AITAH for watching porn in a relationship when my partner thinks it's wrong?
I've been watching porn since a young age, probably around 12 when I was accidentally exposed it. Growing up I thought it was normal to watch and after talking to my friends it was, just maybe not quite as much as I was watching it.
I didn't start doing anything physical to porn until the age of about 13 and for a while it was probably concerning how much I was using it. As I got older you can only imagine this got worse.
It hadn't been an issue in any past relationships and okay granted they didn't exactly know about it because they never asked nor did it ever come up in conversation, but when I was 18 I found myself in my first proper relationship which I'm currently still in. I've never been as close to a person as I am with this partner, which is surprising considering it's long distance currently, but we know everything about each other, and they know I watch porn.
It was never a problem until about a year in when we started getting intimate over the phone, didn't send anything but would talk dirty. They would often say how I shouldn't watch it because I have them but it was never said in a serious manner so I fully thought they were just teasing me and trying to be cute, for reference they supposedly do not watch it and are very clear about that.
Later on down the line the intimacy got more intense and became physical, meaning we were both supplying each other with content. Long story short they found out I was still watching porn despite this and got really upset over it, at first I didn't quite get it because I really never saw it as a big deal, nor did I see it as anything other than me just watching a stranger I don't care about, but they were truly hurt by it and I had to take a moment to step back and think about the situation.
After reflecting I understand where they're coming from and I put myself in their shoes and thought about how I'd feel if I found out they were watching it despite getting content from me, this did make me sad to think about and almost annoyed, and I now understand where they're coming from, but I quite literally couldn't imagine stopping.
I've cut down a huge amount but I don't see myself giving up forever, at least not until the relationship becomes face to face, maybe physical intimacy would be the fix? I'm not watching it out of spite nor do I prefer it over what my partner gives me, I would never compare him to it and I don't think there's anything wrong with my partner nor what he supplies me with, it's more so a case of it's all that I'm used to and adjusting is so difficult, not to mention some of the things I watch I just know he would not be willing to do and so instead of making him feel entitled to I watch it instead.
Am I an asshole for this?
Posted Jul 5, 2025, 10:24 PM UTC