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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

What would you think if another woman said this to you?

119 replies

tempincase · 11/08/2026 15:20

i have name changed for this, but have been around forever I promise.

Anyway, speaking to a female friend, moaning to her that DH sulks for upto 2 days if I say no to sex (have had a previous thread on this so don’t need to address it here). Her response was “well, it is your job”….

AIBU to think that this is one of the most ridiculous and saddest things to say, or is she right? For full disclosure me and DH have sex around 2-3 times a week regularly.

OP posts:
LizandDerekGoals · 12/08/2026 09:58

I dont care if be is getting sex 2-3 times a YEAR. He doesnt get to sulk for two days to force you into having aex. How is the therapy to help with YOUR issues when it is your HUSBAND who is a coercive rapey bastard?

Linetree · 12/08/2026 10:03

Obviously he can't be sulking over it, and no one should be having sex they don't want, but I don't think it's entirely reasonable to expect someone to stay married to you, if they want sex and you don't.

RigsbysCat · 12/08/2026 10:05

I'd think it was sad that this was how she views sex and relationships, but that it was essentially none of my business. I'd also make a mental note to never discuss this sort of topic with her again.

I hope you manage to resolve the situation with your husband one way or another. It is very sad that you feel pressurised to have sex with him to keep the peace. Personally I couldn't live like that.

And I don't mean to cause offence, but isn't your friend's view and your own actually more similar than you might like to admit? She thinks a wife should submit to sex as it's her "job". You obviously don't think this, yet still have sex even when you don't want to, because it's easier than saying no. Both involve subjugation to a man. This is not a way I personally could view, sex.

Peachsandcream · 12/08/2026 10:09

she was surely joking and I bet she comes from a traditional background. But its not the job of a wife to have sex with a man whenever he wants. Sulking is not attractive- I would let him know this!

TheAmusedQuail · 12/08/2026 10:11

“well, it is your job”….

This is exactly what I meant in another thread (things you would not dare say out loud) when I said marriage = prostitution. The idea that in marriage men are paying for sex with their wives.

It's utter bullshit of course.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 12/08/2026 10:16

ThatCyanCat · 12/08/2026 09:56

You'd do better to give this mouthful to the husband who's actually doing these things rather than a random woman.

Yes and him too, but The question was what would I think if another women said this.

MajorProcrastination · 12/08/2026 10:21

It's only a job if you're being paid for it and I'm not a sex worker so I'm only up for consensual sex with the person I want to have sex with and when I also want to have that sex. It shouldn't be a chore or an obligation, it should be something you both want.

Pouting is a huge turn off, what a baby.

nc42day · 12/08/2026 10:22

What would I think? I'd think she held the same misogynistic views as my husband and I'd be doing my best to steer clear of both of them.

unfortunately most of the time we have sex it’s to keep the peace, what that’s done to my own self esteem is awful

I really hope you're getting individual therapy, there is more going on here than a thoughtless comment from a colleague to be concerned about.

AnitaCam · 12/08/2026 10:24

I would think her thinking is defunct and needs a re installation.

Grammarnut · 12/08/2026 10:37

Buscobel · 11/08/2026 15:21

I’d be more bothered about the sulking.

I'd be worried about the sulking, too. It suggests entitlement and even coercive control. But who 'refuses' sex in this way? Surely if you don't feel like it you say so, but generally it's a thing both want to do, it's not a transaction.

Pssedoffathis · 12/08/2026 10:39

I would leave someone if they sulked for 2 days because of not having sex. What an absolute child. Your friend sounds conditioned. I don’t think either of these two people are good for you and personally I would get rid of both from my life.

Normalized · 12/08/2026 11:14

ThatCyanCat · 12/08/2026 08:09

What is non nuanced about the responses? What would a nuanced response be when a woman does not wish to have sex?

The nuance is that there can be a tension between commitment to a relationship and individual autonomy. Nobody is entitled to sex from another person, married or otherwise, and nobody is entitled to make their partner do something they don't consent to.

But I think there's a distinction between being entitled to a particular act and having reasonable expectations of a relationship. A spouse can reasonably expect things from a marriage — companionship, reliability, emotional support, affection, sex, financial or practical contribution, whatever it may be — without being entitled to demand any one of those things on a particular occasion.

