Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to think it's fine to not want to date someone because of their job?

216 replies

Terracata · 24/09/2024 19:23

According to my friend I am unreasonable. Met a guy on online dating, he said he worked for the council. Didn't go into detail re what until the date. He then told me that he is one of those people that puts parking tickets on cars. Cue me very quickly deciding I don't want to date him.

Personally I think at first date stage you can afford to be picky and can choose not to date someone for whatever reason you want. I don't want to date someone who waits around for someone to go 11 mins over their parking time to shove a ticket on their car.

Friend thinks I'm being daft and 'it's just a job'.

AIBU?

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Littlemisslaughalot · 07/10/2024 16:11

Everanewbie · 01/10/2024 09:49

Black men are statically more likely to be perpetrators of domestic violence than white men. (Harris 2021) Someone who used this stat as a justification to rule out dating BAME men might be thought of as narrow minded.

@Everanewbie I would call that racist tbh. Let's agree to disagree.

OrdsallChord · 01/10/2024 09:52

x2boys · 29/09/2024 15:51

If Defence lawyers didn't exist how could we have fair trials ?
Innocent untill proven guilty is the basis of our criminal justice system.
Or should we just lock away everybody who has ever Been accused of a crime?

Yes, people who think like this might be better served in somewhere like North Korea.

Everanewbie · 01/10/2024 09:49

Littlemisslaughalot · 30/09/2024 10:29

Wow what an incredibly narrow minded view to hold. So of all the police officers in the country you say no to them ALL because you read somewhere they have a high level of domestic violence. I hope someone is teaching your children not to generalise and discriminate.
Fyi I know plenty of lovely police officers but I know a chef who beats his wife so I guess that's chefs out as well. 🤦🏼

Black men are statically more likely to be perpetrators of domestic violence than white men. (Harris 2021) Someone who used this stat as a justification to rule out dating BAME men might be thought of as narrow minded.

Littlemisslaughalot · 30/09/2024 10:29

CornishIrish · 29/09/2024 10:36

I wouldn’t date a copper no. They have very high rates of domestic violence in their relationships.

Wow what an incredibly narrow minded view to hold. So of all the police officers in the country you say no to them ALL because you read somewhere they have a high level of domestic violence. I hope someone is teaching your children not to generalise and discriminate.
Fyi I know plenty of lovely police officers but I know a chef who beats his wife so I guess that's chefs out as well. 🤦🏼

Findinganewme · 30/09/2024 07:45

I can see that your friends may think it’s a shame, because you may miss out on someone who is very wonderful perhaps. Maybe, he is just the most amazing person.

That said, I think it’s absolutely a good thing in fact, to want to date someone who is aligned to your personal values and thinking. Better to do it that way, over having repetitive arguments or strain over the subject, later down the line.

Marchitectmummy · 30/09/2024 03:18

Surely your first point of whether to meet again is whether you enjoyed your date and found the guy attractive.

What criteria did you use to choose your ex? That's priority to ensure you don't pick one like that again

thebestinterest · 30/09/2024 02:37

OrdinaryMatilda · 24/09/2024 19:37

Why is it? If people didn't park like twats, they wouldn't get a ticket.

Actually disgusting jobs are defence lawyers for paedophiles and the like.

Everyone deserves a fair trial. Innocent until proven guilty.

thebestinterest · 30/09/2024 02:35

It’s your life, op. You’re smart for wanting to date someone with a bit more ambition.

Firefly27 · 29/09/2024 21:33

It’s fine to not want to date certain men with certain jobs etc . Usually, women are hypergamous and will date at their level or slightly above both socially and economically. If you have moral objections that’s fine too. It’s your choice and you don’t owe anyone any explanation.

Opensesameseeds · 29/09/2024 16:08

needahandholdpls · 25/09/2024 18:29

There are plenty of men out there who wouldn't date a woman who was too fat/skinny/tall/ugly.... we all have our preferences.

Exactly. Very rarely do men date women they think are unattractive and when they do I’ve noticed they often treat them especially bad. The women’s looks rarely grow on them as nice as she may be as a person.

And in fairness women too sometimes don’t date men who they think are ugly or “too short” and that’s just accepted even though people have less control over what they look like than what job they have.

Opensesameseeds · 29/09/2024 15:59

Terracata · 24/09/2024 19:41

I don't think it's a disgusting job. It's one of those where it's necessary but feel it takes a certain person to do it. I couldn't morally live with myself sticking a fine on a car of someone who is 1 minute over the grace period, which has happened to a couple of my neighbours (one was 1 minute over. One two minutes. Both had parked in a 1 hour bay outside our house. One ran outside with a baby in her arms and boob almost hanging out and they proceeded to put the ticket on her car with her stood there crying) without feeling bad. As another poster stated, I believe we need the police but I wouldn't date a police officer.

yeah it’s your choice and there’s nothing wrong with it. If someone didn’t like my job that would be fine too. I’m with you re. Not dating Police officers. Also wouldn’t date anyone in the forces. Plenty of other women would and do so, some women even prefer “men in uniform” so I’m sure they’ll lose no sleep over me not dating them.

I don’t actually have an issue with parking wardens specifically, but I’d prefer to date someone that has what I see as a better job.

The same way people often can and do look at someone and decide they want to decide someone else with a “better” face or body. It’s not morally wrong to exercise these kind of choices when choosing a potential life partner.

