How would you feel if your significant other wore their ex's past on their crotch?
That's the problem WeirdShirt, a 25-year-old guy on Reddit, is having. He recently moved in with his girlfriend and discovered she sleeps in her ex boyfriend's grungy old boxers. His girlfriend claims she only wears them because they are really comfortable, which ironically makes him really uncomfortable.
Being so close to the issue, and also to an article of clothing that formerly clung to some other dude's nut sack, he ran to to Reddit to see if he was overreacting. Here's his side of the story:
I recently moved in with my girlfriend of one year, and I found out that her pajamas that she sleeps in every night at home consist of her ex-boyfriends underwear. It's a pair of well used and ripped boxers. I asked her about this and she says she has had them for 4 years, and they are very comfortable. I never noticed this before because she used to live with her parents and I would not stay at her place very often.
It seems harmless, but it makes me uncomfortable, and I am not sure what to do about it. I talked to her, and she says it's not a big deal, and that they are just a pair of comfortable shorts to her. I've thought about getting a new pair of the same brand, but that just feels like I am buying her a new pair of her ex's underwear. I've asked if she would be interested in getting a different pair of boxers altogether, there are so many different kinds, but she insists that it is a waste of money.
She does wear my boxers occasionally, but only about half the time, the other half it's this weird pair of her ex's boxers. I have tried to "phase out" that pair in favor of my own, but this has also been unsuccessful.
What the hell is going on here? I want her to get rid of that weird pair of her ex's boxers, but am I just overreacting? Or is this completely normal? I appreciate any suggestions for what to do! Thanks.
tl;dr: Girlfriend wears her ex-boyfriend's boxers to bed because they are comfortable. I think it's weird, how do I address this?
What makes this such an interesting conundrum is that this is dumb on both sides. On the one hand, dude, stop being such a baby. She's with you now—it's not like her ex's penis is still in those boxers.
On the other hand, girl, you trying to annoy your new bf? They're just boxers, why can't you throw them away?
I totally get wanting to keep the comfiness, but those have been all up in your old dude's grundle and are ripped and disgusting. Are you waiting for them to disintegrate from your body before you retire them? Clearly there is some sentimental value here beyond wanting to save money. Pajama shorts are cheap af and stealing your new bf's boxers is free.
It's easy to see both sides of this argument, which is why advice came in droves. Naturally, women came to the gf's defense. Commenter wearywoman had this extremely valid point:
Fair. The boxers aren't so much what's troubling as the resistance. What's a little underwear disposal to keep the new home happy? Let them go.
Then there's the issue of the double standard, as pointed out by ForgetMeThereafter. It's cool for women to wear boxers, but what if this guy wanted to wear his ex gf's panties? Now that would be sex fetish territory, and would mean a lot more than just trying to be comfortable while you do the dishes.
And finally, we get the gay man's perspective from ForgetMeThereafter, which is crucial here. He wears boxers of his own and also has the opportunity to snag some from his partners. Here's his two cents:
So it seems like the right thing is for her to throw out the boxers and throw out the fight along with them. It's an easy thing to give up, and if it isn't, maybe she should consider going back to her ex for another pair and a second chance at that relationship.
Because who wants to fight over boxers?