That thing your partner always asks for in bed? It might be telling you something important about your relationship. While everyone has their favorite positions, experts caution that an inflexible demand for one particular sexual act could be a red flag for controlling behavior.
The insidious nature of these situations lies in how they develop. Unlike obvious forms of control, these patterns often emerge so gradually that you might not notice them at first. Your partner’s “preference” slowly becomes an expectation, then a demand, until you realize your own comfort and desires have been pushed aside.
This kind of control can be particularly damaging because it operates in such an intimate space. When your partner consistently prioritizes their pleasure over your comfort, it sends subtle messages about whose needs matter more. Over time, this can affect how you see yourself and your right to set boundaries in the relationship.
True intimacy should be about connection and mutual satisfaction, not one partner’s dominance. If you find yourself regularly going along with acts that leave you feeling uncomfortable just to keep the peace, it may be time to examine whether this dynamic exists in other aspects of your relationship as well.
