
I think women tend to value character because it’s 100x more important to have a partner who respects you for who you are, and it’s fun to be in a relationship where you’re interested in each other. I think men overlook character because (frankly) it doesn’t matter as much if someone is or is not interested in what they enjoy/believe.
Women are critiqued for their personalities and interests much more often than men are, it’s lovely to connect with someone who has those characteristics or is interested in sharing them. Men who have never been judged on their personality or interests don’t care if women don’t share them because nobody has ever told them it’s something that makes them “different,” if that makes sense
I am a loud, extroverted, high-energy woman ‼️ I also grew up being very tomboyish and weird. I used to be mocked or get in trouble for talking too much in school a lot, but now I LOVE a man who either a) loves to chat or b) loves to listen. I would deadass break up with someone if they said I was talking too much/being annoying. Conversation, humor, sharing stories, etc is SOOO important for me to feel connected with someone and learn about them. I like to be engaged and listen/be listened to.
And you’ve got the right mindset; I think interests don’t have to be something that you always need to have in common, but you should always feel comfortable sharing them with someone and/or willing to give something a try. It’s tiring and honestly disappointing when someone dismisses an interest you have because they don’t care abt it. I’m not interested in Magic the Gathering whatsoever, but I would play with my ex and his friends all the time because I understood it was something he enjoyed.
Interests is just a small part of it, though. Your original post just talks about women putting less weight on appearance. Most polls done show that the most popular characteristics women look for in men are kind, supportive, intelligent/educated, ambitious, and confident. It’s not really hard to “compromise” on someone’s appearance if they have a great quality of character.