10 Most Common Rights In A Relationship You Should Know About

Similar to one’s individual rights in a relationship, basic rights in a relationship should also be understood and respected. Just because you are in a happy relationship at the moment, does not mean that you know all of these. It is possible that you’ve been unaware of these factors, which could silently create trouble in paradise very soon. Which is why you’ve come to the right place today. If you want to feel safe in a relationship and cultivate the ultimate love and support for one another, you cannot do it without respecting these 10 basic rights:

# The right to privacy

One of the most basic rights in a relationship is the right to have your privacy respected by your partner. This means that your spouse cannot look through your emails, phone, chats, or even your mail if you do not consent or are not comfortable with it.

It is fundamental to have privacy in a relationship. Even though you are committed, your sentiments, individuality, and your space remain separate. My partner and I make sure of that. So if you ever find your partner snooping through your private chats, it’s a matter of concern. This is not just a boyfriend and girlfriend right, but also a husband and wife right. Just because you are married does not mean that you have to let go of your privacy in a relationship.

# The right to boundaries

The ability to set boundaries – emotional, physical, and financial – is one of the most significant rights that you should know of. This implies that you should be able to make decisions about what you want to do and what you don’t, what you’re comfortable with and what you aren’t. You can also avoid being under any kind of obligation. These boundaries are not just limited to emotional rights in a relationship but extend to sexuality as well.

One of my college roommates recently got divorced because of a lack of boundaries in her relationship. She said, “Husband and wife rights are not a concept my ex understood. For him, being a married couple meant no boundaries. There was absolutely no respect for mine. It became frustrating to be with someone who continuously forced me to do things I didn’t want to do.”

# The right to express disagreement

If you have ever been in a relationship, you are surely aware that there may be major arguments and there will be times when your spouse may act in ways that you don’t agree with, or they may even hurt your feelings. It’s natural to not be on the same page for many things, what matters is how you converse about it respectfully. However, you do not have to put your own feelings on the back burner just because you two are not on the same page.

This is why one of the basic rights in a relationship is the freedom to express concerns and not remain silent. You ought to be able to express your opinions when you believe you have been harmed or when you disagree with anything. It is an extremely important boyfriend and girlfriend right, especially in a long-term relationship. If you do not exercise this right and bottle up everything, sooner or later your frustration will find some other outlet that can make matters ugly for you and your partner.

# The right to be in an adult relationship and avoid parenting your partner

You and your partner are expected to be many things, but becoming a parent to one another is not one of them. It is normal for this to be a relationship deal-breaker if one person turns out to be excessively needy and wants you to parent them. It is one of the basic rights in a relationship to refuse to babysit a fully grown human. You have to understand that their immaturity or childish behavior could be a part of their unresolved issues and you should not be expected to tolerate it. Your rights and responsibilities in a relationship do not expect you to be a mother or a father to your partner.

Here is an example of basic rights in a relationship and how it can be violated. Jace, a college professor, talks about his last relationship. He says, “Initially, the behavior was cute and endearing and I did not mind it too much. But as the relationship progressed, I realized she is just plain immature. I would come home to find her in front of the TV with her lunch and breakfast dishes still in front of her. She would never make any decisions and I felt like I was parenting her all the time, and she would always expect me to pick up after her. I realized it is a basic boyfriend and girlfriend right to not put up with such behavior which helped me move on from that relationship.”

# The right to see and meet your friends

If you’re in a relationship, there is no reason that you shouldn’t be able to hang out with your friends or speak to them whenever you want to. It is a basic emotional right in a relationship to have your own set of friends because you have an intimate connection with them, and you should be able to foster that. Your boyfriend has absolutely no right to stop you from spending time with your guy friends. While he can warn you about what he thinks of your friends, he does not get to decide who you should be spending time with.

If your partner doesn’t like them, that is not your problem. Both you and your partner should respect the fact that other people in your life are equally important and they do not need to come with a stamp of approval from either of you. Expressing an opinion is one thing, but if they try to walk all over decisions, that is nothing but controlling behavior.

# The right to be respected and treated as an equal

And it is really not too much to ask for. If you feel like you don’t have this in your relationship, you need to consider walking out. You should have the right to respect and to be treated with equality in a relationship, and this goes without any question. For instance, you must be able to make decisions together, especially when they affect both of you. This right is important, as it shows you value and trust each other’s opinions.

It is a fundamental boyfriend and girlfriend right and a very important husband and wife right as well. The secret to a healthy relationship is showing respect for your partner’s point of view even though it might differ from yours. Constantly feeling belittled and insulted for your choices is a red flag in a relationship. A person who does not respect you or treats you as an equal is not right for you.

# The right to refuse physical touch

Apart from emotional rights in a relationship, both partners also have physical rights that they should respect. While you might trust your partner completely, refusing physical intimacy or physical touch in a relationship is normal and acceptable. You can find ways to say no in bed without hurting their feelings.

It does not mean that you are not attracted to them or find them boring in bed. Simply said, it means that there’s a chance you wouldn’t want to be touched on particular days or while you’re focused on something else, or are just not in the mood. To ensure that your partner understands exactly what you expect from them, take the time to talk about this with each other. Your sexual and physical boundaries are sacred, regardless of your gender or how close you two are. You must feel safe in a relationship, and that extends to when you get physical with them too.

# The right to go on dates

With your own partner, obviously! One of the most important boyfriend and girlfriend rights and for that matter, even husband and wife rights, is the expectation to go on dates.

One of the more important rights and responsibilities in a relationship is planning frequent date nights. With your own partner, obviously!

# The right to be wrong

One of the basic rights in a relationship is the right to be wrong sometimes. You might make a mistake and say or do the wrong thing occasionally and it should be considered normal, and nothing to criticize or shame each other about. Being wrong more than once in a relationship is perfectly alright and if your partner keeps berating you for it, you need to reconsider things.

It’s perfectly acceptable to make mistakes or be wrong in your own feelings, and you should both be willing to forget and forgive each other about it. Holding grudges against your partner and acting upon them will only harm your relationship, and is frankly petty and immature. Humans are not perfect and hence both of you have the right to mess up sometimes, and still be able to love each other after it. Do not insult your partner when they go wrong. Tell them, explain to them how they can be better and then let things go.

# The right to leave the relationship

When starting to go over the basic rights in relationships, you probably did not see this one coming. But, it is just as sacred as the rest.

A relationship is not etched in stone. One of the basic rights in a relationship is the freedom to leave when things get overwhelming, emotionally depleting, or plain toxic. You are in no way required to put up with demeaning behavior that you did not choose to subscribe to. For instance, when your partner is unfaithful, you have the right to leave without any obligation. It is important to remember that your self-respect is above any relationship. Even if your partner has done nothing wrong, but you realize you have fallen out of love, you have the right to leave the relationship because you will be doing both of you a favor by taking the smarter and better decision for your lives.