Every marriage has its ups and downs. But a strong foundation based on mutual respect, trust, and love and staying committed to make it work can help you weather all sorts of storms. If disrespect creeps in, it can destroy everything you both have worked towards. In this post, you will learn about the signs of disrespect in marriage and how to address them tactfully. Read on! However, respect is about treating your partner as an equal and acknowledging their individuality. It allows each partner to freely live their lives on their terms while acknowledging the shared relationship and the responsibilities that come with it. Respect is a thread that joins two separate, whole beings. Respect also forms the ground for trust and faith even when there are disagreements between the couple. And even if you do end up arguing with each other, respect calls for fighting fair wherein the opinions and feelings of both partners are honored and validated. Quite often, people fail to notice disrespectful behavior in a relationship. They may shrug off disrespect in marriage as a part of their partner’s personality or assume that they are over-sensitive. To make things clear, read on to understand the signs of disrespect in a marriage that you may overlook.
1. Dishonesty
Honesty is always the best policy, especially in a relationship. An honest partner is respectful as they share and communicate with you as though you are their equal. In contrast, if your partner is dishonest with you, it indicates that they do not think of you as worthy enough to know all the information. In this way, your partner is depriving you of building deeper connections, which is also, in a way, disrespectful. Of course, white lies, such as saying that the dress does not make you look like you gained weight, are harmless. But dishonesty regarding major issues like finances and whom you spend your time with erode trust.
2. Dismissing Needs
A healthy marriage requires that both partners meet each other’s needs, including physical, emotional, and mental needs. However, if you notice that your partner does not pay attention to your needs or ignores them entirely, it is disrespectful. It suggests they do not value you as an individual.
3. Constant Comparison
If your partner is always comparing you to other men or women and acting woeful about it, it is certainly a disrespectful way of behaving in a marriage. Marriage is about loving and accepting another person just the way they are. And such unwarranted and unnecessary comparisons show that they do not respect your individuality.
4. Blocking Off Communication
Communication is the key to a healthy and happy marriage. However, if you feel unheard or that your opinion does not matter, your partner is shutting themselves out of such conversations. Marriage calls for openly communicating feelings and emotions and listening to them without judgments. But if you are just a punching bag for your partner to vent their emotions without catering to yours, that is a clear sign of disrespect.
5. Demanding Too Much
Does your partner take up all your time and energy with a long list of demands? If they implicitly expect you to clean up after them, fix their favorite food, pay all their bills, or catering to their emotional needs – it is a warning sign of disrespect in a marriage. It shows that they do not respect your time and only see you as an easy way to meet their needs. Such a situation worsens when they are not ready to compromise and be accommodating in your direction. It is mostly “my way or the highway” with such a person.
6. Not Prioritizing You
In a marriage, your partner is always your priority. Putting them and their needs above everyone and anything else indicates your respect for your partner and the relationship. If your partner puts you at the bottom of their priority list, that is disrespectful.
7. Taking Major Decisions Individually
Be it handling a financial crisis or managing other crucial crises, if your partner does not value your opinion and refuses to find a solution together, that is a red flag. Moreover, if your partner determines all the crucial decisions by themselves – be it your child’s education or moving to a new city for work – that is also a sign of disrespect.
8. Being Unsupportive
A healthy relationship is impossible without couples supporting each other. When one falters, the other must stand beside them like a rock to help them get back on their feet. You should be able to count on your spouse for support, even in the craziest of situations or adventures. It indicates that your spouse trusts your judgment and decisions and is willing to support you wholeheartedly. But if you find this aspect missing and feel like you are all alone in the marriage, your partner is disrespectful.
9. Insults And Mocks You
Insulting and mocking a partner or making fun of you is a clear indication of disrespect, whether it is done directly to you or behind your back. Of course, an occasional playful jab at you is an entirely different thing. But if you notice them constantly making jokes about you in social settings to the point where others get uncomfortable, it is time to draw the line. This is completely disrespectful.
10. Complaining Constantly
No matter how hard you try, there is no pleasing your partner. Does this statement ring a bell? If yes, it is another sign of disrespectful behavior. Complaining about your paycheck, job, looks, cooking, friends, family, or anyone dear to you shows your partner’s lack of respect for you. Such behavior is a subtle indication that your partner considers themselves above you. It may also mean that you do not fit the mold of their ideal partner even though you leave no stone unturned. Of course, pushing you to be a better person or encouraging you to achieve more is a healthy thing to do. But if their demands leave you utterly exhausted, it is disrespectful.
11. Acting Bossy
Does your partner try to control your actions? Do they often try to dictate exactly how to do things to the point of distress and anxiety for you? If yes, your partner is bossy and controlling. This is a major flaw in a relationship and a sign of disrespect. Even signs of micro-aggressions, such as talking over you, undermining your achievements, or making decisions on your behalf, demonstrate that they do not value your opinions.
12. Not Apologizing
Even the healthiest marriages have arguments and disagreements. But how the couple reconciles and overcomes the problem is what makes the marriage successful. Regardless of who is at fault, both partners must have the humility to say sorry and extend the white flag occasionally. But if you are the one who is always apologizing while your partner basks in it, something is off. Your partner’s inability to apologize indicates that they do not value your thoughts and emotions.
13. Withdrawing Affection
If your partner is using sex, intimacy, or affection as a tool to have things their way, they are disrespecting the relationship. They may withdraw affection to use it as leverage to pressure you into something you had not agreed to in the first place.
14. Giving You The Silent Treatment
Much like withdrawing affection, giving silent treatment is also a sign of disrespect. Moreover, it is rude to deliberately ignore someone you love. It is one of the most unproductive ways of communicating in the relationship and reflects your partner’s immaturity. Since it is a passive-aggressive cry for control, experts often categorize it as a form of emotional abuse.
15. Invading Your Personal Space
Is your partner snooping around your phone or obsessively checking out your social media profile? If yes, they are clearly out of line. It is a sign that they do not trust you to be faithful. Of course, such behavior may make sense if your marriage has had a brush with infidelity. However, if it stems from a place where reason does not reside, it is a clear sign of disrespect. Once you have detected the signs of disrespect, what do you do? Does it mean the marriage is so damaged that divorce should be considered? Not necessarily. There are several ways to salvage a relationship, even if it has been ravaged by disrespectful behavior. Here are a few tips.
How To Deal With A Disrespectful Spouse
What are the signs of a disrespectful wife? A disrespectful life often shows rude behavior, never listens to a partner’s opinion, belittles the partner, and neglects household responsibilities. What is a stronger word for ‘disrespectful’? Impertinent, blasphemous, flippant, and contemptuous are a few stronger words for ‘disrespectful’.
