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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Or is this absolutely batshit (sex life related)

338 replies

Tulipsanddandelions · 16/04/2026 13:03

NC long term person.

DP (42) and I (36) been together 4 years. Live together. No kids between us (one each). I have high stress job (main breadwinner) DP runs own business pretty chilled most of the time.

Anyway…always enjoyed a good varied sex life, frequent as in 3/4 times a week, more if we have time (free house etc)

Lately he has started to guilt trip me about our ‘lack of sex’ ‘sexless relationship’. At first told him outright this was rubbish. But he insists we used to have sex more (not to my knowledge in fact was less when we only see each other once or twice a week before cohabiting), now it’s literally 2 days after we have sex he starts on about ‘when we get our sex life back’ like it’s been months.

More than that, the extra fun stuff we enjoy dressing up etc is now starting to become something he expects ‘to come home from work to’, apparently I don’t put enough effort or creativity into sex ‘like you used to’. Again rubbish but also has to have some understanding I have a life outside of standing in my knickers at the door waiting for him.

come to the crux of it today and he says ‘I feel like I should be able to ask for whatever I want and get it, I should be able to touch you within reason (and reason was if I was ill) and you should want it’

all of this coupled with, ‘you rejecting me damages my self esteem, I do anything you want sexually to keep you, I get pain in my balls if I don’t cum’.

baffled as to where all this is coming from. I have told him his is a huge turn off and he told me that if it’s such a turn off ‘expressing my (his) needs’ then it isn’t a ‘safe relationship’

He denies any porn use, never had reason to suspect (especially given healthy sex life).

are we suddenly massively not sexually compatible or is he being unreasonable!?!

OP posts:
CraftyYankee · 16/04/2026 15:37

Every example sounds worse. So what are you going to do?

Tulipsanddandelions · 16/04/2026 15:35

Cocoa174 · 16/04/2026 15:31

I recognise a lot of this behaviour from my porn addicted ex especially the absurd idea he should come home to you dressed up.

Once this mentality sets in ( and is rewarded by regular sex ) it’s impossible to change. I stopped having sex entirely with mine and even then nothing changed. The constant thinking about his dick and victim mentality revolted
me.

Yup and him coming home to me dressed up is the most vanilla of the things he suggests coming home.

but what is worse is he will see I have had a busy day, come in from work, shopping bags etc and still make some vague comment about ‘all the way home I was hoping you would be home first so I could find you playing with yourself’ honestly I wish I was lying.

I mean I have actually laughed out loud in his face at stuff like this when he spouts it, but it doesn’t deter him, it just seems to compound the fact I ‘hate him and clearly don’t fancy him’

OP posts:
IdentifyingAsAWoollyMammoth · 16/04/2026 15:35

Is he a Tate brother? It's very manosphere. I'd be outta that relationship right now. Unhealthy.

Tulipsanddandelions · 16/04/2026 15:31

Thegoldenoriole · 16/04/2026 15:25

Do you reply asking this? What does he say?

Yeah I do, and he will say something like ‘I was just saying there was a missed opportunity’ or minimise it somehow

OP posts:
Cocoa174 · 16/04/2026 15:31

I recognise a lot of this behaviour from my porn addicted ex especially the absurd idea he should come home to you dressed up.

Once this mentality sets in ( and is rewarded by regular sex ) it’s impossible to change. I stopped having sex entirely with mine and even then nothing changed. The constant thinking about his dick and victim mentality revolted
me.

LauraJaneGrace · 16/04/2026 15:27

Nothing less erotic than a forty year old man whining and bleating
" ayyy, mah bawls, mah bawls are fuuuuull"

LoremIpsumCici · 16/04/2026 15:26

Grade A* Batshit

Also, not liking the misogyny overtones where he is speaking to you as if you were his property.

Thegoldenoriole · 16/04/2026 15:25

Tulipsanddandelions · 16/04/2026 15:20

It’s the other constant comments.

For example:

I will be off work so laying in, he will get up and go to work and then text saying ‘we could have had sex this morning but you were sleep’

yeah and you had to go to work, why is it all my fault?

Do you reply asking this? What does he say?

Terrribletwos · 16/04/2026 15:24

Tulipsanddandelions · 16/04/2026 15:20

It’s the other constant comments.

For example:

I will be off work so laying in, he will get up and go to work and then text saying ‘we could have had sex this morning but you were sleep’

yeah and you had to go to work, why is it all my fault?

Yep, manipulative and controlling. I hope you can leave.

Phonicshaskilledmeoff · 16/04/2026 15:23

Yuck - this would create a sexless massage for me.
I don’t want to do anything as soon as I’m told I should!

(as a side note, my poor husband - he gets none of what you are describing and is thrilled to be given the opportunity!)

Terrribletwos · 16/04/2026 15:22

Tulipsanddandelions · 16/04/2026 14:46

Yeah he just seems to think that him voicing his sexual desires means I should also want them exactly the same. If I don’t, I am clearly going off him, even in the space of 24 hours

Well, there you have it. He's not even thinking about you. He sounds quite manipulative to me. What do you think?

StMarie4me · 16/04/2026 15:22

I’d be gone. Ick x 1,000,000

Reason 34654 why I refer to be single these days.

Tulipsanddandelions · 16/04/2026 15:20

It’s the other constant comments.

For example:

I will be off work so laying in, he will get up and go to work and then text saying ‘we could have had sex this morning but you were sleep’

yeah and you had to go to work, why is it all my fault?

OP posts:
Tulipsanddandelions · 16/04/2026 15:18

Malasana · 16/04/2026 15:07

His behaviour would be a deal breaker for me to be honest. Does he seriously want to have sex with someone who he knows doesn’t want to? It’s sex pest territory really isn’t it?
Please make sure you set some really firm boundaries and have a consider of whether this is how you want to spend your future.
Also, do you feel safe in the same house/bed with him?

I do feel safe yes. It’s more ridiculous then worrying but I do see how it can appear or turn in to something insidious and I have my wits about me.

OP posts:
Tulipsanddandelions · 16/04/2026 15:17

HScully · 16/04/2026 15:02

It feels a bit controlling to me, especially when he expects you to be thinking about him at work. How does he behave if you goout with female friends, or if you had a night away for work without him?

He is absolutely fine. I go on holiday once a year without him; he will sulk towards the end about how he misses me and can’t wait for sex etc but has never been negative towards me doing what I want to do

OP posts:
Malasana · 16/04/2026 15:07

Tulipsanddandelions · 16/04/2026 14:58

Honestly was a little sick in my mouth at the ‘wet for me comment’ I am by no means a prude but not after a stats meeting, in fact not outside the heat of the moment and he knows all this…but apparently was trying ‘bring back the naughtiness’

His behaviour would be a deal breaker for me to be honest. Does he seriously want to have sex with someone who he knows doesn’t want to? It’s sex pest territory really isn’t it?
Please make sure you set some really firm boundaries and have a consider of whether this is how you want to spend your future.
Also, do you feel safe in the same house/bed with him?

TreeDudette · 16/04/2026 15:04

I like a good roll in the hay as much as the next person but this continual smut would really put me right off. The sulking even more so. Yuck. DP and I do the do when we can and enjoy it but neither of us sulks when circumstances just don't allow.

HScully · 16/04/2026 15:02

Tulipsanddandelions · 16/04/2026 13:44

Not disagreeing but what makes you think this is controlling?

It feels a bit controlling to me, especially when he expects you to be thinking about him at work. How does he behave if you goout with female friends, or if you had a night away for work without him?

Tulipsanddandelions · 16/04/2026 15:00

Mrsknowitall · 16/04/2026 14:59

Not having an affair is he, and using this as a justification?

Did cross my mind but I don’t think so tbh

OP posts:
LostFuse · 16/04/2026 15:00

Duckswaddle · 16/04/2026 13:11

Sounds like he’s been hoovered into the manosphere.

My first thought whilst still reading the post.

Tulipsanddandelions · 16/04/2026 14:59

I will say, he was struck down with a terrible cold a few weeks back and miraculously he didn’t mention sex for about a week as he was ‘really suffering’ 🙄

OP posts:
tobejudged · 16/04/2026 14:59

Tulipsanddandelions · 16/04/2026 13:37

Genuine question as I have asked the same

‘why should he have to wank when he has a long term committed partner he is attracted to?’

For the same reason he should cook his own dinner if he's hungry and you are not. It's not your job to empty his balls any more than it's your job to feed him or wipe his arse when he's been to the toilet. Jeez!

Mrsknowitall · 16/04/2026 14:59

Not having an affair is he, and using this as a justification?

Tulipsanddandelions · 16/04/2026 14:58

Malasana · 16/04/2026 14:55

It sounds like he has no respect for your wants or feelings and just wants a “vessel”.
How can he imagine you’d be in the mood for sex if he spends days whining about not getting it and the “wet for me” comment - massive turn off.
I’d be telling him that any sort of sexual contact is entirely off the table until he learns to be respectful and considers your feelings rather than just his own.
And if his balls ache after 12 hours, he has a medical issue he maybe should have investigated.

Honestly was a little sick in my mouth at the ‘wet for me comment’ I am by no means a prude but not after a stats meeting, in fact not outside the heat of the moment and he knows all this…but apparently was trying ‘bring back the naughtiness’

OP posts:
Tulipsanddandelions · 16/04/2026 14:56

TFImBackIn · 16/04/2026 14:49

I think he's reducing you to a sex object because you are more successful than he is at work. He's showing you that you might be more successful at work, but he's the one with the sex drive.

Has he ever suggested bringing another man into the relationship so he can watch someone have sex with you? That's common with men who see women as sex objects who need to be put in their place.

Absolutely not, he would hate that. We gave watched a lot of sexual programmes open house on channel 4 etc and he always says he could never be in an open relationship or have a threesome or anything like that.

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