'AITA for commenting on my wife’s weight after she joked about my appearance?'

Arguments over teasing appearances are common in relationships, but they don't always stay lighthearted. A recent Reddit post shared a story of a husband and wife where a misunderstanding of the wife's remarks led to an unexpected escalation.

The man never commented on his wife’s appearance or weight gain after the birth of their two children. However, her recent remarks seemed to hurt his feelings. The situation escalated when he misunderstood her, interpreting her joke about his slim figure as a criticism, despite his efforts to eat healthy and work out.

A misunderstanding of her words created tension, but he later realized his mistake. Let’s take a closer look at the situation and the reactions from others.

A slim guy feels annoyed by his wife

In a post shared on January 1, 2025, Redditor "Humble Tool" introduced himself before addressing the issue. He explained, "So, I'm a slim guy, always have been. I'm 6' and with 165lbs. I workout and am strong, and lean."

He then elaborated on his relationship with his wife, stating, "Anyways, when I met my wife she was slim. After two kids she gained weight, which is understandable. Anyways, she always says shit about my stature. That I need to gain weight etc."

The man went on to describe a situation that had left him feeling hurt, saying, "But last night, I was flexing in the mirror, and she basically laughed at me. I said something, and she was like, you know I'm only joking with you. But it just gets old."

He continued with more details of the situation, explaining, "So anyway, we were watching some reality show, and a man was carrying his woman around like a bride. And she looked at me and said: you couldn't carry me around like that and kind of laughed." 

The six-foot husband shared how it affected him, saying, "I was already kinda pissed from what she said earlier, and I said, 'I could carry you around like that,' then I laughed and walked away." He concluded, "Anyways she's f******g pissed at me. So I guess it's ok to talk s**t about a man who is naturally slim, who eats healthy and works out, but it's totally unacceptable to say something about a woman that does none of those things."

The original poster later shared an update, saying, "I used my words, something that us men don't typically like to do, and I apologized. I took a lot of your guys' advice and just explained that I didn't mean what I said, and I basically felt like she was trying to hurt me with her comment." 

He eventually understood the true intent behind his wife’s words, explaining, "She admitted that what she meant was, that she was too heavy to carry like that, and so I picked her up, carried her to the bed, and the rest is history, true story 😊 Thank you all for your help, it was a dick move that I pulled. I can be an a*****e, but I don't like the way I feel afterwards."

Internet divided over argument between slim guy and mom of two

After the misunderstanding between the husband and wife over their appearance was revealed, many internet users shared their opinions, with some supporting the husband and others siding with the wife.

One user wrote, "Nta. if she can dish it out, she should be able to take it too. constant jabs about your body aren’t “jokes” if they’re making you feel bad. respect goes both ways."

One Redditor added, "This is probably the best advice I've seen of how to deal with it. It doesn't involve insulting back, it's mature open and honest and addresses the point well."

A person shared, "This. She is probably feeling very self conscious about her weight and looks and that's why she is trying to bring him down too."

One commented, "Okay that’s the sweetest update."

A netizen shared, "Neither of you sounds old enough to be married or have children. You sound 12."

One Redditor added, "Should probably talk to her, and let her know you don’t appreciate the constant jokes. You could bring up this exact situation that happened."

Another user stated, "This kind of snarkiness on both sides is very tough to come back from as a couple. You need help. Seek counseling."

This article contains remarks made on the internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.