In Sigrid Nunez's book "The Friend," the author explores the experiences of women who feel the weight of societal expectations and the fear that accompanies stepping outside. Many women prepare themselves mentally for potential scrutiny or unwanted attention when they venture out into the world. Some go as far as to limit their outings to avoid the discomfort that society can impose on them.

Nunez also discusses a complex phenomenon where women, as they age, can feel a sense of relief as they become less visible to the public. This idea suggests that societal pressures may ease for older women, reflecting on the paradox of invisibility as both a problem and a solution for the burdens they face in their younger years.