Curious about what strict boundaries women are setting in the dating scene today? We scoured Reddit to find out, and these women aren’t holding back! From no-ex-talk rules to prioritizing safety above all, these boundaries could change your entire perspective on dating.

1. “I’m Not Your Mother, So Act Like an Adult.”

Boundaries, Communication, Dating, Empowerment, Gender Roles, Healthy Relationships, Love Advice, Relationships, Self-Respect

u/Weanier shares, “I’m not your mother, so you need to be clean and independent. I can’t believe I have to say it, but I do.”. She recalls dating a guy who “didn’t even brush his teeth or change his sheets. He was a psychologist and published researcher—still cannot wrap my head around it.”.

2. “Slow Down, Romeo.”

Boundaries, Communication, Dating, Empowerment, Gender Roles, Healthy Relationships, Love Advice, Relationships, Self-Respect

u/MutedOlive9065 believes in taking things slowly: “I watch for ‘love bombing’—if he’s way too into me for how little he actually knows me, I know he is only in it for sex.”. Another user, u/Ok-Technician-4370, adds, “I once went out with a guy who declared his love to me on the first date. Like, come on, dude—you don’t even know my favorite color or my middle name.”.

3. “I Won’t Compete for Your Attention.”

Boundaries, Communication, Dating, Empowerment, Gender Roles, Healthy Relationships, Love Advice, Relationships, Self-Respect

u/L_Greenleaf says, “I made it clear to my husband when we first started dating that I would not compete for his attention.” She recalls a female friend of his who tried to interfere: “I made it clear that I would be gone if he didn’t tell her to quit her bullshit.”.

4. “Clear Communication Is a Must.”

Boundaries, Communication, Dating, Empowerment, Gender Roles, Healthy Relationships, Love Advice, Relationships, Self-Respect

For u/UniqueRip4803, half-hearted communication is a deal-breaker: “I need clear communication because romance is important to me. Also, your efforts have to match mine.”.

5. “Exes Are a No-Go Zone.”

Boundaries, Communication, Dating, Empowerment, Gender Roles, Healthy Relationships, Love Advice, Relationships, Self-Respect

According to u/HardcoreHerbivore17, “You can’t have contact with exes or past hookups.” She firmly believes in drawing a line between past relationships and current ones..

6. “No Commitment, No Physicality.”

Boundaries, Communication, Dating, Empowerment, Gender Roles, Healthy Relationships, Love Advice, Relationships, Self-Respect

u/0390ala has set a firm rule: “I no longer sleep with guys until we’ve made things official and have met each other’s families.” Her past experiences, like a guy who still had Tinder notifications popping up, taught her this lesson..

7. “Keep It PG on Date One.”

Boundaries, Communication, Dating, Empowerment, Gender Roles, Healthy Relationships, Love Advice, Relationships, Self-Respect

u/Specialist-Pause-869 emphasizes keeping things light on the first date: “No physical touch or sexual jokes on the first date.” It’s all about setting the right tone from the start..

8. “Safety Comes First, Always.”

Boundaries, Communication, Dating, Empowerment, Gender Roles, Healthy Relationships, Love Advice, Relationships, Self-Respect

u/kittysayswoof91 refuses to take risks: “Until I trust a man, I’m never walking into his space. We will meet in public, and later he can come over to mine where I am safe.”.

9. “I Have a Life—Respect That.”

Boundaries, Communication, Dating, Empowerment, Gender Roles, Healthy Relationships, Love Advice, Relationships, Self-Respect

For u/cambiokeys, boundaries around communication are critical: “I am not always going to respond immediately to you. I have a job and a life, and if you don’t receive a response in your ‘expected’ timeframe, you do not pass go, and you do not collect $200.”.

10. “Kindness Is Key.”

Boundaries, Communication, Dating, Empowerment, Gender Roles, Healthy Relationships, Love Advice, Relationships, Self-Respect

u/shheeeee demands respect: “I am so averted towards the use of excessive curse words, even if we are stuck in a lot of traffic or towards people who are ‘lower in work rank’ than them.”.

11. “Being Bi Isn’t an Invitation for Threesomes.”

Boundaries, Communication, Dating, Empowerment, Gender Roles, Healthy Relationships, Love Advice, Relationships, Self-Respect

u/Last_Television_8863 sets a clear boundary: “If they request a threesome just because they learn that I’m bi, then they’re out the door.”.

12. “I’ll Always Have ‘My Own’—Deal with It.”

Boundaries, Communication, Dating, Empowerment, Gender Roles, Healthy Relationships, Love Advice, Relationships, Self-Respect

u/beelovedone is all about independence: “Imma always have ‘my own.’ My own car, money, hobbies, resources—whatever. Imma ALWAYS HAVE MY OWN. If that’s a problem, bye.”.

13. “Be Respectful About Your Attraction to Others.”

Boundaries, Communication, Dating, Empowerment, Gender Roles, Healthy Relationships, Love Advice, Relationships, Self-Respect

u/Regular-Classroom-20 states, “It’s common to be attracted to other people, but don’t stare or comment in front of me.”.

14. “My Friends Are Here to Stay.”

Boundaries, Communication, Dating, Empowerment, Gender Roles, Healthy Relationships, Love Advice, Relationships, Self-Respect

u/halfasianprincess shares, “I have friends of the opposite sex who are very important to me. If that is a problem with whomever I’m dating, it will not work out.”.

15. “Bars Aren’t the Only Option for Dates.”

Boundaries, Communication, Dating, Empowerment, Gender Roles, Healthy Relationships, Love Advice, Relationships, Self-Respect

u/Last_Television_8863 says, “If his only idea of a date is a bar, then he isn’t for me.”.

16. “No Talk About Exes So Soon.”

Boundaries, Communication, Dating, Empowerment, Gender Roles, Healthy Relationships, Love Advice, Relationships, Self-Respect

u/goddessdivine22 is over it: “Do not start talking about your exes so soon…uuughh. I wanna know you, not what ‘Karen’ was like.”.

17. “Hands Off, Seriously.”

Boundaries, Communication, Dating, Empowerment, Gender Roles, Healthy Relationships, Love Advice, Relationships, Self-Respect

u/Snarf303 shares a quirky but firm rule: “No pinching my butt as I go upstairs in front of you, no matter how gentle or playful it is.”.

18. “Feet Stay Off My Pillows.”

Boundaries, Communication, Dating, Empowerment, Gender Roles, Healthy Relationships, Love Advice, Relationships, Self-Respect

u/Sir_fat_Louie has a hard limit on this one: “If your feet touch my pillows in any way, shape, or form, I will kick you out.”.

19. “Respect My Boundaries, Period.”

Boundaries, Communication, Dating, Empowerment, Gender Roles, Healthy Relationships, Love Advice, Relationships, Self-Respect

u/death_by_sushi keeps it simple: “My boundary is…respecting my boundaries. That’s it. That’s what I would expect from someone who claims to respect me.”.

So, What’s Your Take?

Boundaries, Communication, Dating, Empowerment, Gender Roles, Healthy Relationships, Love Advice, Relationships, Self-Respect

These women are not playing around, and their boundaries are reshaping the dating landscape. Which one of these boundaries surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments, and share this article with friends who need a little relationship inspiration!

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