Sigh.

You know, the reason I didn't say "I love you" first to my now-husband was because I didn't. He told me he loved me, I said, "Um, ok."

Every time I come up against one of these "women are like this" stereotypes like this, I just don't seem to measure up.

I think the author is colored by his concern for his hypothetical daughter. I think his point is valid that there's a lot of hype about that phrase in our culture and it has the potential to ruin things if people make a big deal out of it and work themselves up too much. I also think that even if the gender differences are not inherent, it certainly seems like they're placed there by social conditioning at this point, so it still might be reasonable for him to counsel his daughter that way if he's only interested in her well-being and not as interested in making sweeping social changes. Particularly if he thinks that she will also be able to respond in a more mature and collected way than her potential deer-in-the-headlights significant other.

I think human relationships are always pretty fucked up. We are too smart for our own good.

This is typical for the "Living" section of CNN. It tends to be about gender conformity, or how to get yourself ahead in the workplace by not conforming. It's aimed at what they think the typical housewife will want to hear -- it's usually very sexist in nature from top to bottom and filled with weird science and weirder advice. I wish I could say I was surprised, but as a frequent reader of CNN's website, I can't say that I am in the least.

I said "I love you" first, he said it back, we've been together for over two years now.

But, more importantly, I wish CNN and other news sites would do their job and just report the news. Leave the fluff for an unaffiliated blog.

The most emotionally abusive boyfriend I ever had said "I love you" all the time. Wow, so his lips could form those three words. I've heard parrots trained to say the same phrase.

I said "I love you" frequently hoping to assuage him, because he constantly accused me of not caring enough about him, of preferring to be with other people, of having no soul. Ironically, he wound up sort of being right, because his behavior eventually killed off whatever feeling I had for him, instead of allowing them to grow.

As a result I never care if I hear those three words again, and am reluctant to speak them, even when I actually have that feeling towards someone. I care what you do and say to me the rest of the time

What's so important and great about saying "I love you" anyway?

As can be seen by the above posts, there are plenty of women out there who probably don't care about hearing "I love you.", so this is yet another boring stereotype.

Actions do speak louder than words.

The saying of the first "I love you" is way too overemphasized in the typical American conception of relationship and dating. In my current relationship, I didn't say it first, technically, but I hinted at it quite strongly. The only reason I was afraid to say it was that he and I had discussed how stupid it was that society places so much emphasis on the first "I love you." Go figure.

Ridiculous. My beloved said it first -- and way too soon for reason! We'd only been on one date. I answered "Thank you," and he admitted he hadn't meant to say that just yet, and the entire world did not crumble! In fact, we've been married for ten years now.

Not only is that sexist, but it's pretty heterosexist. Who "should" say I love you first in a queer relationship?

I said "I love you" first, and prematurely in retrospect. And what did I get in response?

"Well, I like you a whole lot and I could see myself falling in love with you, but I'm just not quite there yet."

Not the exact words, but the exact sentiment.