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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

How important is ‘great’ sex in a relationship?

104 replies

Grossedout12 · 13/02/2021 17:34

In the beginning? Over time?

I’m not particularly sexual but I don’t think my boyfriend finds me super attractive.

OP posts:
Russellbrandshair · 13/02/2021 22:46

@BeautifulStar

He was a virgin until his 30s

God, I wonder why?

You poor thing OP - he is vile. Please dump him, he’s shredding any ounce of self esteem you have left. What would you say to a friend who told you her partner was treating her like this?

Agree- he sounds like an impotent narcissistic dickhead. This isn’t really about sex it’s about him being a total Knob with no respect for you or your relationship. No wonder you don’t want to have sex with him! For goodness sake don’t waste your life on this idiot - life is so short.

Find a guy who loves you, respects you and will bang you until you pass out with sheer orgasmic pleasure. Don’t settle for this limp dick who has all the sexual allure of a half eaten falafel

showmethegin · 13/02/2021 23:17

This isn't about sex. It is about trying to put you down to make himself feel better; there's another word for that, bully.

Me and my DP have been together for about 6 years and we are both a couple of stone heavier than when we met. We aren't the most at it sex wise but we cuddle, we kiss, we have matched sex drives and he compliments me most when I'm in my comfies (which in lockdown has been a lot!) He loves me and I love him. I'm not really happy with my weight and would like to lose a bit and we are doing it together to get healthier.

That's a supportive partner. Can you imagine a friend saying that to you? If not why the hell would you plan your life with him? You only get one and you deserve better.

Lockeddownagain · 13/02/2021 23:27

My husband lost 10stone.
It was like being in bed with another man one of my neighbours thought I'd left my husband and had a new man. My walked past him
I didnt fancy him at all. He wasnt the I'd married.
I love him and we have moved past that but it wasnt easy

tsmainsqueeze · 13/02/2021 23:46

Whatever you do don't start a family with this man .
It sounds like a disaster , you shouldn't be having all these issues after 2 years.
He doesn't sound like a nice man .
Find someone who adores your body as much as he adores you .

Closetbeanmuncher · 14/02/2021 00:34

@category12 is spot on.

Opentooffers · 14/02/2021 02:24

I think he knows full well that you are more attractive than he is, so he's messing with your head to make sure you don't feel like it, and bring you down a peg, thus ensuring you don't go off with anyone who is better than him. Likewise, he's not that interested in sex as a person, but he's hiding this fact by putting it on you. Its all about hiding his insecurities about knowing he's a poor catch really, until you end up really believing that he's the best you can get.
Don't fall for it, you can and should do much better than him. You are not responsible for his inadequacies, and you can't fix him. You are wasting precious time when you should be seeking out a much better person without personal hangups being transferred to you.

OldAndWornOut · 14/02/2021 02:39

I think.men who aren't very sexually motivated often blame their partners, because it's considered a bit strange for a bloke to not be up for it.
They have to keep up the pretence for their own self esteem.

Oldat40 · 14/02/2021 02:45

Well I guess for long-term relationships it's "in sickness and in health" sometimes.

My fiancé is only mid-40's but last year had to go through emergency surgery on his spine. It has sadly affected our sex life which used to be very carefree and spontaneous.

It has had an impact but I know for sure he still fancies me etc.

Would I ever leave him because of it? No.

user1481840227 · 14/02/2021 03:01

This isn't about your body. He was a virgin until his 30s, that says it all!

Marinaloves · 14/02/2021 03:10

LEAVE NOW FOR THE LOVE OF GOD

Thebizz · 14/02/2021 08:21

I don’t know how you could bring yourself to sit with him for one minute more after he said he wasn’t attracted to your body. (It’s not about that anyway. Agree with pps that he has an issue with sex in general.)

Russellbrandshair · 14/02/2021 09:55

@Oldat40

Well I guess for long-term relationships it's "in sickness and in health" sometimes.

