While sexual attraction is closely tied to a man's physical form, for most women, respect is more aligned with mental prowess. It is about whether the man is perceptive enough to understand both us and the world around us. From a procreation perspective, knowing that a man can see through us, as well as challenges we deem significant, offers us a sense of authentic protection. This allows us to relax mentally, fostering trust that if we procreate with him, our children will be both safeguarded and wisely guided.
No woman will truly respect a man she can outwit or manipulate. What people often refer to as "shit tests" are, at their core, assessments of perception and the man's ability to resist adhering to "rules" he neither needs nor is obliged to obey. A woman tends to respect a man more if he remains composed and calls her out respectfully when needed.
In many cases, a man, through experience, becomes desensitised to emotional games, allowing him to see through pretences and lead with clarity. This, in turn, deepens a woman's trust. However, the love he feels in such a dynamic is often more akin to protective guidance rather than fervent all-consuming youthful passion.
This may also explain why, under certain circumstances, age-gap relationships can flourish.
The facts you deliver here are probably responsible for more heartache that war and pestilence combined. If only women were rational and direct like men 🤣