Relationships, and particularly marriages, are reciprocal. We routinely do things for our partners that wouldn't necessarily be our first choice because compromise and consideration for another person are part of being in a relationship. Both people get things from the relationship and both put things into it. Autonomy means you ultimately decide what you do, but it doesn't mean your choices exist in a vacuum or that your partner can't have expectations or feelings about them.

And before somebody translates that into "women should have sex when they don't want to" or worse, that isn't what I'm saying. Again, that is bot what I'm saying. Consent is still consent. Nobody is obliged to have sex on any particular occasion.

My point is that "you cannot compel somebody to do X" and "X can never be a reasonable expectation within a marriage" are two different propositions.

I'm also not commenting specifically on the OP's marriage or defending her husband's behaviour. I'm making a general point. "Sex is your job" is far too simplistic, but so is the idea that marriage consists entirely of two autonomous individuals who never owe each other consideration, compromise or effort.

Commitment, expectations, reciprocity and personal autonomy all exist at the same time. That's the nuance.

nc42day · 12/08/2026 11:21

Normalized · 12/08/2026 11:14

The nuance is that there can be a tension between commitment to a relationship and individual autonomy. Nobody is entitled to sex from another person, married or otherwise, and nobody is entitled to make their partner do something they don't consent to.

But I think there's a distinction between being entitled to a particular act and having reasonable expectations of a relationship. A spouse can reasonably expect things from a marriage — companionship, reliability, emotional support, affection, sex, financial or practical contribution, whatever it may be — without being entitled to demand any one of those things on a particular occasion.

Relationships, and particularly marriages, are reciprocal. We routinely do things for our partners that wouldn't necessarily be our first choice because compromise and consideration for another person are part of being in a relationship. Both people get things from the relationship and both put things into it. Autonomy means you ultimately decide what you do, but it doesn't mean your choices exist in a vacuum or that your partner can't have expectations or feelings about them.

And before somebody translates that into "women should have sex when they don't want to" or worse, that isn't what I'm saying. Again, that is bot what I'm saying. Consent is still consent. Nobody is obliged to have sex on any particular occasion.

My point is that "you cannot compel somebody to do X" and "X can never be a reasonable expectation within a marriage" are two different propositions.

I'm also not commenting specifically on the OP's marriage or defending her husband's behaviour. I'm making a general point. "Sex is your job" is far too simplistic, but so is the idea that marriage consists entirely of two autonomous individuals who never owe each other consideration, compromise or effort.

Commitment, expectations, reciprocity and personal autonomy all exist at the same time. That's the nuance.

That's a lot of words to obfuscate a fairly clear statement, which was, "it's your job".

chocoluv · 12/08/2026 11:22

when I was speaking to my friend the other day I was just hoping for some female solidarity on my view

You wanted female solidarity??

You’re not going to get that from your friend or on here or from your therapist or whoever else you’re speaking to.

Most of us wouldn’t put up with your DH’s behaviour.
You are choosing to allow his behaviour and that is your problem but none of us are going to support your decision to do so.

At the end of the day it is your life.
If you are happy with the way things are then great.
If you are not happy with the way things are, then make a change.
There is no point discussing things if you have no plans to take advice and make changes.

Normalized · 12/08/2026 11:51

nc42day · 12/08/2026 11:21

That's a lot of words to obfuscate a fairly clear statement, which was, "it's your job".

The difference between simplistic and nuanced is 'a lot of words'.

ThatCyanCat · 12/08/2026 17:29

Normalized · 12/08/2026 11:51

The difference between simplistic and nuanced is 'a lot of words'.

She's right, though. It was a bloody wall of clunky text that did essentially come down to "it's her job".

Tip: when you stop trying to justify coercive sex, you don't have to talk for days while saying nothing to try to make it sound acceptable. Even if you don't care about coercion, you surely care about wasting so much of your time while convincing, and fooling, absolutely nobody at all.

FFSItsTooHot · 12/08/2026 17:36

I'd think she was joking. But then I wouldn't share intimate details of my relationship with a friend.

Switchnow · 12/08/2026 18:09

Normalized · 12/08/2026 11:51

The difference between simplistic and nuanced is 'a lot of words'.

No, it isn’t. Choose the right words, then you won’t need to use so many of the wrong ones.

nc42day · 13/08/2026 09:11

Normalized · 12/08/2026 11:51

The difference between simplistic and nuanced is 'a lot of words'.

No, it is not.

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