An adult man is facing harsh criticism on Reddit after admitting he broke up with his girlfriend because her high heels made him feel bad about his height. The story surfaced in a September 2025 post on the popular subreddit r/AmIOverreacting, where his ex shared their breakup story along with screenshots of their post-breakup text exchange. The messages revealed just how emotionally fragile he is about his height.
### A Self-Imposed Case of Male Loneliness Over Insecurity
Frequent visitors to the subreddit, where people seek opinions on whether they’ve overreacted, were quick to respond to the post. The original poster (OP), u/purplehavocc, explained the situation:
> “Last weekend we went to a party my friend invited us to, and I wore heels. The whole night he was super quiet and moody, barely talked to me.”
She went on to say that on the way home, her boyfriend openly expressed his dislike for her wearing heels because it made her taller than him. He admitted that it “emasculates” him and makes him “feel like less of a man.”
The OP included screenshots from the next day’s text messages, where her ex further exposed his insecurities. Despite breaking up, he continued to claim she was “embarrassing” to be around:
> “ur embarrassing to be around and even now im not with u and ur still embarrassing.”
Shockingly, the 26-year-old man—who chose to date a 19-year-old—then told her:
> “When ur actually old enough and mature, u will remember this time and realise u f*cked up.”
### Insecurity and Manosphere Rhetoric
When the OP pressed him on why her wearing heels was such a big issue, he resorted to typical manosphere rhetoric. He called her “too masculine” while claiming he is “high value.”
He wrote:
> “i have a high value network and when im around big big people who i can network with and evelate [sic] my business and future, i need someone who shows me off and compliments me. Ur not that.”
### “You Are Much Better Off Without Him”
The OP ended her post uncertain whether to feel sad or embarrassed for having dated him at all. Reddit commenters, however, were unanimous in their verdict.
“This ‘man’ is pathetic,” commented u/bluelights0121. “The way he is speaking to you is disgusting. He is so insecure, he is trying to put you down and make you feel less than him. GROSS!”
Another user added:
> “In answer to your last statement, unfortunately be embarrassed you dated him.”
u/Hulla_Sarsaparilla agreed:
> “You’ve had a lucky escape to get away from him this early, he’s bad news. Him talking about being ‘high value’ is a massive red flag. You’ve done absolutely nothing wrong here; wear your heels. A real man wouldn’t care.”
u/phatballlzzz weighed in as well:
> “Eww, the little man child got his feelings hurt. Girl, you deserve so much better. Also, 26 years old?? Dating teenagers while behaving like one? You are much better off without him, I promise.”
### Relatable Stories from Fellow Redditors
Others reassured the OP by sharing their own experiences with insecure exes. u/EffectiveUse3760 wrote:
> “My ex was shorter than me, and I love wearing platforms (I’m only like 5’1 and he was 4’11) and he’d lose his shit over me wearing them. I dumped his insecure little a** and it was the best thing I’d ever done.”
### Final Thoughts
This story highlights the damaging effects of fragile masculinity and how insecurity can sabotage relationships. The OP’s experience serves as a reminder that confidence and mutual respect are far more important than superficial concerns about height or appearance—and that no one should have to apologize for expressing themselves through fashion, including the simple act of wearing high heels.
https://www.dailydot.com/news/woman-wore-heels-boyfriend-dumps-her/