My fiancé is only mid-40's but last year had to go through emergency surgery on his spine. It has sadly affected our sex life which used to be very carefree and spontaneous.

It has had an impact but I know for sure he still fancies me etc.

Would I ever leave him because of it? No.

That’s not the issue here though is it? The issue is the he is making unkind remarks to the OP and blaming their lack of sex on her because he doesn’t like “un toned bodies”. That’s not remotely the same thing as someone having a medical reason for being unable to have sex.

He’s treating the OP like dirt- wtf should she stay with someone so vile, plus they aren’t married so in sickness/health doesn’t apply here anyway!

Ginevere · 14/02/2021 09:58

OP, get rid. Seriously.

I’m a good few stone overweight and my slim, athletic husband makes me feel like a literal goddess. My weight has only ever been my issue and never his. You deserve more.

Changeispossible · 14/02/2021 10:04

He said he loves everything about me, except my body as I've put on some weight, but I am still healthy

Oh god ... you say he’s supporting you through a tough time & goes good in other ways. I couldn’t get passed someone saying the above to me. My exH made mean comments about weight gain & how I couldn’t ‘get away with’ clothes I was wearing anymore. That was the nail in the coffin for me. You say you’re better looking than him. I was too! He was much more attracted to me when I lost a lot of weight. Honestly OP, it’s horrible to say what he’s said. My ex was painfully honest and your boyfriend sounds that way too but you deserve to be adored.

Butterbeeeen · 14/02/2021 10:05

Iv gone from a size 8 to the top end of a 14 since
i met DH and as I am quite short this is considerably bigger. We joke about it sometimes but I know it genuinely dosnt bother him. Iv carried his children in that time I am bound to look different. If at any point he said he couldn't bring himself to be intimate with me that would be the end.

youvegottenminuteslynn · 14/02/2021 16:23

@Oldat40

Well I guess for long-term relationships it's "in sickness and in health" sometimes.

My fiancé is only mid-40's but last year had to go through emergency surgery on his spine. It has sadly affected our sex life which used to be very carefree and spontaneous.

It has had an impact but I know for sure he still fancies me etc.

Would I ever leave him because of it? No.

Eh? You know he still fancies you and say you have a generally healthy and solid relationship.

OP's partner has told her he doesn't want to shag her any more because of her body's appearance, despite her just not being as toned as she was previously.

There's nothing remotely similar about your situations other than the frequency of sex declining. The reasons for this are so very different they aren't comparable at all!

Babdoc · 14/02/2021 16:42

OP, he’s either gay and in denial, has a low to negligible sex drive, or is deliberately “negging” you to destroy your confidence and stop you seeking a better partner.
None of those possibilities are a man you would be happy to spend your life with.
Ditch him, and find a nice normal bloke, who will fancy you, love you, and make you feel happy and cherished.

oohmama · 14/02/2021 16:50

DO.NOT.HAVE.A.CHILD.WITH.THIS.MAN.

RachelGreep87 · 14/02/2021 18:12

He gay

joystir59 · 14/02/2021 18:20

I'm a good relationship there is common ground, easy open trustful communication, enjoyment of each other, enjoyment of time spent with each other, pleasure in each other, love and care for each other, respect for each other's interests, friends, need for separate times in separate spaces. A sense of being at home with each other, good and true friends, a good team.on the same side. Chemistry and sexual attraction, irrisistable, enduring, butterflies when you spot each other after absences small or long.

Crappyfridays7 · 14/02/2021 18:26

Sorry op but that’s sodding awful. My boyfriend and I have been together 2 years. I’ve put on a lot of weight. He has a bit too. However he tells me every day how attractive, sexy, beautiful I am and how much he loves me. I’m not saying that to be all look at me because I’ve never had that before, I still wonder why but he makes me feel amazing even when I feel fat and Ill and horrible. We have sex and it was terrible to begin with but amazing now.

