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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

BF coming in when I'm in the shower!

246 replies

RedheadLover · 29/05/2017 14:38

My BF has a rather irritating habit of coming the bathroom when I'm in the shower and I really don't like it. I don't think there's anything sexual about it (honestly!), he just doesn't seem to think it's a big deal if he wants to come in and talk to me while I'm washing my hair or whatever.

I've told him I don't appreciate being walked in on and would actually rather have the time to myself. He thought this was strange and said 'it's not like I've never seen you naked before' Angry but has reluctantly agreed not to keep walking in on me.

So today, rather than bursting in as usual, he was knocking on the door. I could hear he was saying something but couldn't make out the words over the sound of the water and the music I had on. Figuring it must be something important as we'd only just had a conversation about how I prefer not to be bothered while showering, I got out of the shower (conditioner still on), wrapped myself in a towel and traipsed across to the door (leaving a trail of water) to see what he wanted.

The message which he'd found so vital to relay to me was that the pizza he'd put in for lunch would be ready in ten minutes Confused

He says I'm ungrateful because he only wanted to let me know so it wouldn't get cold. I think he should have waited until I was out the shower to tell me lunch was ready!

AIBU to be annoyed and to wish I could have just fifteen minutes of privacy?! Does anyone else's partner do this?

OP posts:
Zafodbeeblbrox10 · 29/05/2017 23:50

But after RTFT I see that OP is unhappy about bathroom intrusions and has related this to BF so I stand corrected! I'm just saying it's not unusual in a healthy relationship.

LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 29/05/2017 23:50

And any person not respecting someone's boundaries on the basis that they were having a physical relationship really is odd and actually creepy as fuck.

Just because you don't agree with needing privacy, you don't get to say that others should be the same.

LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 29/05/2017 23:52

Nobody is saying it's unusual in a 'healthy relationship'

The OP did actually say in her first post that she doesn't like it and he was aware of that - it's kind of the point of the thread Smile

Rachel0Greep · 29/05/2017 23:55

OP, I agree with you. I would not want anyone -boyfriend / partner- walking in when I am showering. Tbh, it does sound needy to me. A fricking pizza... It surely could wait!

Another here who doesn't understand the idea of having the bathroom door open while on the toilet. It's hardly a spectator sport, IMO. I do however, understand that people have different boundaries and that is fine.

But in the OP's scenario, the guy could have waited surely to put on the pizza...

Zafodbeeblbrox10 · 29/05/2017 23:56

Yea sorry ladies ( I'm a guy)

LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 30/05/2017 00:00

Perhaps revising your ideas about consent could be a plan then... I'm sure you don't intend to but 'I'm sure you are in a physical relationship and therefore no boundaries were crossed' is strange logic at best, and creepy at worst.

If a person is unsure whether walking into the bathroom when their partner is in there is acceptable, the thing to do is ask. Unless they have expressly said 'feel free to come in while I'm having a shit/shower' then you have no right to.

LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 30/05/2017 00:00

Esp when the fact the OP told her BF clearly was the point of her post.

Zafodbeeblbrox10 · 30/05/2017 00:06

I don't have those problems
..honest. I just jumped in without RTFT lol. Personally I have respect for every living being.

CherryMintVanilla · 30/05/2017 00:28

He sounds like he's very dependent on you, bordering on downright clingy.

He could have waited till you were out of the shower before putting the pizza in the oven. or just cooked it and left your half on the side/in a warm oven.

We have had no bathroom lock for ten years. But we all act as if there is a lock, because privacy is important!

Gwenhwyfar · 30/05/2017 00:41

"just jumped in without RTFT lol."

You didn't even read the OP! The OP makes it clear she doesn't like someone walking in on her in the bathroom.

Lisa9819 · 30/05/2017 00:59

Doesn't sound like a big deal. Its understandable that for you it's alone time, it's also understandable that he may not be used to that.. especially if he's had serious partners before you. My DH and I come in the bathroom when the other is in the shower all the time... but that's just us. We may even be too comfortable with eachother (going to bathroom with door open, etc).
It's a personal preference and nothing wrong with you wanting that space, but give him a break... it sounds like he was trying to do a nice thing by knocking to let you know when your food would be done. I think you might be being unreasonable to be pissed by this. If he continues coming in while you're in there, that would make sense to be annoyed about. But your partner assuming you like him shouldn't feel he's walking on eggshells while you're in the bathroom. So no I don't think him knocking on the door was a "controlling" behavior of his as some have mentioned.. Geez people on mn want to claim everything is abuse or control these days....Confused it's a bit extreme!! Maybe the dude is just used to that level of privacy (or lack there of) with previous relationships and he is still learning you?

MrsTerryPratchett · 30/05/2017 02:14

@Zafodbeeblbrox10 I know you are thinking people are silly now, or overreacting. But really think about why you think no boundaries were crossed. Really examine why you believe that consent for one thing means consent for others. Think about why you believe that boundaries are somehow defined by the relationship rather than by the individual.

Because you don't want to be that douchebag.

DixieFlatline · 30/05/2017 02:16

Because you don't want to be that douchebag.

Hear, hear, MrsTP.

TheStoic · 30/05/2017 04:50

If you can't get privacy in the bathroom - where can you get it? Most of us need one place on the planet where we can be alone - even just for 5 minutes - and expect the adults around us to respect that.

