"OMG. Are you serious?" That was the common reaction from my girlfriends when I told them, a bit sheepishly, that I had signed up for a speed dating event.

Lately, everywhere I turn I see, hear, or read the same message: There are no good single men left. For a variety of reasons, I refuse to believe this to be true.

As I heard Ryan Gosling's character utter these words for the first time, I had an instant flashback to the hundreds of times in my life I have heard women say to their female friends, "Well, he's nice. And he has a good job. I guess go out with him again." One year later, cue the wedding bells.

Venker has 1) implied that young men are pathetic, 2) flat-out stated that they don't want to compete with women and 3) suggested that, if not corralled, all men want is sex and meaningless relationships without responsibility. If that isn't offensive to men, what is?

According to the scientists behind the study, the result is due not to intentional marginalization, but to "subconscious cultural influences." Are we supposed to be relieved that this discrimination isn't deliberate?

If women and their adaptable selves are really going to take over the world, we need to make certain that they bring along some men and some historical hindsight.

Does a stay-at-home dad volunteering at your children's school "startle" you? How about a female CEO? A male nurse? A female rugby player?

By: Stephanie Pappas, LiveScience Senior Writer Published: 08/07/2012 07:08 PM EDT on LiveScience For women looking to pass on their genes, it pay...

I've never had a problem meeting bread winners. My challenge is meeting a wage earner who cares about something besides himself, his screenplays and Tim Tebow.

Women are constantly inundated with studies and anecdotal commentary that show how women haven't achieved a presence in the upper echelons of corporations or in other career pursuits.

"Needy" has been transformed into a slur, an insult we use to delegitimize women's needs and concerns, making them think twice before asking for what they need -- if they ask at all.

Sometimes, my single lady friends and I, we complain. I know, I know: For the most part, we're happy, independent, well-adjusted women perfectly happy being by ourselves. Yada yada.

Women want equal rights, but some expect old standards to prevail when it suits their needs.

It's nice to get compliments. Just make sure you don't give them -- or take them -- too seriously.

Real progress will happen when grown-ups no longer choose to listen to grown men behaving like children, or defend grown men behaving like children on the grounds that it's "entertaining."