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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

Lazy lover or something else?

118 replies

Sulley2222 · 01/02/2024 12:58

I'm sure the popular answer will be 'ask him' and believe me; I have...but the answer doesn't make sense and i'm at my wits end!
I have been with my male partner just over two years. He is in his mid-forties, i'm late 30's.
For the whole time we've been together he has been quite a selfish lover; very keen for me to do things for him, but I can count on my two hands how many times he's reciprocated. I'm attractive, in good shape and the body-type he likes, i'm an enthusiastic lover and like to give. He has a few kinks that I took the time to learn about and do with him; and was happy and excited to do so! He seems very happy with what I provide, he is affectionate in every day life and seems attracted to me.
During sex, 90% of the time it is me performing while he chills and doesn't even touch me. Not once. He gets excited easily, seems to very much enjoy himself but does NOTHING back before, during or after. Occasionally I start to feel upset and frustrated and i've asked him if there is a problem. He says tiredness affects his sex-drive....but i'm certain he hasn't been tired for over 2 years...and he often instigates/asks me to do things, so I asked him why he was too tired to give but never too tired to receive and got no answer.
I'm at the point where I think there must be something he dislikes about me and it's really affecting my confidence. We love each other...I get tons of pleasure from pleasing him, why does he get none from pleasing me?
Does it seem he is just lazy? Not a giver? Is there anything I can do or more specific questions I can ask to get to the bottom of this?

OP posts:
RantyAnty · 01/02/2024 22:05

Do you live together?

Sulley2222 · 01/02/2024 23:33

2Old2Tango · 01/02/2024 21:43

OP, you're not even 40 yet. Don't set yourself up for years of this.

Time to get rid. You say you are attractive and get lots of male attention. There will be someone else out there who will treat you so much better and who will enjoy giving as much as receiving. Don't use the fact your son likes him as an excuse to hang on to him. Your boy has known him less than 2 years (hopefully you didn't introduce too soon) so he will get over him not being in his life.

Life really is too short to put up with this shit. I don't know how you can enjoy pleasuring him when he's not prepared to make any effort. Surely it's a turn off?

Make 2024 the year you turn your life around. Bin this dud, get yourself a good vibrator, and find yourself a decent man.

Thank you so much! I've definately lost my confidence but I do still get attention so maybe there is still hope!
And yes, only 2 years but he is wonderful with children and my little man just built an incredible connection with him so fast, they love each other lots. But I know that absolutely cannot be my reason to stay with someone.

OP posts:
determinedtomakethiswork · 01/02/2024 23:47

Yes, that's called cognitive dissonance. You are trying to believe two conflicting things.

On the one hand you know that he doesn't want to touch you. On the other hand he is touching you and you want to believe he wants that.

It is a total mindfuck.

Sulley2222 · 01/02/2024 23:56

RantyAnty · 01/02/2024 22:05

Do you live together?

Yes, we do

OP posts:
determinedtomakethiswork · 02/02/2024 00:00

Fwiw I don't think all men are into anal sex. I can't imagine having that with a man who doesn't even touch you.

StandardLFinegan · 02/02/2024 00:16

I would refuse sex with this man and when
he asked why, ask him how he rates himself as a lover and if he has any idea at all how to satisfy a woman?

It’s worrying op but I am getting the feeling from what you have written that there is some sort of power imbalance between you that prevents you from being honest and assertive with this man.

Maybe you should see a counsellor to help you dig a bit deeper as to why you feel you don’t deserve to be treated properly by him, whether he intimidates you or not, why you are allowing him to take from you so coldly without giving back?

Sulley2222 · 02/02/2024 00:52

StandardLFinegan · 02/02/2024 00:16

I would refuse sex with this man and when
he asked why, ask him how he rates himself as a lover and if he has any idea at all how to satisfy a woman?

It’s worrying op but I am getting the feeling from what you have written that there is some sort of power imbalance between you that prevents you from being honest and assertive with this man.

Maybe you should see a counsellor to help you dig a bit deeper as to why you feel you don’t deserve to be treated properly by him, whether he intimidates you or not, why you are allowing him to take from you so coldly without giving back?

I appreciate your worry (I really do) but I have asserted myself very firmly and I there isn't a power imbalance, and i'm definately not suffering intimidation...just a total lack of reciprocation during sex and the resulting confusion and loss of self-esteem. I continue because if I didn't i'd probably have no sex at all, and I do enjoy pleasuring him, I just hate that I never get it back, neither at the time or later. I absolutely firmly believe that I deserve reciprocation and i'm completely baffled as to why I don't get it. But i'm pleased I posted here as it's broken this cycle of me thinking i'm somehow doing something wrong and that this is him, not me. I don't want to break up with him but I absolutely cannot continue this way when i've explained my feelings to him several times and seen absolutely no improvement.

OP posts:
SleepPrettyDarling · 02/02/2024 01:05

Do you think you will end it? I think you’ve spoken up enough to indicate it’s not good enough, and there’s no way I’d be able to game-play or force the issue - he hasn’t changed so far, so what good is an ultimatum except to create an adversarial situation? You deserve better!

RantyAnty · 02/02/2024 01:19

Sulley2222 · 01/02/2024 23:56

Yes, we do

Does he cook, clean, do laundry, etc. or is he fine with you doing that too?

pinkyredrose · 02/02/2024 11:58

Why do you live together? Was it his idea to move into your house?

