Women are hiding their boyfriends online and there's more than one reason why

"Tawana Musvaburi's 33,000 Instagram followers may feel like they know all about her life - but most don't know what her partner looks like. There might be subtle signs she has a boyfriend, like the back of a head, or two clinking wine glasses at dinner, but the 24-year-old says she has no intention of posting his face. "I'm just girl-coded," Tawana says. "As a woman, you want to come across strong, like, 'I've got my stuff together'.""

"The influencer has curated a brand that doesn't include a boyfriend. "You don't want any part to feel like it's been helped by a man. It brings me more pleasure to say, 'I did this myself'." And her stance isn't changing any time soon - even if she and her boyfriend take things to the next stage she says, "a ring's still not enough for me to post my relationship"."

Tawana Musvaburi, an influencer with 33,000 Instagram followers, deliberately avoids showing her partner’s face online. She maintains that excluding a boyfriend supports a brand of independence and allows accomplishments to appear self-made. Many heterosexual women are adopting similar approaches, sharing subtle hints rather than overt couple imagery. A cultural shift values the social benefits of partnership without appearing 'boyfriend-obsessed,' and frequent partner posts are often labeled 'cringe.' The change reflects broader concerns about patriarchy and the desire to avoid framing relationships as definitive achievements of womanhood. Many say even engagement rings do not justify public relationship posts.

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