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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

Husbands and sex

726 replies

Deedeeraaraa · 16/08/2023 18:01

I (40f) have a far lower sex drive compared to my husband of 15 years (38m)

We would have sex maybe once a month or once every 2 months (even then my husband wanted it closer to weekly or a couple of nights in a row)
But as the kids have got older things have slowed down.

We do still have sex occasionally (last time was in February) but I'd not miss it if we never had sex again. He seems to be heartbroken by this though. As though it means I think less of him.
The truth is I've never found him all that attractive (he knew when we met that I prefer women) but he acts as though this is a big deal.

It's not only that I don't find him attractive, as I said, we do have sex and I do enjoy it when it happens, but I hate the idea of the kids (14f + 12m) hearing us. The walls are so thin in our house and our daughter's room is through the wall from ours'.
And, regardless of that, I go to bed because I'm tired. If I didn't need to sleep I wouldn't have gone to bed.

There are times during the day, when the kids are out, that he'll suggest we go to bed but I'm busy. When the kids are out I like to clean and tidy up properly, or even have half an hour of quiet time.

We have spoken about it and he suggested setting aside a time when we knew we'd be alone but he doesn't understand that's just not how my body works! I can't decide because it is Thursday evening I'm going to be horny.
Sometimes I need to see how my body reacts. If he suggests we go to bed I don't want to, but occasionally if he runs his hand and touches me instead, I sometimes get tingles and realise I do want to.

He's stopped trying all together at home lately. He says touching me when he doesn't know if I'm interested makes him feel like he's abusing me. Especially when I tell him I'm definitely not interested.

I've been away for several weekends this year too and every 5th or 6th trip he'll start to send flirty messages or photos of himself, and it really doesn't do anything for me. I'm polite and make the appropriate 😍 emojis but honestly it's cringy and a bit creepy.
I also know he wants us to sext or me to send photos back but that's really not my idea of fun.

Now he's also started looking for weekend trips away but, again, that's not how my body works. We cant just go away and suddenly I'm going to feel like having sex. Also, neither of us really have time or money to go away like that. Not to mention the cost. Or that if we did go, I'd want to see places and do things and would probably be too tired after that.
He's not booked anything but keeps bringing up how he's never been to city/town/area and how it'd be nice to visit it, "the two of us"

How do I make him realise that sex isn't important?
Or that it doesn't matter if somebody, or even nobody, finds him attractive.
I married him, he's a good husband and father, and he knows how much I love him.

Tl;Dr my husband has a higher sex drive than I do and I want to help him realise that sex isn't important when we really love each other.

OP posts:
MaggieBsBoat · 16/08/2023 19:31

This makes me so damn sad. your poor husband.
You trying to manipulate him into a sexless and intimacy free life b saying love is what matters. Awful.
Do him a favour and either initiate splitting up or ask him for an open marriage.
No one is worth a life of distance and zero intimacy. Especially someone who isn’t even interested in you.

Ombrémermaid · 16/08/2023 19:33

It doesn’t take long and makes him happy. It’s important to him, and you love him. It wouldn’t hurt to give him a bit more sex every now and then. I don’t think he’s being unreasonable. He will find it elsewhere if he doesn’t have it with you. I think you aren’t being particularly loving towards him. He is clearly pursuing you and loves you - I would be chuffed if my man pursued me like this.

fancyfrogs · 16/08/2023 19:35

This is ridiculous surely you can't be serious. Others have worded it better than me but bloody hell. Poor man. I hope he leaves asap and finds someone who respects him and is attracted to him. You're in a friendship, not a marriage. Though I couldn't even be friends with someone who had as little respect for me as you do for your husband.

Lentilweaver · 16/08/2023 19:35

As the OP hasn't returned, am fairly sure it's a reverse and he has run off to show his wife these responses.

Serendipitoushedgehog · 16/08/2023 19:45

If your marriage is generally happy and you want to stay in it, have a couple of glasses of wine, look at the ceiling and think of England. Shut your eyes and fantasise about something that turns you on.

I’m sorry I know that’s not very fashionable or modern but this is the real world. You’re never going to have a perfect marriage and if this is the only problem and you aren’t desperate to be having sex with someone else then you may as well just try and compromise.

PrimalOwl10 · 16/08/2023 19:45

Your being massively unfair.

