When a woman says: "Will you marry me?"

My dear reader, what do you think of a woman proposing a man? A bit odd or progressive, maybe? This week I was going through my dose of social media happenings, and while I was still gaping over the Serowe debacle, I came across “news” that Zodwa Wabantwa had proposed to her Ben 10. She is unconventional. She reminds me of those bold women who break rules: misfits often referred to as bo ‘don’t care.’ And it is Ok. I am not saying that to live a great life you must have a rebellious streak but it is best to do things that make you happy first before pleasing other people. Ga o ka nna o ya thata le gore batho baa reng, you will never ever be happy. From flashing her punani to the world to buying her coffin while she is still alive, there is never a dull moment in her life. The 35-year old is set to marry the 24-year old guy, who I must say is quite cute but is too young for her. I wonder what they talk about when they are together. But their energy levels probably match. Ma-14 akere ke batho ba bo lalavuka…go thembolwa bosigo botlhe. The guy is probably one of those guys who don’t date for love but run with the woman who has money and can fund their lifestyle. Poor thing! But then again, maybe he is seriously in love. Kana lerato le kgona go go ntsha sematlanyana. Not too long ago, The Midweek Sun also ran with a story on Slizer and her bae Skhebo. Their relationship has always set tongues wagging because she is several years older than him. Many people also assume that she pursued and proposed him because they have mentioned plans of tying the knot. Often time, relationships or marriages where the man is younger are marred with controversy. If the woman is older than the man the assumption is that he is a Ben 10 and she is a sugar mummy even in cases where the young man has a good job, makes good money and is stable in life. These assumptions derive from the ingrained societal perception that in a relationship or marriage, the man should be older and the breadwinner. Anything that goes against this “norm” is viewed with suspicion because it goes against the grain. It doesn’t help that nowadays a lot of men are “disempowered” and fail at being breadwinners. Naturally, the income dynamics and disparities often have a bearing on a relationship and the one with ‘financial muscle’ makes major decisions. If it is the woman making more money, she will be in a position to dictate the direction the relationship takes. There are many men out there who are married by their wives, if you know what I mean… On the other hand, maybe women proposing men is not something to be done in a leap year as commonly believed. Perhaps this is taking gender equality to new levels. Besides, there are men who are shy and fear rejection so being pursued makes things easier for them. The “rules” of dating and marriage are seemingly changing. So gents, if you are single, there is hope. Start dropping hints and maybe one day she will go down on her knees, take your hand to marry her. And before you answer yes, don’t forget to shed a tear, hum a hymn and say a prayer because your ‘yes’ could mark then end of your freedom! Gatwe ba chencha fa go sena go nyalanwa, di visa di nna di rejectiwa hela. Khi!