnophobia, often develop after a bad experience–for example, you might get arachnophobia after being bitten by a spider. Similarly, if you have a bad experience with nudity, like getting made fun of in the locker room at school, it can make you afraid to be naked in general.

What’s more, people who are afraid to be naked usually suffer from other anxiety and/or body image issues–which makes a lot of sense, right? Specifically, people who suffer from anxiety or obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) may have issues stripping down because of the obsessive thoughts that come along with it.

One doc explained it thusly: “[It’s] more a general anxiety of their own body image as a comparative basis. We are an increasingly obese nation so the comparison could be stressful, anxiety producing, negative for one’s self-concept and could affect one’s own willingness to expose one’s self in privacy in a relationship.”

Translation? People with gymnophobia who are afraid to be naked are constantly worried about measuring up to everyone else, whether those people are real or media images of perfection.

If you think you’re legit afraid to be naked to the point of having gymnophobia? Don’t panic! There are ways to correct it. Experts recommend that you take small steps–starting with walking around and getting comfortable in just your skivvies, then moving forward from there.

Have you ever been afraid to be naked? If you’re afraid to be naked, do you think it’s all out gymnophobia or just being uncomfortable with your body image? Tell us in the comments!

Afraid to be naked? Here’s why should love being naked!

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Not only can it sabotage your relationship or his friendships, but these girls can also probably some of your strongest allies if you’d let them. Here’s why you need to play nice with your boyfriend’s girl friends–and why it’ll help you in the long run!

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They Make Him A Better Boyfriend!

If your boyfriend has close girl friends, chances are they vent to him about their guy problems. That gives him really good insight on how to treat you, so you can rest easy knowing he'll probably be more considerate than if he solely palled around with guys who just tell fart jokes all day.

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They Give Him Good Advice That Helps YOU!

If your boyfriend doesn't have sisters, who is he going to go to when he wants advice on what to wear on a special night out or what to buy you for your birthday? That's right, his girl friends. So be nice to them unless you want him showing up in pajama pants with a used "Fast and the Furious" DVD.

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They Can Help You Out In A Relationship Crisis!

Sometimes guys and girls just see things differently. If your boyfriend simply can't understand where you're coming from, his girl friends may be able to give him insight to understand you better and see your side of an issue. That is, if you're cool with them! If you're warm with them, they can be your biggest cheerleaders, so treat them like you'd treat your own pals.

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They Can Indulge Him In Stuff That Bores You!

Does your guy have a girl friend who likes skateboarding, but you hate it? That gives him someone to chat with about his hobby so when you see him, you're not bogged down by stories you think are boring. Same thing if you and your guy friends like Call of Duty more than he does!

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You Can Bond Together!

If your boyfriend has a ton of girl friends, doesn't that make hanging out with his pals a lot easier than if he strictly hung out with the guys? You probably have a lot more to talk about--and in a pinch, it's a lot more likely someone will have a tampon. Just sayin'!

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Chances Are There's Nothing Up!

If your boyfriend wanted to date one of his girl friends, why would he have picked you? Chances are if he were interested, something would have happened already, so relax!

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But If You Sense There IS Something Sketchy Going On...

Bring it up to him! If someone in particular makes you a little uncomfortable when they're together, let him know. If he's worth his salt and if she's as rad as he says she is, they'll understand and try to make you feel more secure.

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Have you ever been jealous of your boyfriend’s girl friends? Have you ever confronted your boyfriend over his girl friends? Has a guy friend’s girlfriend ever been jealous of your friendship? Tell us in the comments!

Will lying to your boyfriend improve your relationship?!

And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

Despite her theatrics while having sex, he may still be able to tell she didn’t really have an orgasm. | Source: ShutterStock

When guys give women orgasms, they feel a sense of pride that is almost as good for them as it is for you when it happens. As a result, if you’re faking it, it not only hurts you–because, hello, he’s not going to know how to really give you an orgasm if you keep pretending to do it if his skills need honing–but it also hurts him. Because a lot of guys can actually tell when you’re faking an orgasm, and there’s nothing you can really do about it to trick them.

How’s that, you ask?

Well, your body is a pretty miraculous lil’ machine, and it does a lot of stuff you can’t control when you have an orgasm. (That’s part of why when you do have an actual orgasm, you will feel slightly, well, out of control. But in a good way, not the way you’d feel if you drove over black ice or something crazy.) And some guys know what these signs are, and they have nothing to do with porn star moaning. So even if you thought you were doing an A+ job on your fake orgasm, you probably weren’t.

