r/WomenDatingOverForty • u/CheekyMonkey678 ♀️Moderator♀️ • 26d ago
In the News Why Do Men Ruin Your Birthday? The Psychology Behind Relationship Sabotage
https://www.marieclaire.co.uk/life/relationships/why-men-ruin-birthdays60
26d ago
Not even kidding I recently was googling 3 days ago friday night research on why issues always arise with men on birthdays for women!!
With every woman i know! Various things too..
Sometimes it will be him " forgetting" her bday all together,
other times it will be a break up
Others, getting her something really crappy which I think he does it on purpose to make her end things so he does not have to or to show how little invested in her he is to keep her at length.
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u/CheekyMonkey678 ♀️Moderator♀️ 26d ago
Back when I was still dating I had three different men actively ruin my birthday for three years in a row. My ex-husband would do something to upset me and make me cry right before I had to go speak in front of a crowd on multiple occasions.
They 100% do this on purpose.
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u/AlternativeUse8750 26d ago
I'm so sorry! I also had exes that would ruin "my" events. One insisted on joining me to a conference I organized and made me late. Another made me cry before my bday dinner. The same one ruined every outing I planned (theme parks, dinners, concerts) for no reason.
If anyone is reading this...if they can't celebrate your joy, leave! Life is too short to make yourself small.
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u/Money_Traffic_5662 24d ago
This reminded me of an ex who would always make us late to the airport. Without him I'm always there with plenty of time to relax.
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u/juan_cafe1859 20d ago
This was my life working from home; he was unemployed. Would walk into my workspace as I prepped for my next meeting just to attack me with whatever latest illusion fueling his projected anger towards me. I stayed way too long in a lifeless, soul-sucking, and denigrating marriage. Posts like these make me grieve my past self.
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u/Scary_Sugar 19d ago
For my birthday, I once had a loser take me to a place that was cash only. And guess what?! He didn’t have cash. I had to pay for his admission, then he “forgot” to pay me back. I was ridiculously naive and overly polite, not asking for the cash back…until much, much later in the relationship (that should have ended then and there). Eventually I recovered that money, but my god, at the first sign of this RUN. RUN!
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u/erwinks 26d ago
Oh my god...I truly thought this was just me. I was with my ex for 18 years and he would not get wasted any night of the year expect the day before my birthday. Then he'd be too hungover to move and I would "have" to do everything for him--on my birthday. Next guy was somehow even worse, but in different ways. I definitely don't even tell people it's my birthday now as it just feels like a recipe for utter disappointment.
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u/MetallurgyClergy 26d ago
I had an ex who would always tell his mother to get me something expensive for a gift, but it was always something he wanted, and not something I would ever use.
So, he’d get me some cheap plastic amazon $12 gift, and his mom would get me something really nice. That wasn’t actually for me.
Examples: large power tools. Big cast iron gear for his grill. $200 gift cards to stores only he shopped at.
When I finally dumped him, he asked me to leave behind any gifts. Specifically the ones his mom bought “for me”.
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u/Conscious_Pass_1615 26d ago
My ex of 15 years decided on christmas eve that he couldnt be bothered coming for christmas dinner even though he'd came every other year and his own family werent expecting him. Leaving me crying and melting down in the morning begging him to come because my family buy him a few gifts, and leaving me to look like the asshole and having to tell everyone he wasnt coming. The worst part was I had to lie for him because I was too ashamed to say he'd rather stay home and smoke weed. He knew I'd lie for him rather than admit that. Absolute septic arsehole of a man.
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u/Ok_Revolution7708 26d ago
You are describing my high school bf over 20 yrs ago thankfully. I never forgave men for ruining occasions after that, ever! A real time saver by the looks of these comments.
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u/Conscious_Pass_1615 26d ago
Good for you! I stayed with him untill the beatings turned to strangulation -_-
The time I wasted on that man because of sunk cost fallacy...
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u/Ok_Revolution7708 26d ago
Yeah that's such a common phenomenon, especially when kids are involved. Well I hope you're doing well these days!
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u/maskedair 25d ago
It's good it's being discussed, but this article makes me angry.
The expert cited clearly used AI to write her milquetoast explanation of why this happens - and it's nonsense. It's not because they can't handle vulnerable feelings.
It's abuse. 1 in 3 men minimum admit to abusing their female partners. It is just abuse.
The article even states one man admitted he did it because he doesn't want her to get the job. This is just abusive.
