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Members of a popular internet forum applauded one father and husband after he explained why he refuses to participate in a work-related fishing trip involving only his male coworkers.
In a viral Reddit post published on r/AmITheA**hole, Redditor u/daddydoesntwanttogo (otherwise referred to as the original poster, or OP) said the men in his workplace have acted hostile towards him since his refusal and detailed the heated aftermath of his alternate, family-friendly suggestion.
Titled, "[Am I the a**hole] for being 'whipped' for my wife enough to get a trip replaced?" the viral post has received nearly 7,400 votes and 1,200 comments in the last eight hours.
Beginning with the explanation that he and his wife have five kids at home, the original poster said that he couldn't bear to leave his partner alone to deal with their children for an entire weekend and also revealed his thoughtful reasoning for suggesting his company fishing trip be more inclusive.
"First of all," he began. "Every Saturday I schedule my wife for some type of treat your self appointment and send her on a mini shopping spree/kiddo free morning to do what she wants...it's about her and her only."
"Second, I'm not leaving my wife for [two] nights and a day for fishing and getting drunk," he continued. "Third, the ladies that work at the office feel excluded because they don't like the fishing trip."
Adding that the trip is being advertised as a "stag weekend" and is scheduled to take place at a "very popular college age vacation spot known for bars and wasted weekend shenanigans," the original poster said he suggested a family campout at a local lake, much to the chagrin of his male coworkers.
"Now my coworkers are calling me whipped and more [bulls**t] names and are mad because their wives are happy about my idea," he wrote. "Their wives have even emailed me about a mom Saturday morning idea like my wife has and I added it into the plan."
"[My coworkers] are mad their stag weekend is canceled and [that they will] quote 'spend a work trip babysitting,'" he added.
To be whipped is when "a person, male or female is so in love with their partner that they will do anything for them, including allow themselves to be manipulated and controlled," according to Urban Dictionary, a leading authority on English slang.
Despite the assertion that anybody can be whipped, the term is most often applied to men and carries almost-exclusively negative connotations.
In 2017, MEL Magazine deduced that men most often receive the demeaning label when a serious relationship or marriage causes a shift in priorities and "takes" one man away from their group of fellow male buddies.
"Calling men [whipped] is also about men genuinely lamenting not getting to hang out with their friends anymore—so they reframe the loss as pathetic subservience," MEL writer Tracy Moore wrote.
"Taken together, it seems calling a fellow male friend whipped is really just an immature, under-30 person's way of dealing with the panic of losing male friendships," Moore added.
Throughout the comment section of the viral Reddit post, Redditors echoed this sentiment and praised the original poster for his dedication to his family, as well as his thoughtfulness towards the woman in his workplace.
In the post's top comment, which has received more than 11,500 votes, Redditor u/kastalaesi assured the original poster their refusal to go on the fishing trip was justified and took aim at his male coworkers.
"It's not babysitting if it's your own children," they wrote. "You're being considerate to your wife and it sounds like you're a good husband."
Redditor u/themisfit123, whose comment has received nearly 4,000 votes, offered a similar response.
"You came up with an idea that would benefit everyone and not leave anyout [out]," they wrote. "I find it weird that a workplace would even have such an exclusive fishing trip to begin with."
"I'd bet the women have been trying to get the trip changed for years but no one would listen to them," they added. "The fact that [the men] see having to spend a weekend with their kids as 'babysitting' tells me all I need to know about them."
Addressing him directly, Redditor u/milliebarnes commended the original poster for having his priorities in order and encouraged him to simply ignore his disgruntled coworkers.
"You sir, are one in a million," they wrote. "Congratulations for truly loving your wife and respecting your relationship enough to be there for her and your children."
"Who cares if they call you whipped? You know you're a good man, you know your wife loves you and you love her," they continued.
"It sounds like you have your priorities straight," they added.
About the writer
Taylor McCloud is a Newsweek staff writer based in California. His focus is reporting on trending and viral topics. Taylor ... Read more