3 women who proposed to their partners share exactly why and how they did it

Over the last hundred years, American women have earned the right to vote, to carry their own credit cards, and even to run for president. But there's one step on the road to equality that not many are willing to take: Only 5 percent of currently married couples got engaged because the woman proposed, and the numbers remain the same across age groups, according to a poll by the Associated Press. Yes, even younger women aren't proposing.

That being said, nearly half of single women surveyed said they'd consider proposing one day. Need inspiration? Check out these three stories from women who've done it:

"I Wanted It to Be Low-Key"

“Robyn and I have never been fans of the big, public, expensive demands of everything related to weddings. I always felt like, if someone is your life partner, why do you need to make a fuss about it? Then we took a 10-month-long backpacking trip, and my perspective on our lives together changed. We arrived back in the U.S at the end of 2015, and by September 2016 I had a ring that was ready and hiding in a drawer.

One night, she came home from work in her chef coat with her hair in a bun, smelling like a restaurant kitchen. I could not have been more in love. This was my person! After she showered and changed, I asked if she would join me to listen to some music. Nothing out of the ordinary. At some point, in between the Lumineers, Lord Huron, and Fruit Bats' "When U Love Somebody," I blurted out the question. We sat on the floor in our PJs crying, hugging, and laughing. It was just another beautiful moment in our day-to-day life. It was sacred, and most importantly, it was just so very us.” —Emily Kopp

"I Wanted to Beat Him to It"

“I overheard him talking about proposing over a weekend trip we had planned for Copenhagen, so I secretly knew what was up. Nevin generally takes control of situations and I thought, for once, I would love to take him by surprise and beat him to it. I feel there is too much emphasis placed on an engagement ring these days—it has grown to become a status symbol rather than a promise of eternal love. So why make him go through the pressure and hassle? I didn't need a ring or even want one. I just wanted to marry him. My mother and two close friends discouraged me from doing it; my mom specifically said, 'It's a man's job.' But after knowing he was planning it, I felt confident he would be happy.

"I proposed on April 4, 2015 at a French tapas bar in the West Village of New York City where we first met on a blind date. I told him I wanted to plan a date night where the venues would be a mystery to him... I had talked to a waiter there the night before to confirm the wait wouldn't be too long for two semi-private seats facing the window, and when he saw me, it only took about 15 minutes to get situated. My heart was pounding.

"Nevin didn't waste a minute before ordering the same cheese plate we did the first time we were there. I finally got the courage to begin professing my feelings for him. At first he look really confused, and as I got emotional, he thought I was going to deliver some type of bad news! But when I finished and finally popped the question, he was overjoyed! I was so relieved. In place of a ring, I presented him with a necktie to 'tie the knot.'

Super cheesy, I know, but I spent hours on YouTube figuring out how to tie the perfect Windsor knot for the moment. I then took him to a private dinner at a restaurant nearby where we had a few of our closest friends waiting to celebrate with us. I was hoping he wasn't going to feel bad that I stole his proposal thunder, but he was really happy with the non-traditional approach. I do feel more women should feel empowered to follow their heart and take a chance. You never know!” —Serina Shetty

"I Wanted a Chance to Propose Back"

“When you're part of an LGBT couple, you tend to talk about the process of things like a proposal more than some couples might because there aren't generations of traditions to rely on. We had decided that Carrie would propose first, which she did, in June 2016, on a pier. I proposed four months later in October 2016. My proposal was more low-key: in our apartment, showing her a video I had created with a slideshow and video of me visiting our most memorable places and talking about how special they were.

After the proposal, she thought we had plans to go out to dinner, but just before we were supposed to leave, I revealed I hired a private chef who was already next door at our neighbors' apartment cooking. It felt like the most perfect evening because we were finally 100 percent engaged. We were no longer 'girlfriend and fiance' as we had joked prior to my proposal."—Jill Moss