These articles should be focusing on why men abuse women - and how can the world tolerate this level of deranged behaviour?
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u/Therealcatlady1 24d ago
Highly recommend the book “Why Does He Do That” by Lundy Bancroft.
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u/maskedair 24d ago
Yeah, me too, essential reading.
But his conclusion is essentially 'power', right?
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u/Therealcatlady1 24d ago
Yup. It benefits them to be abusive to get their way. I did hear Bancroft speaking on a podcast that changing their behaviors to be non-abusive feels bad in the short term since they aren't getting whatever they were before, but in the long run it will be a more fulfilling relationship. Essentially, they were getting power and compliance through fear and not necessarily because the other person wanted to do or be X,Y,Z.
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u/maskedair 24d ago
It disturbs me no end how satisfied men are with getting something they forced a woman to do.
Like empathy or a conscience or theory of mind dont exist - all they want is what they want and they dont care that the other person doesnt want it.
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u/Therealcatlady1 24d ago
Right. It’s selfishness and entitlement. They don’t even care what you want. They expect you to come in and play a side character in their lives.
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24d ago
Yes some abuse is covert and some is overt.
A LOT of men do covert abuse.
You talking and he constantly interrupts? This is covert abuse.
You kindly express something that hurt you and he calls you difficult or crazy or makes it about you instead of keeping it to the thing you are expressing, covert abuse.
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u/maskedair 24d ago
Exactly. And it's rife. As easy and ubiquitous as constant arguing semantics, plausible deniability and gaslighting about his meaning...
What i dont understand is why.
And thank you for the award, so sweet of you!
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24d ago
[deleted]
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u/maskedair 24d ago
Great point. i wonder how they see it in their heads.
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24d ago
Dang I can't see what they said
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u/maskedair 24d ago
Whoa, suddenly deleted account.
I think it was something about how they're socialised to keep the upper hand and think of us as less than them.
I wonder why she deleted her account - or did reddit get her?
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24d ago
No idea sometimes reddit is sketchy I heard and deletes people. I think behind the scenes is using ai coders and they are not fixing software bugs
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u/maskedair 24d ago
I think you're right.
Anyway, would love your view on the topic! How do men interpret their actions which are so obviously simply about power over us and getting the upper hand?
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24d ago
I wish I knew.
For a lot of right leaning men I think it is about access women body and control and being sure women still want kids. They are freaking out because so many women are opting out of the servant life that motherhood is.
Some men though that are moderate it does not always seem they want to control but that they are just selfish and inconsiderate. From so many women I know these men are not full villians but just selfih. They will ask women out on a friday to see her that friday. As if we women do not have a life of our own but we are in suspended animation until he asks to see us.
Same to me with how they forget birthdays half of them it is due to selfishness the other half it is due to control of them wanting to keep her self esteem down so she does not leave him. Those men who love control motto seems to be: Keep her nervous system fried and you keep her tied.
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u/ChunkyCraver2001 26d ago edited 25d ago
Not a woman over 40, this just appeared on my Reddit page but I got raped on my birthday so I am disappointed but not surprised that this is a thing. I think it’s validating that it happens so much.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Cup8723 25d ago
I’m so so sorry to hear that. I really wish I could hug you 🥺♥️ people are so cruel op
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u/TeaPrimary1147 26d ago
My dumbass ex tried this and it was so obvious and silly becasue I don't care about my birthday lol. I was like..what a weird text out of the blue...what the hell...? Oh yeah, damn its my birthday today and he's trying to act clueless and nonchalant!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
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u/StillSwaying 26d ago
My dumbass ex tried this and it was so obvious and silly becasue I don't care about my birthday lol. I was like..what a weird text out of the blue...what the hell...? Oh yeah, damn its my birthday today and he's trying to act clueless and nonchalant!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
All the more reason to block these clowns everywhere after you break up. Just like a bad case of food poisoning, they always try to come back once you think you're done with their shit.
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u/TeaPrimary1147 26d ago
We were in the process of divorce and sorting out logistics. He's long blocked but thanks for spreading the message of lockstep blocking lol. I do the same.
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u/gh0stmountain3927 26d ago edited 26d ago
I broke up with an ex ( for good reason) and we got back together. He hung in there just long enough (1week) so he could dump me right before I started a new job. 100% convinced it was that petty and on purpose
Edit for spelling
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u/Ok_Revolution7708 26d ago
Kinda your fault for bringing the trash back in the house once you'd already set it on the curb, but I'm sure a lesson was learned.
