All the views and experiences shared by the young women throughout this research project were invaluable. Having an insight into their everyday experiences reopened my eyes to many aspects of young women and women's intimate lives. When I say reopened my eyes, this space that was created between me and the young women who worked with me to both shape this project and participate in it made me revisit my own attitudes and experiences. There are key views shared during the discussion with the young women which have created a foundation for this book, including their views on equality, their emotion work, their lack of power or control, their lack of choices and the nature of the abuse experiences, including online bullying, sexual harassment and coercive sex. There was also the overwhelming notion of young men ‘in a mood’ and young women as ‘slags and sluts’. Key quotes from the young women framed my ideas, while constantly making me reflect on my own identity.

The views shared by the young women will stay with me, and have indeed shaped my perspective on the harmful impact of gendered social norms, the way that young women wear a ‘mask’ to manage their identity to meet the requirements of social norms and the ultimate impact on their well-being. Aleysha's narrative illustrates key issues that will be explored throughout this book, specifically, the social norms that dictate the behaviour of both young women and young men. Aleysha's view also demonstrates the consequences for young women and the power of young men.

Glain's advice “If you’re subtle it's OK” around how to manage your identity and negotiate the demands of social norms will be revisited throughout the discussion.

The voices of the young women shaped the foundation for this work, outlining several key influences which I will describe to ‘set the scene’ regarding the nature of the problem and to define the context of how I developed my ideas. This process of ‘scene setting’ is crucial in outlining my stance, in particular, as the definition, meaning(s) and scope of gender and femininities and the resulting implications for the lived experiences of young women are often debated by academics and practitioners.