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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 do you get respect?

21 replies

BrokenRecords · 27/03/2022 20:11

Just that really. How do you get someone to respect you. Is it different to get respect in a friendship compared to a relationship?

OP posts:
User0ne · 27/03/2022 20:15

Assuming that you aren't behaving like an a-hole people should respect you anyway. It isn't something you should have to earn in a relationship.

Sorry if that isn't very helpful: If I felt someone didn't respect me I walked. I have a low threshold for stuff like that and tbh I'm glad because it's meant not having to put up with loads of sh1te.

User0ne · 27/03/2022 20:16

I would include friendships in that too

Alcemeg · 27/03/2022 20:30

I think the only real answer is: you can't. So limit your friendships to people who respect you. Not everyone is going to respect you. Some just aren't capable of it, others just won't find you worthy of it. Then there are those who respect you without any prompting. They're worth sticking around.

SoLongAgo · 27/03/2022 20:33

@Alcemeg

I think the only real answer is: you can't. So limit your friendships to people who respect you. Not everyone is going to respect you. Some just aren't capable of it, others just won't find you worthy of it. Then there are those who respect you without any prompting. They're worth sticking around.
This.

If you are tolerating disrespect then, tbh, the issue is with you. You can't make someone else treat you respectfully. You just move on if they don't.

knittingaddict · 27/03/2022 20:35

Being in a relationship with and friends with respectful people.

BrokenRecords · 27/03/2022 21:17

Thanks everyone. I just can't seem to figure out what I'm doing wrong.I'm feeling like a second class citizen

OP posts:
CrumpetStrumpet · 27/03/2022 21:19

@BrokenRecords You're probably not doing anything wrong. If someone isn't showing you respect then the issue is with them.

NandorTheRelentlessCleaner · 27/03/2022 21:26

It has to start with respect for yourself

That means good boundaries, and if someone oversteps them you'd let them know you are not ok with that

It does not have to do with being extremely assertive/aggressive. you can be quiet or introverted

But it's all about boundaries and not putting up with people pushing you around

It can be hard if you struggle with that aspect of life, but you can start by voicing "I am not ok with this" and if people laugh or disrespect you, you don't really want these people around much

Good luck, just keep trying to speak up

Imnotweirdimlimitededition1 · 27/03/2022 21:31

Settings standards & boundaries with people. Having a relationship with someone with similar morals & principles. If they are rude or bitchy I close conversation down quickly let them know I'm not accepting that. Same if the conversation was racist or bigoted it's not acceptable.

Googlecanthelpme · 27/03/2022 21:45

You can’t make someone respect you obviously, the same as you can’t make someone love you.

But you can respect yourself so that as soon as their disrespectful behaviour rears up, you call it out and make it clear it’s completely unacceptable to you.
By having firm boundaries and being very clear about who you are and what you stand for you are telling the world that you won’t be walked over or manipulated by shitty behaviour.

I think the old saying sums it up “fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me”

Be vulnerable and open enough to let people in but confident and self assured enough to not tolerate, excuse or justify red flags or disrespectful behaviour.

I found that it’s easy to let red flags or minor issues slide in the early days because you just want the situation / relationship to progress and we’re so keen to see the best in people that were way too quick to excuse or minimise behaviour…… and this leads to the other person realising they can take the piss a bit….

In a nutshell, unapologetically respect yourself

SoLongAgo · 27/03/2022 22:36

@BrokenRecords

Thanks everyone. I just can't seem to figure out what I'm doing wrong.I'm feeling like a second class citizen
Youe not doing anything wrong in the sense that it is not you causing people to treat you without respect.

But, if you don't respect yourself, you are more likely to tolerate behaviours from people that would make others think, "Fuck that!" And walk away.

When I think of friends of mine who have this problem, they all have low self esteem and take the attitude that a bad relationship/friendship is better than nothing.

But all it does is reinforce the idea that that is all they deserve end there must be something wrong with them.

Chonfox · 28/03/2022 00:49

It should be there by default really. Predatory men will often make a beeline for women they see as particularly vulnerable in some way as they'll be able to control/manipulate her easier. In this case the respect was never there and can never be earned. If he (or she) is treating you as a second class citizen then you either have to remain in this misery and accept it or find your sense of self respect - no matter how buried it is - and leave. You deserve better.

