A woman claimed that her ex once sent her a text message demanding that she wear makeup to meet his friends.
She recently shared screenshots of the text exchange to TikTok under the username Lily (@xlily.brown8x). So far, the video has amassed more than 3 million views and over 344,000 likes.
"Hey hey babe. Have you started getting ready for tonight yet?" Lily's then-boyfriend asked at the beginning of their conversation.
Lily, who was under the impression that the evening was going to be "casual," told her boyfriend that she was ready to go but warned that she wasn't wearing any makeup.
That small detail, however, didn't sit well with him.
"[D]o you mind popping a little bit on as you are meeting my mates and stuff for the first time?" he asked. He then told her that he didn't want his friends thinking he'd "pulled a clapped one," which is British slang for "ugly."
The two went back and forth until finally, Lily told her boyfriend that she no longer wanted to meet his friends because he "made [her] feel bad" about not wearing makeup.
"[D]on't bother then," her boyfriend responded. "Either put something on your face or don't turn up..."
In the post's caption, Lily wrote: "Here's to being single in 2022."
Bustle previously defined one partner's constant criticism of the other's appearance as "red flag" behavior.
"If your partner can't stop commenting on your clothes, your body shape—or worse, if they start telling you what to wear—it's yet another red flag," Bustle reported.
Speaking to the website, licensed psychotherapist Whitney Hawkins, M.S.Ed, LMFT described this behavior as a "classic manipulation tactic often used during emotional abuse."
April Masini, a relationship and etiquette expert, told Elite Daily that a person should never criticize their partner about their appearance.
"Any criticism that has to do with body image is generally a touchy area," Masini said. "For instance, height, freckles, big breasts, small breasts, big rear end, small rear end, waist size, hair, nose, skin tone—these are all areas that people tend to concern themselves with about their own bodies, and they worry about how they may appear to others."
Many of Lily's viewers were quick to send their support and said they were shocked to read the messages sent to her by her now ex-boyfriend.
"Ain't no way he thought it was okay to say that," wrote Chelsea Hoy.
"When I tell you my jaw dropped to the other side of the earth," said Lucy.
"I'm shocked at the audacity," commented Eleanor.
"YOU DESERVE BETTER!!!!" exclaimed BabyG.
"Omg that's so rude!!! They don't deserve somebody special in their life!!!!!!" added Chlo.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Sara Santora is a Newsweek reporter based in Florida. Her focus is reporting on viral social media posts and trends. ... Read more
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
