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Relationships

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Would these comments and behaviours be reasonable deal breakers in dating?

348 replies

RedflagGreenflag · 27/07/2026 17:50

I've was dating someone for a few months (met on Hinge, mid 40s)and am reflecting on my standards and self-esteem in the wake of it ending. Which, if any, would be deal breakers or have caused you serious concern?

-made a few silly sexual jokes whilst messaging, before we met eg..I asked him if he played a musical instrument and he made a joke about wanking
-first date in a coffee shop, I removed a long sleeved top as was too warm (had another top on underneath obvs) and he went "wahaaayyy" as if I was stripping
-made a joke about all women having a base level of psycho
-referred to disabled people as "Scopey"
-met a colleague of min at a works do and told me she was "rough" and this is why he doesn't date women from her area
-despite the fact he is on amicable terms with his ex wife, told me laughingly, when she asked for a divorce, that he had called her a "fat old witch" and threatened to take her pension
-told me inappropriate details about his ex including that she was restricted in sexual positions she could do due to bad hip and that she could orgasm immediately from anal sex (he told me this whilst we were in bed by way of praising my comparative flexibility)
-said "You look lovely in your dress; my ex wife never wore them because of her body type"
-met an acquaintance of mine and said "You're naturally beautiful, not like women like that who plaster on the make up"
-when I was trying to encourage him to get o know me better and asked if there was anything he wanted to know about me (cause I had tried to ask him lots about himself) he said "What is the smallest penis out there have encountered?
-told me, in bed, that he had yet to encounter a smelly vagina
-told me he had dumped a woman as her pubic hair was too long (after avoiding having sex with her for weeks)
-shortly after we began a sexual relationship, told me he thought genitals in general were gross and then was annoyed with me when I went a bit quiet and distant for a few minutes after he said that
-first time we had sex, he seemed clueless despite being married before and many relationships. He kissed me for a while and I was expecting some foreplay (I know I could have initiated this but I had lead on taking him up to my bedroom and removing clothes so didn't want to lead ointment everything). Without so much as touching me intimately, he entered me without a condom. He stopped as soon as I told him to and was visibly upset and said he thought I had wanted it as we were naked and he was laying on top of me. He was genuinely upset and I ended up comforting him!
-I disclosed to him that I had been sexually assaulted in a previous relationship. Despite this, he sent me a GIF that appeared to be of a woman being assaulted, face down on the floor and crying..looked like really rough porn but you could only see her face.
-he had some very laddish mates and he said he didn't judge them for sleeping with prostitutes although it was not something he would do. Told me they had all been giggling in the pub about some story about a woman with a massive anus.
-in a weird coincidence, a mate of his turned up at my house to collect something I had listed on marketplace. He arrived 15 minutes earlier that agreed and ex and I were in bed. When ex realised who it was, he got dressed and said hi his mate. he later told me that the incident had been the subject of joking on their group WhatsApp, with one them writing "He was just pulling out of her as he arrived!"

I felt unsettled with him lot. Would the above reasonably explain that? I have very poor self esteem and anxious attachment style and I am trying to work out if there were reasons outside of that which would make others feel insecure in this dynamic. He was affectionate, attractive, a good dad, good to his mum, a professional, kind to animals, funny, lots of friends and very keen on me. He would send gushing messages and romantic songs and GIFs a lot. He seemed quite future -focused with wanting to progress the relationship quickly. He made me feel very chosen. He was not the type to ask me things about how many men I had slept and liked natural-looking women. So there were lots of good things about him too.

OP posts:
RedflagGreenflag · 28/07/2026 12:04

ClawsandEffect · 28/07/2026 11:51

I honestly think some older men just haven't been properly socialised and just really don't get what isn't acceptable. And they're older so those behaviours are baked into them. It doesn't mean you should tolerate it. I say older men. I think probably with the manosphere, this should of behaviour may well end up being prevalent with younger men too.

But who the hell would talk about dislike of genitals and also how his ex liked to be touched while touching you, if they knew it would result in them being dumped/sex being withdrawn from them permanently? Yes, he may well be an arsehole, but it's also complete lack of understanding.

I also don't think you should have to be the one to train him. You're not his parent.

Edited

I mean, he said genitals in general, not specifically female ones and he had had a few drinks. But he felt I was being unreasonable because I went quiet on him for 10 minutes or so whilst I was processing. At this point, we had only slept together twice and there had been zero foreplay the first time and barely any the second. Like he seemed very hesitant to touch me intimately. Is it understandable that I had a reaction to his comments?

