The “Golden Retriever Friend”, this little friend who wants you to be well

Don’t they say that a dog is a woman’s best friend? Loyal, faithful, loving and always playful, he would be the dream companion of all animal lovers. Among these dogs, one breed is particularly known for its beauty and docility: the golden retriever. At a time when romantic relationships are completely out of whack, and where we love to use all kinds of concepts, mostly promoted by social media, today’s young Gen Z girls seem to be in love with a whole new ideal type of partner, far from bad boy in a leather jacket and slicked back hair. THE “Golden Retriever Boyfriend“It would be a canine metaphor to describe this easy-going friend who cares for his partner, never flinches and is ultimately praised for his kindness, his gentleness, his loyalty and his open-mindedness.

Men, this news cheerleader ?

The term, which first appeared on Tik Tok in 2021, exploded a few months ago with the official pairing of Taylor Swift and American football player Travis Kelce. English edition on November 29, 2023 HuffPost: titled his article as follows:Taylor Swift Has a Golden Retriever Friend” and now everyone wants one. “When Travis Kelce talks about Swift, he seems to have a mild, almost stubborn devotion to the pop star. They may have only recently met, but the footballer already seems to be her biggest cheerleader“, we can read there. The latter is not the only one who has fully assumed his role as a loving friend. Tom Holland, Zendaya’s sidekick, will also play this “modern-day Ken.”

The hashtag for the phrase now has nearly 280 million views on the Chinese social network. And if we are to believe the net, then “GRB:” will particularly correspond to the type of woman, this time with a cat metaphor.black cat girlfriends”, introverted and independent girlfriends like cats. Therefore, the contrast of one’s naivety and the other’s cynicism would be an ideal cocktail.

“It’s not hard to understand the appeal of a golden retriever friend, says love coach Haley Quinn. Huffington Post . They are caring, reliable and emotionally available. Contrary to bad boy often sought out for their self-confidence and self-confidence. But for a lasting relationship, kindness and consideration prevail. So he adds:There is often a gap between what attracts us enough to go on a first date with someone and what makes us want to choose them as a long-term partner.“. Indeed, it seems that “Golden Retriever Boyfriend” is in every way responsive to new romantic expectations, particularly healthy relationships. Time is no longer one of violent and destructive passions like the past, but of harmony and stability.

Loss of personality

Okay, but to use the dog metaphor again, wouldn’t it be unhealthy to completely enslave your partner? Can we even see “toxic femininity“? For relationship therapist Sarah Van Pelt, this type of companion is often identified with men who lack self-confidence and high emotional demands. He comments in Metro Time.Behind these personality traits may be a fear of abandonment or not being good enough. That is why the risk of losing yourself a little in a relationship with such a man is quite high. It focuses solely on your happiness, needs and wants. But relationships are much more than that. This is how a person loses his individuality“.

Worse still, she stresses, such complacency within a couple can turn into a toxic environment. Indeed, then it will be difficult to complain about this.”great and caring person“, to the point of appearing ungrateful to others. But isn’t such behavior somewhat unbearable or even suffocating? Since then, many netizens have poked fun at this new phenomenon by giving their dogs different nicknames. “I’m a basset hound, I’m very close to the ground, I lick a lot, so much so that it’s embarrassing. I am deeply obsessed with my girlfriend and I need attention or I will scream LOUDLY“, we can read on social networks.