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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think that this is sexist?

8 replies

thetamingoftheshrill · 28/08/2022 22:08

Tonight I was talking to my dd in the kitchen about something that had gone missing and I mentioned it a bit later to dh who was in the living room and he said 'yeah I heard', or something along those lines, with a tone that implied I was being unnecessarily loud. The thing is I wasn't shouting, I was just talking, possibly 'animatedly'. I knew exactly what he meant, that my voice was piercing/grating/shrill. He sometimes comments on it - it's almost a running joke that when I'm nervous my voice sounds like 'weeh weeh weeh' (his description). I think my voice when I'm stressed or nervous probably does grate a bit, although my normal speaking voice is not loud at all, I've heard others call me 'softly spoken'. Our relationship is pretty rocky at the moment but I felt that we were both making an effort to reconnect. So perhaps I'm feeling unduly sensitive. But deep down I also feel he is sexist - not explicitly or directly (although he's someone who definitely doesn't pull his weight in the house or with the kids I probably do 80% of it) - but in the kinds of things he says, assumes, expects, ignores, never thinks about etc. He sometimes uses words like 'shrill', 'hysterical', 'fishwife', 'nag', 'gossip' in a semi-humorous way (and not always directed at me or even at women) but I absolutely hate it - I also hate that he doesn't even get the sexist connotations of those words. My mum was an 80s feminist and over the last 10 years of raising young children I've often wondered how on earth I've ended up in a relationship with someone who thinks like this. He's not a bastard or anything, I just find it intolerable. AIBU?

OP posts:
LoveTigerWiger · 28/08/2022 23:09

I'm not saying LTB but if you're feeling bad about how he treats you, you need to truly consider whether or not you want to live with this behaviour for the rest of your life. People rarely change and it's most likely not going to get any better.

GetOffTheRoof · 28/08/2022 23:17

You're reading a LOT of backstory into two words.

saltinesandcoffeecups · 28/08/2022 23:33

Can’t , nor will I , comment on all of the things going on outside of the comment. But you clearly said you were talking loud and he said he heard you. Not sexist in isolation.

KhaleesiDothraki · 28/08/2022 23:43

This reply has been deleted

Previously banned poster - this has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

iliketartan · 28/08/2022 23:49

TLDR

vincettenoir · 28/08/2022 23:59

I don’t know if he is sexist or not. But be careful about linking his offhand comment today with historic wrongdoings / dubious use of language. If you’re both trying to work on the relationship then perhaps take things one day at a time for the moment. Time will tell whether you will re-connect or not.

PersonaNonGarter · 29/08/2022 00:02

He is sexist - not from this incident but the fact is that you know he is.

What comes across from your post is that you have been giving him the benefit of the doubt. Also, he repeatedly undermines you and puts you down in a semi-humorous but actually not funny way.

Time to fight back, hard.

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