OP posts:
pinkyredrose · 28/07/2026 12:11

So you're not seeing him anymore? Being generous i would say he's very emotionally immature.

parachutegirl · 28/07/2026 12:16

That’s an extremely long list OP, I’m surprised you’re having to ask!

Sodthesystem · 28/07/2026 13:48

The intensity is a huge red flag too by the way. It’s called love bombing.

It’s not a compliment when they are full on so fast. It’s designed to stop you from having the time to think. And to put pressure on you to drop your boundaries and to do things like over share with them. Which in turn rushes intimacy.

RedflagGreenflag · 28/07/2026 13:57

Sodthesystem · 28/07/2026 13:48

The intensity is a huge red flag too by the way. It’s called love bombing.

It’s not a compliment when they are full on so fast. It’s designed to stop you from having the time to think. And to put pressure on you to drop your boundaries and to do things like over share with them. Which in turn rushes intimacy.

The intensity thing confuses me though. I have friends who had love declared within a similar time frame and it all worked out and they are together years later. I see stories like that on here all the time .

OP posts:
Sodthesystem · 28/07/2026 14:05

RedflagGreenflag · 28/07/2026 13:57

The intensity thing confuses me though. I have friends who had love declared within a similar time frame and it all worked out and they are together years later. I see stories like that on here all the time .

Yes but the difference is that it’s probably not felt like pressure to the other person in those situations. You can see all these red flags alongside this intensity from him. And the intensity is contributing to you wanting to excuse them.

People can be lovey dovey early on together, sure.

But that’s not the same as intense.

And I think you need to stop thinking about other peoples situations because your situation is not theirs. Their partners probably don’t hate women.

Or maybe, their relationships suck behind closed doors and you just don’t know.

This isn’t a love story op, it’s a tragedy waiting to happen.

elQuintoConyo · 28/07/2026 14:18

FUCK MY EYES WHAT DID I JUST READ?

Just one of those things would have had me ending it.

Give yourself a hug, OP, and try the Freedom Programme to help you see what boundaries men shouldn't cross and how to enforce them.

Themoonisntaballoon · 28/07/2026 14:32

@ClawsandEffect "I also don't think you should have to be the one to train him. You're not his parent."

Even if she was, she'd need a whip and a chair !!

RedflagGreenflag · 28/07/2026 15:30

It’s good to get these perspectives. I’ve encountered so many men with these sorts of attitudes. Either that or they seem to be the other extreme and be totally wet. I find it hard to hold out hope that I can find a mature, non-misogynistic one with something about him.

OP posts:
Switherings · 28/07/2026 15:38

RedflagGreenflag · 28/07/2026 15:30

It’s good to get these perspectives. I’ve encountered so many men with these sorts of attitudes. Either that or they seem to be the other extreme and be totally wet. I find it hard to hold out hope that I can find a mature, non-misogynistic one with something about him.

Hang on, are you equating the absence of obvious misogyny, classism, bodyshaming of women, crude sexual 'banter', and all his other delightful qualities with being 'totally wet'?

popdepop · 28/07/2026 15:50

I haven’t read the full thread, but my first thought was after reading OP is you are mid 40s and have to ask?

Illegally18 · 28/07/2026 15:51

RedflagGreenflag · 27/07/2026 18:25

He did tell me that he loved me after just 6 or 7 dates. I’ve been told that is lovebombjng but then I hear countless tales of people on here who fell in love quickly and are still together 20 years later. So when is it love bombing and when is it genuine love?

Seriously, OP, there's no answer to that! Love isn't an exact science.

GlitteriestFluff · 28/07/2026 15:58

If for some bizarre reason I'd tolerated the childish sexual humour (I wouldn't, it's massively unattractive), I'd have walked out at the 'Scopey' comment. What a vile waste of space.

He was testing your boundaries and he found you didn't have any.

Red flags are not things to be weighed and balanced with 'good points'. Red flags mean 'no'. It's like if the red flag is flying at the beach. It doesn't matter if it's a beautiful day and the sea looks lovely and so inviting. It's still too dangerous to swim in.

As for the love thing - some people get lucky, and the person they instantly fall in lust with is compatible with them and they stay together for years.

But ask yourself - after 6 or 7 dates, who exactly does he love? It can't be you, because he doesn't know you. So he's either in love with a you-shaped mirage that incorporates all his hopes, dreams and expectations of a partner; or he's using it as a manipulation technique.

RedflagGreenflag · 28/07/2026 15:59

No. I mean men who want me to do all the relational heavy-lifting, planning and are not at all assertive.

OP posts:
imonlyherecosimbored · 28/07/2026 16:27

Blimey. Well I suppose it's my own fault for being able to read.

Grim..

You're well shot of him and I hope you find someone who deserves you.

