My girlfriend doesn't like a poster I have with a female model in it. Should I take it down?

[MrFolgers]

My girlfriend and I have been dating for almost 2 years. While we have been dating we both have been living with friends (not together) I only have one room that I can decorate in my stuff. I have a lot of beer signs and other man cave stuff. Since I only have 1 room I have a lot of stuff in storage boxes. I have only 1 poster that is relatively small maybe 10"x16" with a picture of 2 cars and a girl modeling next to them. She is wearing a bikini but I wouldn't classify it as a skanky photo by any means. I purchased a home in the spring but have been doing renovations this summer. We moved in about a month ago, I went through all of my boxes one day and hung up a bunch of pictures including the poster in my garage. She came home and saw the picture and expressed to me that she doesn't like it. She feels its trashy and expressed she doesn't like photos that objectify women in that manner. Even if the girl was fully clothed or in a dress that wouldn't be ok. She says that it makes her feel like she isn't good enough for me because her body isn't perfect like that, and if her family came over and had to see it. She felt bad even bringing this to my attention but right off the bat of moving in we have this issue. We've had a few other disagreements but have always found a compromise. I don't want her to feel that way but at the same time I like the poster and have grown up seeing pictures like this (and much worse) in other guys garages and don't really see the issue. It's not like its the focal point of the living room. I mentioned moving it to an area of the garage that isn't seen as much or even putting it in my utility shed but she wants it down completely. The house is in my name and I feel like I should be able to decorate how I want but I don't want her to be unhappy. I let her decorate how she wants with the rest of the house. I try to put myself in her shoes but I truly don't feel like this is anything out of the ordinary. Should I take it down?

Take the poster down

Tell her the poster is staying up but willing to move it to another area that is less seen

[Anonymous]

Tell her you'll compromise by hanging up a picture of HER in a bikini instead. Seriously, this is how it starts... if you let her boss you around on this, she'll start bossing you around on everything else. Worst case, you can move the poster someplace else, but if you take it down completely, you'll be sending her the message that she can boss you around. Everything will go downhill for you after that. Bottom line, just because she has low self-esteem doesn't mean you have to make it your problem.

[OlderAndWiser]

What's more important, the girlfriend or the poster?

[tattooedhandfet]

Tell her to deal with it. It's a poster for god sakes. She shouldn't be getting so rattled over something so small. And you shouldn't have to feel the way you do. You aren't betraying her in any way. It's in the garage not in the house. You don't have it plaqued to your ceiling... so I don't see an issue with you and your poster. But I do see a big issue with the way she thinks. Too controlling.

[Bethany-Louise]

She isn't being very compromising.. To be honest, you sound really understanding and sweet trying to offer to move it to a place less seen. Your girlfriend seems way unreasonable about it, she's just gonna have to let this one slide... Just make sure you tell her how much you love her and her body.

Throw a photo of her in your garage too haha, maybe that'll help.

[MrFolgers]

Yeah were at a bit of an impasse. She means more to me than a poster but I just don't have the same view point as she does with things like that. I do tell her that all the time and she knows that I love her just how she is. I mean she weighs 120 lbs and isn't in bad shape. I'm not posting up the poster and saying ok this is what I expect you to look like or anything. I feel like its just one of those guy things. I don't think most girls have pictures of half naked guys hanging around their room but I'm trying to imagine if she wanted to hang up a picture of Colin Kaepernick or someone like that in her home office. If it were just one or 2 of them I don't think I'd really care but if she wanted them everywhere I'd be a little concerned I guess. I don't know I dont really get too jealous on things like that. I do have a photo of us hanging in the garage as well though.

[Anonymous]

My husband and I had the same discussion when he and I were dating. He was polite enough to take it down and burn the pictures. To him, I was more important than the bikini wearing chicks calendar he had. And I more then appreciated it. I don't have to walk around seeing it and feeling less than par in comparison.

[Anonymous]

She's asking you to put a leash around your neck to compensate with her insecurities, in a nutshell...

If you let her walk over you now, it will be harder later on to say no when she will ask for other stuff like that.

[COCOCHANEL]

i would not take it down.
why does she have to compare herself to a model?

[kiler1000]

reverse the situation.

[MrFolgers]

If she wanted a picture of some football or baseball player with their shirt off hanging in her home office I really don't think I'd care man.

[kiler1000]

even if she's practically drooling over em?

[MrFolgers]

In that instance there might be a little cause for concern if there is a true obsession. If she puts up some poster of Luke Bryan I wouldn't get pissed its not like she is gonna go run away with him. I'm not out in my garage drooling all over this poster of this random model and telling my girlfriend how hot I think she is or anything.

[kiler1000]

it's best to deal with it before then. you heard about about that saying ''it only takes one snow flack to start an avalanche?