BlueSkyBlueLife · 02/02/2024 13:19

I don't want to break up with him but I absolutely cannot continue this way when i've explained my feelings to him several times and seen absolutely no improvement.

@Sulley2222 if you’ve talked to him and nothing changed and you’ve also realised that it’s him and not you (and you are worth more than his pathetic attempts), what will be your next step?

The reality is that you need a boundary there and you need to be happy to enforce it.
That boundary can be:

  • not having sex unless I’m having an orgasm too
  • Asking to be pleasured first before he gets his time
  • whatever seems to be the very bare minimum acceptable to you in a good relationship.
And then you need to hold that boundary. It might mean
  • stopping sex if he doesn’t pleasure you first
  • not saying Yes ‘because you prefer to get crumbs rather than nothing’ but waiting for him to start sex and have sex with you (at moment, what you have is NOT having sex together).
  • being ready to walk away if the alternative to the shit ‘sex’ you’re getting is no sex at all.
I dint think there is any other solution tbh. But unless you start valuing yourself and start demanding he is treating you in a caring and respectful way, then it will carry on until you have no self esteem left.

Tbh I’d also make it clear (if you haven’t already) that if his issue is actually ED, then it’s up to him to
1- fess up about it
2- do something about it - which starts by going to see his GP (incl test such as testosterone levels etc…)
3- but that you will NOT lead that. He has to take responsibility.

Gloriosaford · 02/02/2024 13:34

OP believes that if she could only find the right words to explain to this man that the sex just isn't working for her, if only she could do this he would realize and he would change because he cares about her and he wants her to enjoy it as much as he does.

Sadly this is all pie in the sky, he just wants his own satisfaction and hers is merely incidental.

Allthewallsarewhite · 02/02/2024 13:45

Wow Op, it actually sounds like you are with my ex. This was exactly what it was like for me for years, me giving him massages and bjs, but getting zero in return, eventually not even piv. Not even being touched while doing it. He had no interest in getting me out of clothes or giving me any form of sexual affection.
I felt exactly like you do, felt I must be repulsive if he didn't want to go near me in a sexual way, although that doesn't make sense when he was happy enough for me to touch him.

When I brought it up (gently) he would say I was making him insecure.
Until one day he dropped the bombshell and said (I shit you not) that I should be getting enough pleasure from just pleasing him and his enjoyment should pleasure and gratify me enough since I love him. If that's not the case and I want something in return I'm the selfish one making it transactional.
Sadly this logic obviously didn't apply the other way round.
I tried what you are considering and just stopped giving and thought I'd wait for the day he'd make the first move, as I needed that to feel somewhat desired. Sadly that day never came and we didn't have sex for years.

Like yours, he was a great guy in many other ways, so I still feel incredibly guilty for eventually breaking up with him and shattering the life we shared.

However when talking this through with my therapist, she actually pointed out that withholding intimacy in a relationship is actually abusive, so I was not unreasonable at all for ending it (although that was not the only reason in the end, it was definitely the start of problems).

Sorry for the wall of text, but felt I wanted to write as this sounds so similar to my experience.

I can't tell you what to do and what weighs heavier for you in the total sum of the relationship. For me the decision was incredibly difficult and I still miss parts of the life we had together. So it is not all black and white.
I'm your case, hopefully he might be open to seeing a sex therapist, if you don't want to end the relationship?

SamW98 · 02/02/2024 13:46

Gloriosaford · 02/02/2024 13:34

OP believes that if she could only find the right words to explain to this man that the sex just isn't working for her, if only she could do this he would realize and he would change because he cares about her and he wants her to enjoy it as much as he does.

Sadly this is all pie in the sky, he just wants his own satisfaction and hers is merely incidental.

💯- if he gave a shit about her sexual pleasure, he would have done something long before now.

Honestly I can’t get on board with the ‘shit sex is better than no sex’ That’s bar set so low it’s in the basement. I’d rather be using sex toys on myself than having sex in the way the OP describes.

MightyGoldBear · 02/02/2024 15:37

If he is watching porn op this all screams sex/addiction/porn addiction to me.

Have a look on reddit love after porn and see if any of the resources or stories resonate with you.
Recovery for him isn't impossible but it's low 3-5% and then it's to what degree. It's takes a whole integrity recovery as well. If he is this lazy now could be another 10 years before he hits a rock bottom and even wants a recovery, if at all.

Either way you deserve to feel like a priority. This is nothing to do with you or your body. This is all a him issue.

Theoldbird · 02/02/2024 15:55

Gloriosaford · 02/02/2024 13:34

OP believes that if she could only find the right words to explain to this man that the sex just isn't working for her, if only she could do this he would realize and he would change because he cares about her and he wants her to enjoy it as much as he does.

Sadly this is all pie in the sky, he just wants his own satisfaction and hers is merely incidental.

yep. I'd find it rather humiliating to take so much time and care in pleasuring someone and for them to not give two hoots about returning the favour.

Jennalong · 02/02/2024 16:59

@determinedtomakethiswork ·

Fwiw I don't think all men are into anal sex. I can't imagine having that with a man who doesn't even touch you.

Totally agree , maybe tmi but we tried it once , decided it wasn't for us , not been repeated since , been together 25 years .

BlueSkyBlueLife · 02/02/2024 20:59

However when talking this through with my therapist, she actually pointed out that withholding intimacy in a relationship is actually abusive, so I was not unreasonable at all for ending it

⬆️⬆️⬆️ Thats a really important point.

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