BlueSummerBaby · 28/03/2022 02:10

I get it by stamping down on every little bit of disrespect anyone ever shows me. If someone keeps displaying disrespectful behaviour towards me then they're out of my life. People can only treat you how you let them, so I don't let them.

With good people it's easy, they're automatically respectful, as I am to others, so the relationship flows easily. If someone feels like hard work it'll be because in some way or another they're a boundary busting bastard. The "hard work" feeling is you having to reinforce your boundaries all the time.

We tend to spend more time with a partner than a friend and we have greater expectations of a partner than a friend, in terms of support. So it's easier to hide incompatibility in a friendship (including in the level of respect you each show towards people) than with a romantic relationship.

It's possible to be friends with people with many different views, including those you disagree with, at least on a superficial basis. Most romantic relationships go beyond the superficial, which is where the cracks of incompatibility starts to show.

Someone naturally very selfish and disrespectful could pretend to be respectful, ie behave in an outwardly respectful manner regardless of their inner feelings, with their friends. This is because they don't have to keep it up for long. Then show a different side in their romantic relationships, if they're not naturally a respectful person, because nobody can keep up a pretense like that long term.

That's how you can get horrible, abusive (and by default, disrespectful) people where everyone who isn't their romantic partner thinks they're wonderful, because those people only see the "nice guy" act. If a friend is faking being a nice person, you'll never know unless one day their true feelings show through, which may never happen. With romantic relationships that day will definitely come, it's just a matter of when (and whether you recognise it for what it is, when it does happen). If you don't recognise it, you might stick around being disrespected and wondering why you feel somehow "bad" (upset or whatever).

It's worth remembering that a second chance isn't a "second" chance if it keeps happening! If someone treats you badly, then depending on the circumstances eg misunderstanding etc, you might want to give them a second chance. There's a reason why nobody refers to a "third chance" or "1000th chance", it's because these shouldn't exist! If someone treats you badly a second time it's probably the case that they're not someone who you should be around, for your own well-being.

BlueSummerBaby · 28/03/2022 02:36

@BrokenRecords

Thanks everyone. I just can't seem to figure out what I'm doing wrong.I'm feeling like a second class citizen
Then what you're doing wrong is sticking around to tolerate it. Walk away and surround yourself instead with people who don't make you feel like that.

Disclaimer: I'm assuming you are not the problem here. If you are the "bad guy" who has views generally considered awful eg homophobia, or you generally treat people with disrespect, then you're going to find plenty of others don't respect you due to this and look down on you. You know in your heart if you're a good person or not, so if the problem isn't you then it's definitely them!

ZealAndArdour · 28/03/2022 03:09

By respecting yourself, maintaining your boundaries, and being prepared to walk away when someone demonstrates a lack of respect.

Monty27 · 28/03/2022 03:17

Walk away from the assholes and just don't have them in your life. Don't even worry about why. Just exclude them in your life and head.
It's bullying.

Shabtipup · 28/03/2022 03:53

Simple, respect yourself.
Respecting yourself means not tolerating anyones disrespect of you. It really is as simple as that. Set boundaries, enforce them, stick up for yourself, and don't be afraid to cut people off/break up with them if necessary.

starrynight21 · 28/03/2022 04:19

If you feel that you are being disrespected, you need to look at your boundaries. If the other person speaks to you badly, or treats you badly, your boundaries should be enforced - say " I don't like you talking to me like that " and make sure they understand what you mean . If they treat you badly you need to spell it out to them - don't just say you are upset, tell them what they did wrong , " You said you were going to meet me for lunch, but you didn't turn up - that made me very upset and I felt disrespected. I don't want you to do that again". If they repeat the behaviour, tell them " You said you were not going to do that again, but now you have done it. I don't feel that our relationship is healthy for me , I'm going now" and mean it. Block them, move on.

aurynne · 28/03/2022 06:54

By setting boundaries, and sticking to them.

Sswhinesthebest · 28/03/2022 07:35

They need to realise that you will leave them if they don’t treat you right. And you really mean it.

RantyAunty · 28/03/2022 07:49

It depends on who it is.

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