The Truth Behind Why Women Lie Compared To Men
“I’m fine.” “That dress looks great on you.” “Everything is going great.”
As women, we lie all the time — sometimes to other people, but more often to ourselves. It’s not that we’re shady or bad people; it’s more complicated than that. We often don’t even know that we’re lying, it’s just a part of our personality.
Why do women lie?
Men usually lie to get something they want (such as sex or career advancement), but women usually lie to hide the truth.
Sometimes, women don’t tell the truth to protect someone else’s feelings (AKA the little white lie or compassionate lies). We try to rationalize these lies and rename them as fibs, saying they aren’t hurting anyone and that it’s the kind thing to do.
Susan Shapiro Barash, a relationship expert and the author of Little White Lies, Deep Dark Secrets: The Truth About Why Women Lie, said, “Women still feel the need to lie as a coping or survival mechanism.”
Women lie so that don’t have to process their own negative feelings, such as the woman with an abusive husband who lies to herself when he touches her so harshly that there are bruises: He didn’t mean to hurt me — he’s not a violent person.
“Sometimes these internal lies are even subconscious because the truth is just too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves,” added Barash.
Another type of lie is the betterment lie or the bread and butter of female lies. This is used to “better” things — or, as Barash clarified, “It typically involves women doing what they feel they simply have to do for the people they love.”
Barash also speaks about the survival lie (or the soap opera lie), in which women keep a secret that’s too big for honesty. These lies usually protect a woman’s current living situation. They may include hiding the real reason they were fired from a job or why a baby was conceived when their partner was out-of-town.
In an article in The Science of Relationships, Dawn Maslar, M.S., author of From Heartbreak to Heart’s Desire: Developing a Healthy GPS (Guy Picking System), said that all women lie and that they don’t even know it.
Maslar recounted an exchange she had with her audience at one of her talks:
“I then asked, ‘How many of you would like to date a nice, sweet, kind man?’ Hands started going up. I then said, ‘Let me put it another way. How many of you would like to date an arrogant, flashy guy?’ The hands went down. In fact, not a single woman raised her hand. I pointed this out, stating, ‘Not one of you raised your hand and that’s why you lie.’”
A study from the University of British Columbia found a wide gap between what a woman will admit to wanting in a partner, and the type she actually picks. She might say she wants someone who makes her laugh and will then get involved with the bad boy down the street.
Is she lying to herself? Or does she not want to admit the type she really likes?
Lies can protect us, but the truth can empower us and make us stronger. On the other hand, there’s no reason not to practice kindness, both on yourself and on other people.
If you like that dress and it makes you feel good, then go ahead and wear it.