UnintentionalArcher · 28/07/2026 16:29

Holy shit! Those examples are horrifying. And taken together, I have no words.

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 28/07/2026 16:36

Are you sure that 'the ex wife' actually existed and wasn't a figment of his (completely inexperienced) imagination? Because his behaviour is something that I wouldn't forgive in a fourteen year old let alone a man who has - supposedly - been married to a mature woman at least once.

category12 · 28/07/2026 16:38

RedflagGreenflag · 28/07/2026 15:59

No. I mean men who want me to do all the relational heavy-lifting, planning and are not at all assertive.

Have you been in a lot of abusive relationships? What was your childhood like?

RedflagGreenflag · 28/07/2026 16:46

category12 · 28/07/2026 16:38

Have you been in a lot of abusive relationships? What was your childhood like?

Not trying to be daft but I didn’t feel this man was abusive to me. He was complimentary, messaged lots, wanted to spend lots of time with me etc.

OP posts:
VimesandhisCardboardBoots · 28/07/2026 16:47

OK, as a bloke, this guy sounds utterly disgusting, and not someone I'd like as a friend, let alone as a romantic partner!

Going through your list (and yes I've ranked them in terms of how much of a red flag they are! I just wrote one as a 5/5 and then figured I'd go back and do the rest! Anything above a 3/5 is an instant dumping offence):

-made a few silly sexual jokes whilst messaging, before we met eg..I asked him if he played a musical instrument and he made a joke about wanking

2/5 - I've had girlfriends who enjoyed this sort of stuff, and some that didn't. He misjudged the line on this one. If he carried on after you told him to stop, then it's a 4/5

-first date in a coffee shop, I removed a long sleeved top as was too warm (had another top on underneath obvs) and he went "wahaaayyy" as if I was stripping

4/5 - God it's just so cringe

-made a joke about all women having a base level of psycho

5/5 - Nope, massive red flag. Hates women

-referred to disabled people as "Scopey"

5/5 - Another instant dump

-met a colleague of min at a works do and told me she was "rough" and this is why he doesn't date women from her area

5/5 - Judgey little prick

-despite the fact he is on amicable terms with his ex wife, told me laughingly, when she asked for a divorce, that he had called her a "fat old witch" and threatened to take her pension

4/5 - Not that he said it to his wife, but that he felt the need to tell you

-told me inappropriate details about his ex including that she was restricted in sexual positions she could do due to bad hip and that she could orgasm immediately from anal sex (he told me this whilst we were in bed by way of praising my comparative flexibility)

3/5 for the hip thing, rising to a 4 when he started banging on about anal, and then rising to a 5 because he told you about it in bed

-said "You look lovely in your dress; my ex wife never wore them because of her body type"

1/5 - This ones OK, it'd be a 0 except there was no real need to mention his wife

-met an acquaintance of mine and said "You're naturally beautiful, not like women like that who plaster on the make up"

2/5 - Again, on its own, not the end of the world, would just get a hard glare from me.

-when I was trying to encourage him to get o know me better and asked if there was anything he wanted to know about me (cause I had tried to ask him lots about himself) he said "What is the smallest penis out there have encountered?

3/5 - DP and I have actually discussed this. 5 years into our relationship! Is he really that short of conversation a few dates in?

-told me, in bed, that he had yet to encounter a smelly vagina

2/5 - He really doesn't have much between the ears does he?

-told me he had dumped a woman as her pubic hair was too long (after avoiding having sex with her for weeks)

2/5 - Look, individually some of these aren't the end of the world, but cumulatively they're really stacking up aren't they. He sure does love talking about his previous shags doesn't he!

-shortly after we began a sexual relationship, told me he thought genitals in general were gross and then was annoyed with me when I went a bit quiet and distant for a few minutes after he said that

2/5 - I struggled with this one. Multiple women have told me the same thing. Not generally when they're trying to woo me though

-first time we had sex, he seemed clueless despite being married before and many relationships. He kissed me for a while and I was expecting some foreplay (I know I could have initiated this but I had lead on taking him up to my bedroom and removing clothes so didn't want to lead ointment everything). Without so much as touching me intimately, he entered me without a condom. He stopped as soon as I told him to and was visibly upset and said he thought I had wanted it as we were naked and he was laying on top of me. He was genuinely upset and I ended up comforting him!

This one started at a 5/5, but given your update further in the thread I'm dropping to a 4. It sounds like there was some genuine confusion there

-I disclosed to him that I had been sexually assaulted in a previous relationship. Despite this, he sent me a GIF that appeared to be of a woman being assaulted, face down on the floor and crying..looked like really rough porn but you could only see her face.

