Have a love question for Dr. Rachel? Text it to “646464” (OHOHOH).
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Dr. Rachael Ross is worried about the state of male-female relationships, based in part on a conversation with a teenaged patient who told her, when asked if he had a Valentine, that he liked a girl well enough for sex, but not enough for a relationship because “these girls be on them games.”
The image of Valentine’s Day is that of romance, flowers, candy and true love, but Ross said she feared that is not the growing trend.
“The future of male/female relationships appears to be headed in a terrible direction…it’s on a downward spiral,” Ross said in a recent Facebook post.
Ross is known as a no-holds-barred speaker known who openly discusses relationships, sex, health, abstinence &/comprehensive sex education for teenagers, and HIV/AIDS prevention.
For Valentine’s Day, she is interested in helping to keep romance alive and to show young people there is more to sex than just a hookup.
Ross has said there is so much pressure on men and women to find the perfect gift on Valentine’s Day that they sometimes miss the opportunity to just talk with their partners and understand their emotional and mental needs, as well as their sexual ones.
Valentine’s Day isn’t necessarily all about expensive gifts or romantic getaways. Romance on a budget forces lovers to be more creative: one bar of high-end chocolate rather than a full box of mid-level or cheap candy; a homemade card; a walk in the park or a trip to a special museum exhibit; lunch at a romantic place rather than dinner or a voucher for a household chore or a night of wild pleasure to be redeemed when the partner is in the mood.
“Whether you’re married, dating or stepping out on a loved one, you’re looking for pleasure. There are safe and healthy ways to enjoy your partner – so why not take your relationship to a new level on a day created to celebrate love?” Ross said in a statement about Valentine’s Day a few years ago.
The author of “Down Right, Feel Right. Outercourse For Her & For Him,” has suggested that committed couples take a step outside of their comfort zone to spice up their romantic life. Dating couples may want to push the envelope a bit when it comes to sex.
“Let’s face it,” Ross said, “we’re all so busy that Valentine’s Day, birthday and anniversary gifts end up being rushed and put together at the last minute. It’s not too late to make it right for this year.”