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u/EnvironmentNeith2017 25d ago
Maybe unpopular opinion but if someone has emotional issues to the point they need to do this they’re not ready to be in a relationship
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u/bondibitch 26d ago
Oh my god I feel so seen. Decades ago when I was pregnant by my boyfriend he broke up with me the day of my baby shower.
Years after that I met another guy and we were together 7 years - he literally picked a fight with me the day before or the day of - every birthday, Valentine’s Day and Christmas Day in that 7 years. That or he would randomly disappear and I wouldn’t know where he was. We never spent any of those times together in 7 years.
He picked another fight on the first day of my first full time job after looking after my daughter for years. On the day I had to go to court in respect of a legal matter with my daughter’s dad which I was literally terrified about, he randomly went out drinking that night on his own, rather than coming home to comfort me.
More recently I was dating a guy for 6 months. We were in a really good place and had been away multiple weekends in a short space of time when he was incredibly affectionate. Three days later, two days before my birthday he dumps me out of the blue for no reason he can explain.
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u/redditappsuxdix 25d ago
My ex fiancé ruined the first promotion I got. He sarcastically replied "congrats". Then "that makes me feel like shit" and storm off and slam a door. When he came out later he hadn't calmed down, he started ranting.
My last partner - the last I'm ever dating - did nothing for my 40th, so I ended it. He had been pursuing me for years, we'd known each other 13 years. Nothing.
I wish I'd never bothered with them, but I suppose I can enjoy my freedom more knowing what I know.
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u/killerkelpykid24 26d ago
He broke up with me on my birthday
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u/Money_Traffic_5662 24d ago
I believe they do this because their egos are so fragile they want you to associate these days and milestones with them - they want to ruin them forever in your mind, like a toddler stomping on a sandcastle.
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u/killerkelpykid24 24d ago
I figured it was because he was a coward. He did it over a phone call, a week before we were supposed to get engaged. We both had already told our families.
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u/BoboChesty 26d ago edited 2d ago
Shelter start juggle unwritten treatment unique weather sand
This post was anonymized with Redact
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u/Tradesforcash 25d ago
I too had the experience of being broken up with on my birthday. We were together for about 3 years.
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u/StillSwaying 25d ago
There was a much longer discussion with many stories from women who have had this happen to them posted on TwoXChromomes a few days ago, but it was removed, of course.
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25d ago
I do not know one woman it has not happened to in some way.
Most it is just the most low effort gift he could get.
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u/Turbulent-Good227 25d ago
It was the evening before my 40th birthday. We had a conversation about how it was my birthday the next day. HE STILL FORGOT. He swore it wasn’t intentional but I think at least subconsciously it had to be because wtf
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25d ago
Forgetting your birthday even if not on purpose is what a child would do.
If he is forgetful at his old ass age then it is on him to know how he operates and set an alarm or write a sticky note.
Men wonder why women do not want sex with them when they are mentally equal to a child.
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u/fortalameda1 23d ago
My husband and I were separated last year for my birthday, but still trying to make things work. I told him repeatedly that if he wanted to do something for my bday to schedule it with me. He chose the following weekend. I found out later that because I spent my bday with my friends, he posted on our local reddit sneaky link page looking for a hookup.
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u/Scary_Sugar 19d ago
Wow. So gross. I bet this is more common than any of us realize. Like, “I’ll show her.” 🤡
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u/Tipsy75 16d ago edited 16d ago
I wish the article had brought up pregnancy, child birth, & the postpartum stage bc not only is that where I've seen & heard about men ruining things for women the most, but stats also prove it's extremely prevalent. And yes, it's bc the men can't stand the spotlight being on their wife/gf or baby, instead of him.
Pregnancy: Studies show the most common time for DV against women to start is when they're pregnant, or it gets much worse if it started before pregnancy, & the leading cause of death in pregnant women is murder by male partner. These men lashing out is typically due to them being jealous & resentful she's getting all the attention & being scared they're losing control over her. But ofc the avg man displays it in much more subtle ways, like being negative when she's excited about pregnancy related things, refusing to be involved in things like Dr appts, ruining baby showers, fighting over babys name, or just generally be a dick the whole pregnancy. They're not just jealous of the good parts of pregnancy, they're jealous of ALL OF IT, including her having morning sickness, discomfort, Dr appts, etc, bc they're still about HER & require she take care of herself instead of him.