I was talking to this guy once who worked in warehouse. He just lifted things from 7am to 3pm, he’d done it for years and he wasn’t a supervisor or aiming for that AFAIK. I
did warehouse work when I was 17 on my gap year.

To me, we weren’t going to be compatible and I’d likely be carrying him financially.

I also know this guy who works in construction, every time I talk to him he has a work related injury (back injury, metal in eye etc ). I wouldn’t date someone in construction either unless they were at some kind of senior level which didn’t involve getting their hands dirty basically.

x2boys · 29/09/2024 15:51

CrochetForLife · 29/09/2024 10:06

That is absolutely no true. There is no 'rotation', a lawyer can refuse any client for any reason. Of course everyone has the right to be represented, that also means though that any lawyer has the right to reject to represent that client. And, we also, in a fair society, have a right to reject dating a lawyer who would choose such a client.

If Defence lawyers didn't exist how could we have fair trials ?
Innocent untill proven guilty is the basis of our criminal justice system.
Or should we just lock away everybody who has ever Been accused of a crime?

SouthLondonMum22 · 29/09/2024 15:41

I wouldn’t be in a relationship with anyone in the military or police or any career that involves regularly working away.

x2boys · 29/09/2024 15:40

OrdinaryMatilda · 24/09/2024 19:37

Why is it? If people didn't park like twats, they wouldn't get a ticket.

Actually disgusting jobs are defence lawyers for paedophiles and the like.

Everybody is entitled to a fair trial regardless of what heinous crime they may have been charged with If they didn't get a fair trial than their case would collapse and they would be many more paedophiles that don't get punished I assume you don't want that?

Blondiebeachbabe · 29/09/2024 15:37

Beezknees · 29/09/2024 15:23

I wouldn't date a policeman. Nothing against the actual job but I work a 9-5 and wouldn't want a relationship with someone who had to work antisocial hours.

I think you just get used to it, tbh. And he at least gets 4 days off (6 on/4 off)

Beezknees · 29/09/2024 15:23

Blondiebeachbabe · 29/09/2024 15:16

People always say that they wouldn't date Police on here. My DH is a Police Officer, and he's one of the most decent men I have ever met. He has helped people out several times when he's not on duty (like breaking up fights). My friends in the Police are lovely too. It's a thankless and very stressful job.

I wouldn't date a policeman. Nothing against the actual job but I work a 9-5 and wouldn't want a relationship with someone who had to work antisocial hours.

LostittoBostik · 29/09/2024 15:18

SpookyX · 24/09/2024 19:36

I think it's fine.

When I was doing OLD I was certain I'd never go near armed services or police.

Why? Inbuilt misogyny?

LostittoBostik · 29/09/2024 15:17

It's fine to have that criteria, but I think that also makes you a bit judgemental tbh - doesn't look good on you

Blondiebeachbabe · 29/09/2024 15:16

People always say that they wouldn't date Police on here. My DH is a Police Officer, and he's one of the most decent men I have ever met. He has helped people out several times when he's not on duty (like breaking up fights). My friends in the Police are lovely too. It's a thankless and very stressful job.

Emmz1510 · 29/09/2024 12:32

Date or don’t date whoever you like.
People should park properly though.

Isthisasgoodasitis · 29/09/2024 12:19

XelaM · 24/09/2024 19:34

I'm so with you OP!!! Absolutely disgusting job 😖

So is emptying the bins or would you prefer to live knee deep in your own filth?

BettyBardMacDonald · 29/09/2024 11:48

It's fine.

I wouldn't date military, people who cut down healthy trees, housing estate developers and several other occupations. We just wouldn't be compatible.

celticprincess · 29/09/2024 11:34

Well you could still end up in a long term relationship with a traffic warden or similar. You could get married to someone with ‘the perfect job’ who then gets made redundant and the job centre force him to take a job as a traffic warden after being on JSA for a while and not finding the perfect job. Jobs are fluid. People love careers all the time. So whilst you can be picky whilst looking now you just never know what’s around the corner.

ColdinSeptember · 29/09/2024 11:21

I think anyone can not date anyone for any reason they like.

I can’t stand this idea that somehow dating has to be inclusive, nope.

ailsamaryc · 29/09/2024 11:17

renoleno · 24/09/2024 21:22

You can filter out people based on any criteria you want, and it's not being picky - you need to have some way to narrow down the dating pool! I wouldn't judge the character of someone who did the job though - as someone up thread pointed out, it's mostly done by ethnic minorities (where I live) and I admire the work ethic to do a hated job rather than live off benefits. Tbf I wouldn't have dated a traffic warden either, but only because i prefer someone to be in a career with steady progression prospects and job security. I never dated freelancers for that reason - the up and down of income would have been too stressful.

Having said that, I always thought shift work jobs was a no-no for me given i work a corporate 9-5. But DH who's police had great chat on the app and wrote so eloquently, I had to meet him. Am glad I did, as until then I thought of all police as the hard nosed, macho, worn down from life types - and he was an academic, cultured, ray of sunshine with a sensitive soul and hard edge when needed. I feel proud of him and the difference he makes, in a way I never did of my exH who did the same boring corporate job I did. The shift work hasn't been the problem i thought it would - which goes to show that trusting your gut is the most important thing in dating.

At one point there was a fast track for 'academics' to become police officers. When I joined you had to have several o'levels and highers( like A'levels). You also had to sit an exam

Swipe left for the next trending thread