Just recently, a friend told me about a first date in which she split the bill with her date. See, the broader cultural discussion around gender equality, feminism and partnership roles wasn’t as mainstream as it is now. The gender role debateThere’s no denying the expectation for men to pay on the first date comes from traditional gender roles — that much is clear. So yes — women can pay, women can lead and women can do it all. My PointHaving the man pay on the first date isn’t about outdated tradition — it’s about thoughtfulness.