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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Microaggressions

17 replies

olympicsrock · 27/03/2022 03:51

Our new neighbours came round for a drink tonight for the first time. They previously lived in our house 5 years ago.
By the end of the evening it felt like DH had made a serious of jokes as my expense and made it appear that he does not like me much. He thinks that I am making a mountain out of a molehill and that he did nothing wrong , has nothing to apologise for. Please judge for yourselves. All his little jokes are things he often says either between ourselves or to others ….

  1. I gave the wife and daughter a quick guided tour which they enjoyed to see how the house has changed.
When I returned and suggested that we all moved into the living room as planned, DH suggested that the men stay in the kitchen to avoid death by soft furnishings and talk about golf. They only joined us 2 hours later after a good nudge. This was only supposed to be a quick drink so unless I had pushed the issue I would not have spoken to the make neighbour at all during the visit apart from hello and goodbye.

When I went to put music on , he said I better do that as Olympics has crap taste in music.

Later he joked that I have an awful singing voice ( “ we say “you do the words I do the tune”) . This is one of his favourite jokes and I found myself initially joining in the self depreciation of saying that I take after the time dead father not opera singer mother. I then said actually my singing is fine. I always think he hugely exaggerates this.

He joked that we referred to our wedding as ‘Olympics wedding” as I organised / had most things my way. This was by happy mutual agreement but he did choose key elements like the music and cars .

I can’t remember any other specific examples. At the end of the night, I told DH how I felt and that it reminded me of how my father has treated ny mother who was a bully .

He minimised and has not apologised . We do get on and he does respect me in general terms.

Am I being unreasonable to say that these little jokes are micro aggressions and make us look like a couple who don’t get on to strangers.

OP posts:
Movingonup22 · 27/03/2022 03:53

Yeah that’s awful. It’s constant small digs that each on their own aren’t that bad but it’s an overall pattern of trying to diminish you

How long have you been married for?

MrsTerryPratchett · 27/03/2022 03:56

DH suggested that the men stay in the kitchen to avoid death by soft furnishings and talk about golf.

Men who pretend women are boring and shit are misogynists. He doesn't have contempt for you, it's all women. Which I doubt is a surprise to you.

Yuk.

LemonViolet · 27/03/2022 04:06

That isn’t what microaggressions are, it’s a specific term about behaviour aimed at a marginalised group en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microaggression

However that’s kinda beside the point. Your husband is a misogynist arsewipe. He doesn’t respect you I’m afraid, or he wouldn’t use you as the butt of misogynist jokes to impress another man. I suspect you only “get on” when things are his way?

Febrier · 27/03/2022 04:15

…make us look like a couple who don’t get on to strangers.

But you’re not getting on. Op YANBU.

Peachtoiletpaper · 27/03/2022 04:21

Sounds a boring misogynist with no real sense of humour or wit, who has tried to develop one by saying deprecating things about you. As PP says, it's the death by 1000 cuts effect- nothing in isolation would damning as a true, affectionate one off but it's the accumulation of little digs (well, actually these comments aren't nice even taken in isolation).

I would make a mental or written list of all of these examples and have a serious conversation about this in the morning. Let him know how you felt, that you don't want it minimised or done again, and that this isn't humorous or clever. He really needs to work on his jokes and show you more respect in front of people. If it happens again, I would absolutely not try and dash it off by being self deprecating

Feather12 · 27/03/2022 04:21

@LemonViolet

That isn’t what microaggressions are, it’s a specific term about behaviour aimed at a marginalised group en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microaggression

However that’s kinda beside the point. Your husband is a misogynist arsewipe. He doesn’t respect you I’m afraid, or he wouldn’t use you as the butt of misogynist jokes to impress another man. I suspect you only “get on” when things are his way?

You say these aren’t microagressions, yet you correctly identify it as misogynism. Are you a man?
MrsTerryPratchett · 27/03/2022 04:25

You say these aren’t microagressions, yet you correctly identify it as misogynism.

Exactly. There's plenty of microaggressions for women too. Really. Plenty.

LemonViolet · 27/03/2022 04:25

What on earth would that have to do with the price of fish?!? Shall we perhaps focus on supporting the OP?

Feather12 · 27/03/2022 04:46

Well you were explaining why the OP’s title was wrong. But it isn’t, is it?

sweetbellyhigh · 27/03/2022 04:52

He doesn't get to decide whether or not you feel offended and if he cannot respect your feelings and opinions then I'm not sure what good it is being in a partnership with him.

He sounds like a prize jerk. I have no time for this carry on.

sweetbellyhigh · 27/03/2022 04:53

@LemonViolet

That isn’t what microaggressions are, it’s a specific term about behaviour aimed at a marginalised group en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microaggression

However that’s kinda beside the point. Your husband is a misogynist arsewipe. He doesn’t respect you I’m afraid, or he wouldn’t use you as the butt of misogynist jokes to impress another man. I suspect you only “get on” when things are his way?

Because she hasn't had enough criticisms lately 🙄
GreekGod · 27/03/2022 05:30

Nip it in the bud OP. Make it clear to him that you do not want him talking about you in that way in front of other people. If he continues to do it after you have told him not to, then that is an issue.

pompomseverywhere · 27/03/2022 06:05

@LemonViolet

That isn’t what microaggressions are, it’s a specific term about behaviour aimed at a marginalised group en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microaggression

However that’s kinda beside the point. Your husband is a misogynist arsewipe. He doesn’t respect you I’m afraid, or he wouldn’t use you as the butt of misogynist jokes to impress another man. I suspect you only “get on” when things are his way?

A marginalised group? Like being a female in this world?
Ebony69 · 27/03/2022 06:33

No, it’s not great behaviour and it would annoy the hell out of me. However I would like to know about the general dynamics within the relationship. OP, you say he respects you in other ways. What makes you say that?

Whingasaurus · 27/03/2022 06:42

My dh used to do this to me, this is his second marriage and when we had a conversation about it and he claimed it was normal couple behaviour. I pointed out divorce was also normal for him. The 'death by a thousand cuts' line is actually a very powerful description of what he's doing but I'd try letting things calm down and next social event discuss it before. For my dh it was just a pattern of behaviour he'd fallen into and hadn't really considered as belittling he no longer does it.
And microaggressions is a perfect descriptor.

internetpersonme · 27/03/2022 06:53

Sounds like a 1970s sit com?

olympicsrock · 27/03/2022 09:46

Thanks all, I slept in the spare room last night , after not getting any acknowledgement of my point.
This morning the first thing he did was apologise for upsetting me. I asked if he was sorry for upsetting me or sorry for saying and behaving as it did. He replied sorry for saying and behaving as he did. And offered to make me tea in bed. And said he had a terrible hangover.

Yes Wingasaurus has it right when she said death by a thousand cuts.

Peach toilet, you are right . I am slightly cross that I went along with the joke about my singing to start with xx no more….

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