Fucking hell, this one just breaks the scale. 5/5 for sending a woman he's dating porn. 50,000/5 for it being abuse porn. Infinity out of fucking 5 for sending that to a woman who'd disclosed her own assault.

-he had some very laddish mates and he said he didn't judge them for sleeping with prostitutes although it was not something he would do. Told me they had all been giggling in the pub about some story about a woman with a massive anus.

5/5 - You can't buy consent. He approves of it, even if he's not done it.

-in a weird coincidence, a mate of his turned up at my house to collect something I had listed on marketplace. He arrived 15 minutes earlier that agreed and ex and I were in bed. When ex realised who it was, he got dressed and said hi his mate. he later told me that the incident had been the subject of joking on their group WhatsApp, with one them writing "He was just pulling out of her as he arrived!"

The message itself, not his fault. The fact he needed to tell you about it. 4/5

There's about 4 things on that list that I wouldn't instantly dump someone for if they were a one off. But even two of those cumulatively would have chucked him straight in the bin.

And then there's the rest.

To be honest @RedflagGreenflag , this guy probably shouldn't have made it passed the messaging stage. Certainly not past the first date. It's great that you've dumped him, but you need to do some real work on why you thought any of these were worth putting up with.

RedflagGreenflag · 28/07/2026 16:55

@VimesandhisCardboardBootsthank you for such a comprehensive analysis. I will definitely mull this and all the replies over and give some thought to my boundaries.

OP posts:
Sodthesystem · 28/07/2026 16:57

RedflagGreenflag · 28/07/2026 16:46

Not trying to be daft but I didn’t feel this man was abusive to me. He was complimentary, messaged lots, wanted to spend lots of time with me etc.

Ok so, slagging off women the way he does in front of you is abusive. Becuase it’s designed to make you worry becuase you, are a woman. It’s designed to make you also, look down on women so that in future when you do something he doesn’t like he can imply you are a crazy woman or whatever and you will wonder, “am I?”.

Things like “you are naturally beautiful, not like other women”.

its training you up for future abuse where you will be frightened to be like these other women he keeps talking about so will be stuck desperately trying to jump through whatever hoops he sets to “prove” that you aren’t. That you’re good/pure/special/different or whatever else.

eg: no wearing make up, for example.

But there will be no persuading him. Because it is all a trap to keep you looking inwards.

You also talking to him about being sexually assaulted and him sending you a meme belittling sexual assault. Perfect example of him already starting to shit on your feelings and bulldoze your boundaries. Even if such memes were remotely appropriate anyway.

If you told your friend about sexual assault and they sent you that meme what would you think? Pretty sure they wouldn’t be a friend anymore, right?

Him disclosing things to his friends in front of you that are inappropriate too.

All these things have the theme of bulldozing your boundaries and belittling your feelings.

They are abusive.

And they are setting you up for future abuse.

And a further point, you’ll note he threatened to take his exs pension. The best advise I’ve ever heard is - never get with someone who would make a divorce difficult. He’s clearly shown you he is contemptuous towards his ex. He is spiteful. Don't just look at how people treat their friends, look at how they treat people they don’t like. Spiteful people are not safe partners.

category12 · 28/07/2026 16:58

RedflagGreenflag · 28/07/2026 16:46

Not trying to be daft but I didn’t feel this man was abusive to me. He was complimentary, messaged lots, wanted to spend lots of time with me etc.

I'm asking about prior abusive relationships to try to understand why you seem to be defending some unacceptable behaviours in this man. Also wondering whether it's possible you perceive non-domineering men as "wet" because of skewed boundaries.

You said you'd been SAd in the past - did you get any support or counselling?

I'm more interested in why you're second guessing yourself, where it's coming from.

BauhausOfEliott · 28/07/2026 16:58

RedflagGreenflag · 28/07/2026 16:46

Not trying to be daft but I didn’t feel this man was abusive to me. He was complimentary, messaged lots, wanted to spend lots of time with me etc.

He sent you a rape-porn gif knowing that you'd previously been sexually assaulted, entered you without a condom and without consent and told you he thinks all women 'have a base level of psycho', and you don't think he was abusive?

Jesus fucking Christ.

Also, even if he wasn't abusive to you (which he was) can you genuinely not see what a fucking horrible man he is? He calls disabled people 'Scopey' and hangs out with men who use prostitutes and thinks that's fine?? He made endless comments to you that absolutely scream 'misogynist'.

He's an absolutely appalling cunt.

Honestly, please don't date any more. You have zero understanding of what a normal relationship looks like.

RedflagGreenflag · 28/07/2026 17:23

Yes, the assault GIF was awful and he has refused to apologise for it.

OP posts: