“Is This An Unfair Double Standard?”: Guy’s Story About Wife And Her Hygiene Takes A Sudden Twist

The golden rule for a post written immediately after a fight is to write it, then delete it, then take a break and go for a walk… and then, if you still want to put it out there, write it again. But be sure to use the proper wording. Otherwise, the effect you achieve may be quite the opposite of what you want.

For example, the author of our story today, the user u/Dobbys_c*msock (yes, that’s right—obviously, the guy is an avid Harry Potter fan with a specific sense of humor), tried to evoke sympathy and support from netizens after a spat with his wife, but all he achieved was a real waterfall of jokes aimed at himself.

More info: Reddit

The author of the post took it online to vent about his wife taking offense at his words about her body odor

Man and woman hugging at home entrance, with purple suitcase nearby, suggesting discussions about personal hygiene.

Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

Apparently, the lady is a new mom, so the smell the author feels is a so-called postpartum odor

Text post about a man questioning if he was wrong for commenting on his wife's odor.

Text conversation about hygiene, husband jokes about wife's smell after offering a bath.

Image credits: Dobbys_c*msock

Man in yellow shirt pinching nose, illustrating questioning of hygiene.

Image credits: kues1 / Freepik (not the actual photo)

The guy asked the wife to take a shower, but she held a grudge against him for “being rude”

Text discussing a husband's comment on his wife's smell and subsequent tension, related to personal hygiene issues.

Text discussing a double standard on smelling bad, questioning fairness and personal hygiene.

Image credits: Dobbys_c*msock

What made the man indignant the most was that the wife, according to him, always reproached him for having morning breath or “not wiping well enough”

Well, it was very simple. The original poster (OP) once came home from work and felt that his wife literally reeked of sweat. Probably, as the guy notes, the woman was nursing their baby and gardening outside. And so, in the evening, when they were getting ready to go to bed, the author asked the spouse to take a shower. To her playful question: “Do I stink?” he replied something like, “Well, to be honest, yes…”

The wife took offense and said that it was hurtful to hear such words from her husband—and since then, she has been giving him a cold shoulder. In turn, the man wrote that this was a double standard in his eyes. After all, according to him, the wife always reproaches him when he fouls the air, has morning breath, or, for example, “doesn’t wipe well enough.”

Well, the original poster obviously expected support or, at least, sympathy from netizens—but the passage about him “not wiping well enough” turned out to be a strategic mistake. At least, after seeing these words, the responders could not resist making sarcastic remarks addressed to the author, thus turning the comments section into a real festival of wit.

Some particularly attentive readers couldn’t help but notice the author’s username, so the second topic in this feast of jokes was a competition of wits about it. In general, this story clearly demonstrates to us how important it actually is to choose words and expressions correctly—even when you feel as though you’re 100% right.

Man arguing with wife holding baby, questioning hygiene.

Image credits: Ambreen / Freepik (not the actual photo)

Well, if we abstract from the question of properly wiping ourselves, then the original poster, apparently, is not aware of the various changes that occur in the body of a postpartum woman. For example, postpartum body odor. This dedicated article on Parents.com notes that after childbirth, a woman’s body must get rid of excess fluid that it gains during pregnancy.

In addition, the Cleveland Clinic website explains that this kind of body odor is mainly due to hormonal changes that occur in the body of a new mother. “There are big hormonal shifts in pregnancy and postpartum,” Cleveland Clinic quotes certified nurse midwife Claire Hamp, CNM. “That adjustment changes how much we sweat and how (and how strongly) we smell.”

And, of course, lactation also can cause significant changes in the female body—so, in any case, a new mother will smell differently than before pregnancy and childbirth. And, by and large, our hero could Google and read about all this—as well as about how many times a person needs to wipe after defecation…

By the way, among the comments, oddly enough, there were also quite serious words—people tried to explain to the author quite the same thing that we said above. And they advised the OP to make peace with his wife while trying to provide her with as much love, warmth, and support as possible. And what do you, our dear readers, think about this tale? Please feel free to share your viewpoints in the comments below.

The words about “not wiping well enough” were a pure mistake, as nearly everyone in the comments tried to excel in wit over it—but some folks urged the man just to mend fences with his wife

Online discussion on hygiene, with users exchanging witty remarks and questioning each other's cleanliness.

Text discussion about hygiene concerns, focusing on a man's issues with personal cleanliness and understanding from his wife.

Comment questioning man's hygiene in viral post discussion.

Netizen comments on hygiene issues, questioning personal cleanliness in a Reddit discussion.

Comment questioning the husband's hygiene practices after his remark about his wife's smell.

A stressed woman in a kitchen holds a baby, highlighting concerns about hygiene and odors.

Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

Reddit comment discussing hygiene and questioning a man's cleanliness.

A comment questioning a man's hygiene after he mentioned his wife's bad smell.

Text discussing postpartum body odor challenges and hygiene considerations.

Reddit comment questioning a man's hygiene after he mentioned not wiping well enough.

Comment questioning OP's username amidst a hygiene discussion.

Reddit comment humorously discussing hygiene, mentioning three wipes.

Comment questioning husband's hygiene after he complains about wife's smell.

Reddit comment discusses sensitivity and body image after childbirth related to hygiene.

Comment offering advice on approaching sensitive hygiene topics with honesty and understanding.

Reddit comment questioning man's hygiene in response to wife smelling bad remark.

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