If it's not a big deal to you, that's fine - but respect other people. It's not that hard.

faithinthesound · 30/05/2017 05:42

I have so many thoughts. Before I forget, @JeNeBaguetteRien, you have an awesome username. I have seen you around before and keep forgetting to mention it.

Onto business. I personally think that the shower, the pizza, and the lock on the door are ALL red herrings. The crux of this scenarios runs thusly:

OP: Please do not do the thing.
DP: But whyyyyy
OP: Because I don't like it.
DP: Fiiiiiine.
DP: ~passive aggressively tests the very edges of this new boundary~

  1. If OP says "please don't do the thing", it doesn't matter WHAT "the thing" happens to be, her DP needs to just shut his mouth and stop doing the thing. She shouldn't have to explain herself, or justify her reasons. Asking should be enough.
I had a friend who did a similar boundary stomping dance every time I made a reasonable request. I would say "please don't do the thing" and would be immediately subjected to half an hour's lecture on why the thing isn't a big deal and I was unreasonable for asking that it not be done to/around me. Different people have different likes and dislikes. Boundaries still matter. OP has the right to set a boundary without having to enter into conversation about it.
  1. The man is behaving like a toddler. He is an adult. He knew three things:
* That OP was in the shower (or he wouldn't have stood out there knocking) * That OP did not want him to come in (or he would have just gone straight in) * That the pizza would be ready in ten minutes (or how else could he have said that when she opened the door?) Based on those facts, those pieces of knowledge that via deductive reasoning we KNOW he was in possession of, there is no reason why he could not have * Waited until the OP was out of the shower to put the pizza on * Eaten without OP, if she wasn't out in time, and saved her some slices that could have been eaten cold, or reheated if that was OP's preference. (And cold pizza is pretty great anyway.) Instead of taking either of those two options, which most reasonable, thinking adults would have done, he chose to put the pizza in the oven when he knew OP was in the shower, when he knew she had asked him not to come in... so that he would have a reason to bang on the door and play the wounded victim "Oh, but I made you lunch, I was just trying to do something nice" card when she (rightfully) got peeved off with the passive aggression. And too many of you are giving him a pass to behave this way.

So. Bottom line. He knew exactly what she was asking, and he first a) argued the toss, as if OP's wants/needs surrounding her own body are up for discussion (protip: they're not), and then b) orchestrated a situation where he could push that boundary as far as possible while still maintaining the option of playing wounded victim when OP got upset.

But go ahead and tell OP that she's being unreasonable. Tell her that just because she consented to sex with this man, that now means she has no right to set any boundaries with him at all, ever again. Tell her she's "hard work" because she wanted fifteen uninterrupted minutes to herself and her DP not only couldn't even give her that, he manufactured a situation to deliberately interrupt and make out like she's the unreasonable one.

All I know is, people who can't respect my simple boundaries and requests don't violate my bigger ones - because I fade them out/cut them off before they ever get a chance. If you can't listen to a "no" in a simple, low stakes situation like this, you get me thinking about what other situations you're going to ignore my "no" in. A simple google search will turn up countless stories of women/people who ignored red flags like this.

Zafodbeeblbrox10 · 30/05/2017 06:09

Mrs tp I said I hadn't RTFT.. If you'd RTFT! I never said anything about normalising abusive behaviour. I appreciate your candour but it sounds like you're conducting a witch-hunt.

PigletJohn · 30/05/2017 07:21

time to drop it, mate.

Zafodbeeblbrox10 · 30/05/2017 07:24

Lolz

tomatopuree · 30/05/2017 07:27

I'm the mum of a 21 year old and a 2 year old. I haven't peed on my own in 20 years. We have conversations whilst on the loo. I have given in locking the door. It's just one of those things. Either lock the door or get used to it.

LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 30/05/2017 07:30

The lock is broken...

People are spectacularly missing the point. Whether or not you are happy with people disturbing you in the toilet doesn't matter - the OP isn't comfortable with it and it's her right to feel that way and to have that respected.

SmileEachDay · 30/05/2017 07:32

I'm sure you are in a physical relationship and therefore no boundaries were crossed

I realise that you did a positively May-esque u turn, but ^ that is an extremely worrying stance.

You can see that, right?

Kokusai · 30/05/2017 07:35

I'd say most people would expect to be able to come into the bathroom when their partner is in there

Whaaaaaat? No fuckkng way.

Both DP and i have developed an adequate control of ourselves that we can last 30 mins without needing to use the toilet (but generally check before going in for a long soak).

Also, not being joined at he hip, we can go a few mins without talking to each other.

Why do you want to go into the bathroom when someone else is in there? It's needy and would annoy me.

LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 30/05/2017 07:36

And those who dismiss the OP's desire for privacy are as bad as the BF

Kokusai · 30/05/2017 07:39

I agree wth everyone @faithinthesound said. Super post.

Maxandrubyrubyandmax · 30/05/2017 07:39

So he listened to you, didn't barge in and stayed outside, cooked you lunch then let you know how long it would be so you didn't have to rush. And you're still pissed off. Fuck me! Poor bloke. I can understand him just chatting to you in the shower most couples wouldn't think twice. When you said you didn't like it he stopped.

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