The Term “Girlfriend Effect” Undermines Genuine Self-Improvement

I’ve seen the term “girlfriend effect” thrown around a lot, usually in the context of a guy who’s considered average suddenly looking way better after getting into a relationship. Most of the talk is about appearance, or at least that’s what I’ve noticed. But let’s be real. If you’re dating someone and they start looking ‘hotter’, it’s not because you transformed them. It’s actually the other way around. People regardless of gender tend to level up when they’re in love. They start grooming better, dressing with more intention, maybe hitting the gym more, because they want to feel attractive for their partner. How much they change also says a lot about how invested they are in the relationship. It’s less about some magical “effect” and more about human nature. So no, I don’t buy into the whole girlfriend effect thing. I think it’s just what happens when someone genuinely cares about their partner, and how they show up in that relationship.