Sorry your partner isn’t making you feel special. Why would anyone make someone they love self conscious about their body, so cruel. You need to tell him why you are feeling the way you do and that what he said was horrible. Communicate, his reaction to you will tell you how to proceed I’m sure. He doesn’t sound very nice

GalaxyGee · 14/02/2021 19:21

OP, I had to log in just to say “don’t be me”! I’m probably a decade or so on from where you are now. In a similar situation of being with someone who didn’t (still doesn’t) make me feel attractive in the slightest. And this was when I was young and very good looking (I know that sounds big headed, but it was the truth then). He rarely wanted sex and it was like we were flat mates. For some stupid reason (actually, it’s because I lost my parents back from I was at uni so he was my only family really), I married him. And that should have been the biggest warning...he proposed and it was all exciting, but then he didn’t want to plan a wedding. I literally have no idea why I bothered to plan our wedding, which eventually happened 3 years after we got engaged.

I think my husband is either gay or asexual. Anyway, back then, we probably had rubbish sex about once or twice a month for years and years. I fell pregnant 3 times (all in first month of TTC), which is a miracle given how rarely we ever DTD. Our DC are wonderful, but my husband’s apathy towards me physically has hardened my heart. It only warms up for my DC now, as they’re so sweet and loving. Goodness knows how I’ll feel when they inevitably don’t want to cuddle their mum any longer.

After my youngest was born, I kept on quite a lot of weight from pregnancy. It was almost like a suit of armour for me, as my libido disappeared and I didn’t feel rejected physically. My husband told me at some point when I pushed him about being grumpy that he didn’t find me attractive any longer due to my weight. Well, to be honest, I had been 5 stone lighter and very toned about 10 years earlier and he hadn’t found me attractive then either. So at least I knew the issue was him!

I’ve since lost 4 stone of that weight, which means I’m back to a slim size 8-10 (instead of a 16). He gives me the odd compliment nowadays and very occasionally (once or twice a month) tries a quick fumble when we’re in bed and I do that same as you...either roll over to sleep or get up and shower. I’m never naked in front of him, I lock the door when I’m in the bathroom and change in private too. His unkindness when I was fatter killed nearly all of my feelings. Bizarrely I don’t find him attractive now either, despite knowing that he is actually good looking.

So I think you need to leave. I wish I’d had that same courage many years ago. Your DP will never ever change and you will risk your self-esteem and miss the happiness you could have with someone else.

I’m in my situation for a while longer. We have a fun happy home with our DC. We both have busy, fulfilling careers. There’s no friction or grumpiness in our marriage now, as I know he’s the one who is deeply flawed. As I mentioned, I don’t have any other family, so I’m enjoying what we have with a lovely home. I couldn’t face losing my DC for half the time. My long term plan when our DC have gone to uni, is to spend most of my time living in our holiday home (it’s a couple of hours drive). In my mind, I’ll come back to the main house for most weekends and family holidays, so we’ll still be a family. And then I dream about joining the WI, reading lots of books, making cakes, studying literature, going for walks....and having a wild secret affair with the local widowed farmer 😂

Wishing you lots of luck and happiness OP!

Notworking123 · 14/02/2021 23:20

You want a family, but how will you feel when you've had a new baby and you need someone who adores you and your new body which made that baby. But he "can't force" himself to find you attractive. What about when you're pregnant? When yuou age? If you get seriously ill? Will he just stop finding you attractive whenever your body changes? If he really lived everything about you, a bit of extra squish would not make him stop wanting sex with you. Find a much more adoring man to consider a family with!!

IdblowJonSnow · 15/02/2021 01:28

This is not the man for you OP. He sounds insensitive, cruel or both.

PermanentTemporary · 15/02/2021 01:37

I really wouldn't have a baby with someone you've already got this tormented a relationship with.

Either you commit to serious therapy together or you get shot of him. I try not to say 'break up' on these threads because it's never that easy and everyone makes mistakes and has flaws, but these things are soooo difficult to get over and I just don't think his reaction was in the least helpful or focused on you.

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