Men and women trade commitment for commitment. This extends over time, which is more important for women than it is for men, since a woman's 'mating' value is time limited.
In other words, a woman trades her ability to be a slut in younger age for the commitment (providence, protection, companionship) of her husband in her later years, when she can no longer have children. Now women want it both ways.
Context: the author of the NYT article is in her 50s and still dating.
https://archive.is/xXE7Q
