Re: Judgmental friend who is making me feel like I need to justify my actions

I can hardly agree with your viewpoint! Are you saying that what guys have always done isn't good for the girls, too? Dating is/should be about having some fun, sorting out who we are and what we want in a partner, getting to know someone(s) and being an adult person. It's not about instant bonding, going steady, seeing no one else. What the hell is the basis for that? We are humans! We have many friends, complex relationships, our own little quirks, etc. Who says that we are supposed to be monogamous before marriage? I would agree that chastity in singleness and monogamy in marriage is the Christian and Jewish ideal. From the news about the Muslims, I would guess that they are way over that line! They even kill women who have been raped by a date! The rest of the world's cultures seem to be all over the place on this issue. In our western cultures, we expect young (and not so young!) people to find a mate and decide for themselves a whole great lot of issues. It's called freedom! It may not be the best thing for some people, but it beats the heck out of having someone else decide all these things for us.
I don't want to start a flame war! But...have you considered that being "changed like a blouse" may mean that the changee is less than desirable? After all, the quest, in the end, is for a compatible life-mate.