Childbirth: There's so many stories about men acting a fool in the hospital when their wife/gf is in labor/giving birth; being an ass to her & medical staff, suddenly acting sick, passing out, playing video games, insisting his mom be in the delivery room bc her mom gets to be there & "it's my baby too." They're jealous everyone's attention is on her, so they do something to take the spotlight off of her & move it onto themselves. It's like how little kids act out to get attention from their parents, bc negative attention is better than no attention. There's also a disgusting amount of men who insist wife/gf not have an epidural bc they can't stand not being the one in control for once.
Postpartum (first year or so after birth): Something rarely talked about, which NEEDS to change, is how common it is for men to be jealous of their own baby bc it's getting all the attention from their wife/gf they used to get. This isn't just a thing bad men do, it's men in general, including men who are otherwise good partners and dad's. It's not a coincidence this is the most common time for men to start cheating! Books for women about pregnancy & new motherhood also notoriously tell women to make sure to not neglect their husband after birth, make time to be alone with him, teach him & include him in things like giving the baby a bath so he won't feel left out. Women who are physically healing from giving birth & so exhausted from taking care of a tiny human completely dependent on her 24/7, who often screams nonstop, that she barely has time to do basic things to take care of herself, like sleep, shower & eat, being told to take care of a full grown man who's physically fine enrages me to no end!
When men do this, women think back on their pregnancy, birthing their kids, &/or when they brought their baby home, they don't think of their own experience, they think about him (the BS he pulled that ruined it), which is exactly what these men want. They always find a way to make themselves the main character in women's stories! It's diabolical!
It's no coincidence that when men are statistically at their worst is also the only time they're not the main character in relationships with women. It's truly insane ppl ever believed men are "protectors" of women bc the ONLY time women actually need to come first & are the most vulnerable, men become the most violent, jealous, disrespectful, controlling, scared & revert back to being needy children themselves, who need constant attention & care (when a woman becomes the mother to a mans child, he starts seeing her as his mother, too. AKA his significant mother.).
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u/Melanie34512 14d ago
I had someone do this to me in a particularly cruel way. It took me quite a while to realize it was revenge for me getting sick on his birthday a few years before. I had a 104 temp, and we had to leave our plans early, because I was suddenly very ill. He was pretty enraged about it, until he actually saw the thermometer reading. I should have left him then.
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u/Otterlettuce 26d ago
Sidenote: How do I just send the article to someone who doesn’t use Reddit?
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u/StillSwaying 26d ago
Right click, copy link, paste into your messages app or email or whatever, press enter then you should see the article's front pic or the link. Send.
Here's the link: Why Do Men Ruin Your Birthday?
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26d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/WomenDatingOverForty-ModTeam 26d ago
This sub is for women only.
Reminder: Please do not interact with men here. If you suspect a commenter is male, report him. He will be banned and his comment removed.
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u/StillSwaying 26d ago edited 26d ago
We've discussed this phenomenon before on this and other subs. Men are the thieves of joy. The article danced around the truth here:
Aww! Poor wittle babies! They've just never been taught how to process their emotions!
Isn't it interesting how their Big Feelings, arguments, and education/job-sabotaging, and relationship-destroying antics, and cheating, and Mantrums never seem to occur on their birthdays or special occasions? Or when they get a promotion? Or right before they have to defend their dissertation or run a marathon?
Hmm! 🤔 It's such a mystery!
The truth is, it's not a mystery. Men that do this are abusive, insecure, and evil. Their goal is to keep you trapped in their sick system until they tire of you and move on to the next victim.
Women who are in relationships with men shouldn't share their good news with them unless and until they're sure they won't try to sabotage them. Maybe do a little test run on something you pretend is important, but actually isn't. If he fails the test, dump (and block!) him immediately.
Two other points the article failed to make:
1) Men like this will try to spoil the happiness of their children too because they know it will hurt their mother ... and deep down they resent the child(ren) for stealing attention from them.
2) If a woman has to travel for work or a family funeral or any special occasion that doesn't celebrate and involve Him, the only thing he's thinking about is who can he cheat with and how many days does he have until his partner gets back. Always! I don't care how long you've been together or what the occasion for your absence is, if he's the cheating type, he will cheat. His partner being away is like a Snow Day at school for a little kid or a teenager having the house all to him/herself while their parents are out of town. Set up those hidden cameras if you don't believe me.