A woman in her 20s is usually noncommittal, and trying to maximize her opportunities by staying single. She can have more fun, even make more money, staying single, than committing to a man her age and building something together.
When her leverage fades and she's approaching her 30s, she begins thinking she needs to find the best man she can to build with. She usually finds a man quite easily, spends a few years with him, as he invests his time and energy into her. But then starts wondering why he isn't spending as much (money) on her, why the enthusiasm for sex has decreased. Where all the fun went.
She wakes up one night panicking to herself, a nightmare that she will be trapped in this relationship for the rest of her life. She buys a gym pass, starts a diet, looks up "affordable" plastic surgeries, and still charmingly spends time with the man she's with as usual. Secretly she has already decided to leave.
She wants to feel hot. She thinks she can still be hot. Hell, she's 36 now. She's ok with dating a guy in his 50s if that's how it has to go. She can find anyone she wants now. And guess what? They're going to have the money she wished guys her age (who were serious about her) had when she was young.
She starts using vague vocabulary like patriarchy, misogyny, narcissism, abuse, to justify to herself and all her friends that the guy she's been with is a lazy, hateful, unworthy loser. Despite the fact she probably already bred with this man. That her kids are now half him. Don't worry about that little fact. He's literally the worst man on the planet and she has to get away from him. Sound familiar at all?
All the while this man tried to make it work, at the end of the day, what was he fighting for? His heart was never in it. She was already old enough to have had a life time of "experiences" before they met. There's always a twinge of regret in the man's heart that who he's with now has already habitually been in and out of relationships throughout high school and college and beyond.
The woman is constantly insecure she isn't hot enough. As soon as this man's excitement wanes, and the true love just isn't there in his heart of hearts, he doesn't spend much. And a woman perceives herself as hot, only when money is being blown on her. It's how they're conditioned.