When it comes to romance, the feelings of love and being in love are separate and depend on the stage of your relationship. If you’re wondering what it means to be in love vs. loving another person, we asked a variety of different relationship experts and couples counselors to walk us through the difference between these two emotions.
Disclaimer: In the 1950s and 1960s, falling in love was often understood as the first step toward marriage and family life. Romance was closely tied to stability and social approval, with love seen as the gateway to building a household. A woman who fell in love was expected to marry young, while a man was expected to provide and protect. These gender roles were rarely questioned, and most stories about love—from films to advertisements—reinforced the idea that a woman’s fulfillment came through being chosen by the right man.