First, your body will be hot. It already looks hot (ow ow!), but you’ll physically feel hot because your body temperature increases when you orgasm. You’ll probably be sweating at least a little bit, too.

Another sign? Your muscles all over tend to spasm. Savvy guys will know to look towards your abdomen to see if this is happening in order to tell if you’re really having an orgasm or just trying to get everything over with.

And the biggest one? If a guy is down there and has anything inside your vagina–be it his penis or his fingers–he’ll be able to physically feel you having an orgasm, because your vaginal muscles will contract and spasm really rapidly. If you think you can replicate that by just clenching them yourself, you can’t! During an orgasm, it happens super rapidly, and the sensation is a lot different.

The lesson here? Never fake an orgasm to save a guy’s ego. Instead, show him what would work better and put him to work, because there ain’t nothin’ like the real thing.

Have you ever faked an orgasm? Has a guy ever accused you of faking an orgasm? Have you ever faked an orgasm to not hurt a guy’s feelings? Do you think most guys can tell when you’re faking it? Tell us in the comments!

What do you orgasms feel like–and have you had one yet? Find out!

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Smoking weed may have health benefits for people with diabetes–but marijuana is still illegal in most places! | Source: ShutterStock

Medical marijuana has been increasingly more popular–and in some cases more legalized–lately. While marijuana can be used to treat a bunch of things, a new medicinal use has been found for it. Can smoking weed be good for preventing diabetes?

A new study shows that people who use marijuana have lower insulin levels, which lowers your risk of diabetes because it means you have better control of your blood sugar.

Not sure what that means? If you have type 2 diabetes, your body doesn’t produce enough insulin to keep your blood sugar levels at a healthy place. When that happens, you feel sluggish, you pee a lot, lose a lot of weight and feel super thirsty all the time. (Basically, it’s not fun.)

Marijuana users were also showed in the study to have a smaller risk of obesity than people who don’t smoke weed.

People in the study who admitted to smoking weed also had smaller waistlines than those who had never used marijuana.

It may seem surprising, and it sort of is. You know that whole “munchies” thing? It’s real: People who smoke marijuana eat more Calories than people who don’t, but somehow still weigh less and have smaller risks of obesity and diabetes. Docs aren’t sure why that happens, but they also note that those who smoke weed also have smaller body mass indexes (BMIs). (Remember though, BMIs aren’t necessarily good tools to determine if you’re at a healthy weight since they don’t take things like muscle weight into account, so take that with a grain of salt.)

What does this all mean? If you’re under 18, it should ideally not mean much, because you have to be at least that old  to smoke marijuana, even where it’s legal. For the rest of us? It means more research should go into marijuana, THC and the benefits and risks of smoking weed. I personally hate the smell and probably wouldn’t bother doing it regardless, but if it can help others with their health, I’m all for it being legalized, researched and prescribed to people who need it.

Do you think marijuana should be legalized? Do you think only medical marijuana should be legalized? Do you think smoking weed has health benefits? Tell us in the comments!

Caught with weed? Here’s what to do!

And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

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Do You Confide In Other Guys About Your Relationship?

Venting to your best guy friend once in a while isn't necessarily bad. But are you venting to other guys in hopes one of them will seize the opportunity to treat you better? If so, you need to examine exactly you're not getting from your current relationship--and you need to let your guy know what it is you want. He's not a mind reader, and leading someone else on ultimately won't make anyone feel better.

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Do You Act Like You're Single?

A big sign of emotional cheating is conveniently forgetting you have a boyfriend and acting available. The less you talk about your significant other, the more available people will think you are--so if you keep the world in the dark about him, they may assume you're single . . . And it may be because you subconsciously wish that you were!

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Do You Think About Other Guys When You're With Your Guy?

It's normal to have fleeting crushes or check guys out, even when you have a boyfriend. You're human! But if you find yourself constantly thinking of one other dude in particular, even when you're with your boyfriend, you may be having an emotional affair with the guy--especially if he's the same one you vent to.

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Do You Talk About Sex With Other Dudes?

It's normal to talk about your sex life with your BFFs, but are you giving intimate details to someone you could actually see yourself with? You may be planting seeds that the other guy wants to water . . . and you may well want to entice him into making a move.

