Men are finally honest about their turn-offs, and it’s not what you’d expect

Whether you’re on dating apps or hoping to meet someone the old-fashioned way (through Instagram or Twitter), there’s always that one question that keeps popping into our minds: “What’s really going on in a man’s head?” While social networking platforms have led us to believe that the answers lie somewhere between their love for football, beer and the ability to ignore an eight-month-old socks on the floor, men have finally decided to reveal the truth about what turns them off. Spoiler alert: Nope, it’s definitely not because of how you correct someone’s grammar mid-conversation or the way you use baby talk with your pets. Turns out, men’s turn-offs are far more specific—and, honestly, much more hilarious—than we ever imagined.

 

If you’re new to the term ‘ick’, let us break it down for you. An ick isn’t just a turn-off; it’s the irrational, gut-level reaction of ‘ugh, I can’t do this anymore” that creeps up when someone does something so specific that it inexplicably ruins your perception of them. It could be as small as the way they chew their food or as big as their inability to tip a waiter. The ick isn’t always logical, but once you see it, you can’t ignore it.

 

Here’s what these 10 men had to say about their biggest icks—in their own words:

“May seem shallow, but when she chews with her mouth open. I mean, come on, it’s not that hard to keep it classy,” Aryan Irani, engineer. 

“Doesn’t let the guy enjoy liking sports and insults his liking. If I want to scream at the TV during a match, let me live,” Yash Chugh, marketing lead. 

“Honestly, it’s not a first-date thing, but lack of ambition is a major ick. Also, denouncing the shared onus of keeping the conversation fun—if I’m carrying the entire thing, that’s exhausting,” Varun, brand strategist. 

“Taking ‘aesthetic’ photos of their food before eating. Look, I get it, your avocado toast is pretty, but can we eat already?”, Ashley Dsouza, pilot. 

"One thing that makes me want to leave or rethink a date is when someone starts talking about how much they earn or expects the person they’re seeing to look after them. These things ideally shouldn’t come in the way of genuinely liking someone or getting to know them, nor should they be a 'criteria.' That leaves a bad impression. Another thing that bothers me is when someone isn’t authentic about how they’re acting—it feels like something’s off, and they’re putting on a face or personality just to impress you or be seen a certain way. I’d much rather see someone who’s comfortable in their own skin and comes across as authentic," Shiv Khandelwal, content creator. 

“When the partner tries to nail the dressing and overdoes it. There’s a fine line between being stylish and looking like you’re auditioning for a fashion show,” Onkar Kulkarni, journalist. 

“If she starts name-dropping on the first date—like, I’m here to meet you, not your celebrity contacts. Oh, and no sense of humour? That’s a dealbreaker. Also, talking about marriage or being glued to the phone while we’re supposed to be getting to know each other,” Anuj Asrani, entrepreneur. 

“Tapping their foot on the first date. I’m not fond of girls who are visibly anxious on a date—it just throws me off. Also, overdressing is a major no,” Naman Kapri, copywriter. 

“One of my dates casually dropped into the conversation, two hours in, that she believed we were living in a simulation and that most strangers she encountered were recycled background NPCs. I was genuinely scared,” Aaron Fernandes, finance.

“When they compare me to their father, like this is so weird please don’t say that ever again. Also, can’t handle Drake or Tame Impala fans,” Viraj Khanna, social media manager.

Lead image: Netflix

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