LuckySantangelo35 · 16/08/2023 19:47

Mummy08m · 16/08/2023 18:14

I want to help him realise that sex isn't important when we really love each other.

I think yabu for this tbh. It sounds manipulative "if you really loved me you'd accept a celibate life".

I agree with pp, set him free. Do an amicable breakup. This arrangement is not fair on him. I'd be totally crushed and losing my will to live if I were him.

@Mummy08m

this OP

hes a 38 year old man he ain’t gonna accept celibacy regardless of whether or not he loves you

you two should never have got married

IkeaHelp · 16/08/2023 19:49

I feel INCREDIBLY sorry for him and I hope he leaves and finds someone who wants to have a normal sexual relationship with him and finds him attractive.

And you can go find a woman then.

Win win.

resilienceabloodygain · 16/08/2023 19:49

I do hope this is a wind up! This has to be one of the maddest posts ever on MN. You want him to realise sex isn’t important?! Clearly it is to him.

You can’t make him realise this anymore than he can make you realise it is important.

Give him your blessing to have a romantic-sexual relationship with someone else. You may as well. If you don’t he is almost certainly going to do it anyway and not tell you. Or leave you.

butterpuffed · 16/08/2023 19:50

You've never found your husband attractive, you prefer women , if you go away on a break you'd prefer sightseeing , and you think he should be agree with you that sex isn't important .

Poor man , he needs to leave and find some happiness .

LoudSnoringDog · 16/08/2023 19:51

I think if this was a reverse we would all be telling you to leave

Doopydoo · 16/08/2023 19:52

It’s all about you isn’t it.
How about giving your poor husband some consideration for once.
To be honest you sound awful OP and not suited to marriage at all.
Let him go so he can find someone who will love and cherish him as a husband.

bonzaitree · 16/08/2023 19:55

I havent read the full thread but my gut reaction is that OP is gay.

CandyLeBonBon · 16/08/2023 19:58

Op, given the opportunity to not hurt your kids or your husband, in any way, if you could wave a magic wand and turn dh into dw, would you? Is it sex you don't enjoy, or sex with men?

Whattodo112222 · 16/08/2023 19:59

Would you consider him opening up the marriage and seeking sex elsewhere if this is how you feel?

Zebedee999 · 16/08/2023 20:03

AquamarineGlass · 16/08/2023 18:14

I think the constant rejection, humouring and lies are probably more hurtful than just the lack of sex.

Everything from the thread title onwards shows a wish to manipulate to get your own way and a real lack of empathy.

You're asking us how you can trick or cajole your husband into accepting a situation that he isn't happy with for the rest of his life...don't you think that's problematic?

You've put it very well. That man sounds lovely and caring.

Ohwhatadag · 16/08/2023 20:06

This was us about 6 months ago. DH had an affair. It was not a sustainable situation for us.

supersop60 · 16/08/2023 20:08

Let him go so he can find a better relationship with someone who does find him attractive, and wants sex with him. 38 is too young to have celibacy forced on you.

Roselee1 · 16/08/2023 20:08

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

turbonerd · 16/08/2023 20:08

If you prefer women, don’t find him attractive and never want to have sex again I think you should let him go.

He deserves the chance to find someone who loves him and fancies him.

As do you, if you so wish.

Jillybloop393 · 16/08/2023 20:12

Sorry - but I feel sad for your husband. He's trying to do all the right things - taking you away for the weekend, showing you he loves and cares for you, yet you reject him all the time. A lot of women would love a man like him .... give him a chance to find one. I know you can't help how you feel - I see that, but he must feel utterly unloved and unwanted. Such a shame when he's young and has so much to give. 😞

Whattodo112222 · 16/08/2023 20:14

You sound quite selfish OP in all honesty

dikwad · 16/08/2023 20:22

Serendipitoushedgehog · 16/08/2023 19:45

If your marriage is generally happy and you want to stay in it, have a couple of glasses of wine, look at the ceiling and think of England. Shut your eyes and fantasise about something that turns you on.

I’m sorry I know that’s not very fashionable or modern but this is the real world. You’re never going to have a perfect marriage and if this is the only problem and you aren’t desperate to be having sex with someone else then you may as well just try and compromise.

No. He deserves a woman who wants him. He enjoys sex with him. Not an act.

dikwad · 16/08/2023 20:25

*who

Macaroni46 · 16/08/2023 20:27

One of those threads where the OP doesn't come back ...