Perks of Being a Late Bloomer

I’ve never had a romantic relationship, and I’m what people call a late bloomer. That’s where this one starts. The nerves about this episode aren’t about saying it out loud. They’re about the shame that gets attached to the term. So this week I’m sitting with both sides: what I think I missed (the stepping stones, learning how to flirt, a mama telling me “we don’t let boys talk to us like that”), and what I wouldn’t trade (clarity on what I want, and a relationship with myself that’s gold plated solid). We also get into the spectator seat, where you can watch tennis all day and still not know how it plays. Then there’s the pressure that shows up whether you’re partnered or not, and why I hate the dating apps. I don’t know yet if I’ll end up reclaiming the word. Let’s find out. New episode just dropped. Pull up a seat. If you want more on how a body gets read as a girl is growing up, I touch on it here and go deeper in Why Her Though.