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The “doormat,” as Argov defines her, cancels plans with friends the second he calls. She answers every text within three seconds. She believes that if she is just accommodating enough, he will finally commit. The book’s infamous counterintuitive cure? Become a “bitch”—not cruel, but self-possessed . A woman who says “no” calmly, who hangs up the phone first, who values her own mission over his attention.

You’ve ever apologized for having an opinion. The “doormat,” as Argov defines her, cancels plans

Now, two decades later, search engines are still flooded with a very specific query: The book’s infamous counterintuitive cure

In the early 2000s, a slim, sass-mouthed book landed on nightstands like a grenade. Sherry Argov’s Why Men Love Bitches didn’t apologize for its title. It promised a transformation: from the “doormat” who over-apologizes and over-available to the “dreamgirl” who knows her worth. You’ve ever apologized for having an opinion

Others note that the title’s shock value sells, but the content is essentially 1990s self-esteem boilerplate: Love yourself first. Here is the honest take for the woman hovering over the “save as” button:

A feature on the enduring (and explosive) appeal of "From Doormat to Dreamgirl"

“A strong woman doesn’t chase. She attracts. And when she stops chasing, she finds that everything she wanted starts chasing her.”