11 Boyfriends With Bizarre Rules

There are exceptions of course, most of them being tongue-in-cheek jabs or exaggerations, but for the most part, any sentence that starts with “my boyfriend doesn’t let me…” is generally a red flag.

Maybe several decades ago in America it would be considered a norm for a man to call the shots in a relationship even to the point of being controlling and arbitrary, but we’ve got enough of a general cultural awareness of abuse and power dynamics now – not to mention good ol’ fashioned systemic misogyny – that we should all wince when we hear confessions like the ones gathered here.

11. Change your tone

Why, though?

10. Getting annoyed

That’s not great – you’re two different people.

9. Made up

That’s a level of insecurity that he needs to deal with, not you.

8. The outside world

Gross. Dump him.

7. The naked truth

Yeah, I’d say that’s an understatement.

6. Hate it / love him

Don’t be a prude, dude.

5. Wherever he wants

Classic double standard.

4. You’re fired

It’s a destructive habit, no doubt, but you’re an adult and that’s not how addiction is handled.

3. Hold in my tears

He probably just has no idea how to deal with it so he lashes out at you.

2. I still believe

That’s abuse, yo.

1. It’s a snap

Get outta there.

I can appreciate that it’s easy enough for you or I to read these and say “dump that chump,” but that it’s not always so simple for the people actually in these situations. Have patience, be understanding, and be on the lookout for those very red flags.

Have you experienced something like this?

Tell us about it in the comments.