the process of determining age or establishing romantic relationships
from date, from Latin dare 'to give'
Dual meaning covering both time and romance
'Dating' as a structured courtship practice reinforced gendered expectations of male initiation and female passivity. Earlier social restrictions on unmarried women's autonomy made 'dating' less available as a choice for women.
Use 'dating' neutrally today, but recognize that equal agency in dating is a recent social shift.
Women's right to initiate, refuse, and navigate romantic relationships without parental/spousal control is 20th-century progress; autonomous dating is tied to economic independence.
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