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Do You Feel The Need To Hide Your Phone Or FB From Your Guy?

First things first: If either one of you feels the need to look through the other's phone, your relationship is probably no good to begin with. But if you're tempted to deliberately go out of your way to hide your texts because they're getting either too revealing or too intimate with another guy, that's not a good sign--especially if you're lying about it. And chances are if you're hiding an emotional affair from your dude, he may actually assume you're having a physical relationship behind his back too. Yikes!

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Do You Lie Or Have Double Standards About Your Relationship Rules?

Do you have rules that, at least in your own mind, certain things are okay for you but not for him? (For example, texting someone of the opposite sex goodnight or good morning, going out with them solo.) If so, that's a big sign of emotional cheating: If whatever you're doing would make you upset if your partner did it to you, chances are that classifies as at least an emotional affair. And if you're lying about anything you're up to? That's a huge red flag, whether it's for your own emotional affair or the fact that your partner is way too controlling--neither of which are good situations.

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Have you ever been accused of emotional cheating? Have you ever been with a guy who had an emotional affair behind your back? Have you ever had an emotional affair that led to all-out cheating? How did you deal? Tell us in the comments!

Will lying to your boyfriend improve your relationship?!

And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

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How Does Paying For Dates & Presents Make You Feel?

If paying for stuff for your boyfriend makes you feel used, he may not even realize he's doing it. Bring up your concerns, because if he's in the dark, he may not even realize you're upset. If and when you do tell him that you're tired of spending so much on him, a guy worth your time will find some way to make it up to you, whether it means paying for dates himself for a while or just showing he appreciates you more. Don't let him take you for granted--but also don't assume that's what's happening until you've talked it over first.

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Is He Hard Up For Cash Or Just Freeloading?

If you think he's "forgetting" his wallet and not actually forgetting his wallet, is it because he's a jerk or because he's broke and embarrassed about it? As old fashioned as it is, guys take pride in taking care of you, and part of that is paying for you when they can. If they can't afford it, they may feel less "manly," as silly as that sounds--and it may be less painful for them to leave their money home (or pretend to) than for their credit card to get declined or realize they only have $10 on hand til next week. Talk it over and try to see where he stands and how he feels--and if his behavior is a pattern.

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Are You Missing Out On Other Stuff Because You're Broke?

It's not a big deal to shell out cash occasionally when you and your boyfriend are out, or if you see something you know he'd dig. But when it starts to affect your ability to go to the movies with your girls, pay for gas or books or afford a birthday gift for your mom, it's time to close your wallet. If that means staying in and vegging out together with SpongeBob marathons instead of grabbing dinner and a movie, so be it--at least until he gets more hours at his job. (Or gets a job!)

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Do You Think He's Pulling Away?

If you think your guy isn't that into you anymore, chances are you'd do almost anything to win him over again. But when you start basically throwing money at a dude to get him to stick around, he won't stick around for the right reasons--if he does at all. Opt for a guy who likes you for you, not for what you can buy him!

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Have You Set Spending Limits For Presents?

If you feel like you're spending more on gifts for birthdays, anniversaries and the like for your boyfriend than he is on you, consider setting limits on how much each of you can spend. If neither of you knows what the other is expecting, you may blow a ton of dough on a watch for him for your six-month anniversary while he gets you a card or flowers and thinks it's enough. Neither of you are mind readers, so make sure to communicate!

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Does He Reciprocate In Other Ways?

Think: When you and your guy go out, if you spring for movie tickets, does he pay for your popcorn? Does he drive everywhere? Has he handed over his MetroCard to save you from paying for a train ride? Did he surprise you after class with a giant Frappuccino when you had a rough day? He may be giving back to you in ways you don't realize right away, so your relationship budgets may balance out more than you think at first.

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How's Your Self Esteem?

Even more important than taking stock in your relationship and your bank account, take stock in yourself. Are you shelling out cash because you think you don't have anything else to offer? Because you do. You're awesome. If you need to wear your heart on wallet instead of your sleeve, you may not feel secure not only in your relationship, but also in yourself. Work on that and know you determine your own inner worth--not how much money you plunk down on a dude!

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Do you think you give too much to your boyfriend? Have you ever thought you were too generous with a gift for a guy? Do you think giving stuff to guys will make them like you more? Tell us in the comments!

This girl hates that her boyfriend always pays for dates!

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