Click Here for the Post Melbourne woman Peta Serras is an award-winning Pilates instructor, writer and model.
In addition to her already hectic schedule, the self-proclaimed ‘professional babe’ runs her own website, and one would be forgiven for assuming she is a woman with a perfect life and the world at her feet.
But there is one area the multi-talented beauty has been decidedly less successful in: men simply don’t want to date her.
Writing for She Said, Ms Serras, 30, revealed she has been told to dumb herself down, put more conservative photos on her dating profile and even ‘dress dowdy’ to attract male attention – all because she seems too attractive, too accomplished and too ambitious.
Ms Serras (pictured) revealed she has been told to dumb herself down, put more conservative photos on her dating profile and even ‘dress dowdy’
After a series of break-ups and disappointments, Ms Serras took to reading relationship advice articles for answers about her ‘cursed dating life’.
‘I stumbled across an article… about the ‘male brain’ and how guys see situations compared to women,’ she said.
The feature declared that men only want to date women who make them feel good about themselves and boost their ego.
Ms Serras was confused to read that being romantically involved with women with significant career successes could prompt feelings of insecurity in men.
Allegedly, men only want to date women who make them feel good about themselves and boost their ego
The revelation made Ms Serras ‘sad and perplexed’ and triggered the realisation that her dating lows always coincided with moments of professional success.
According to Ms Serras, a number of male friends advised her that she was ‘too intimidating’ to men both in looks and career achievements.
Other guidance included changing her name on her online profile to avoid potential suitors Googling her name and discovering her modelling portfolio.
Ms Serras was advised to change the name on her dating profile to hide her modelling portfolio
‘Strong women intimidate boys and excite men, and that’s what I’m after’
After eventually giving in to the advice and altering her profiles, Ms Serras discovered she was attracting men she was completely incompatible with and experienced an epiphany.
‘This wasn’t really my problem – it was theirs, and if a man was genuinely turned off by my ambition and desire to take care of my appearance then he clearly wasn’t the right guy for me,’ she said.
While she acknowledged that her achievements and beauty may be a ‘turn-off’ or a source of insecurity for some men, Ms Serras said she doesn’t need a significant other to bolster her self-esteem.
‘I know I’m an attractive woman – I feel confident to walk away from situations and men that don’t serve me and to give feedback if they do something I don’t like.
‘Strong women intimidate boys and excite men, and that’s what I’m after.’
