How do I tell my boyfriend I’m embarrassed of his social media? 22F and 25M

Tucked in a cozy café, a 22-year-old woman cringes at her phone, her boyfriend’s latest Instagram story flashing across the screen. His fitness posts—awkward winks and sweaty selfies—make her squirm, a stark contrast to her love for this near-perfect man. She dreams of marrying him, but his online vibe? Pure embarrassment.

Now, he’s noticed she won’t tag him in her posts, sparking questions. Caught between sparing his ego and owning her discomfort, she’s in a digital bind. Can she nudge his social media glow-up without dimming his shine? Readers, dive into this modern tale of love and cringe-worthy content.

‘How do I tell my boyfriend I’m embarrassed of his social media? 22F and 25M’

How do I tell my boyfriend I despise his social media content and that it embarrasses me? I (22F) and my boyfriend (25M) have been dating for about 8 months now. I am so in love with this man I could marry him tomorrow but there’s one problem. His social media is mortifying.

He is constantly posting fitness stuff on his instagram but not in a hot way, a super cringey way. Everytime he uploads a story I cringe and pray it’s not too bad. I’m embarrassed to tag him on any stories or pictures. I know it’s not a big deal but it really bothers me.

He is an angel and the best boyfriend but I really can’t get over this. It’s gotten to the point he is asking me why I am not tagging him in stuff… How do I tell him I absolutely despise his instagram presence without crushing his ego? TIA

Social media can turn love into a public tightrope walk. This woman’s embarrassment over her boyfriend’s cringe-worthy fitness posts isn’t about malice—it’s a clash of personal taste. She loves him but dreads his awkward gym stories, while he’s proud, blissfully unaware of her discomfort. His questions about untagged posts signal a need for honesty, but with care.

A 2020 study in Computers in Human Behavior (Source) found that social media differences in couples often spark tension when partners prioritize public perception over mutual support. Her hesitation to tag him reflects this, driven by fear of friends’ judgment.

Dr. Alexandra Solomon, a relationship therapist, says, “Honesty in relationships thrives when it’s kind and collaborative” (Source). Here, outright calling his posts “cringe” could bruise his ego. Instead, she can frame it as a team effort, suggesting tweaks to align with her comfort.

A gentle approach works: “Babe, I love your fitness passion—maybe we could try some polished posts together?” Offering to help film or showing him a sleek influencer’s style can boost his confidence while nudging change. If he’s open, it’s a win; if not, she must weigh if this is a dealbreaker. For now, kindness and creativity can keep their love offline and on track.

Here’s the feedback from the Reddit community:

Reddit’s buzzing like a gym on New Year’s Day, serving up spicy takes on this Instagram drama. From heartfelt advice to sassy quips, the community weighs in on whether she should embrace her boyfriend’s cringe-worthy fitness posts or nudge him toward a social media makeover. Here’s the unfiltered scoop:

That_Buy110 − Be ready to go over it with him. ut, first, do a self check. Without prepping them, ask a few of your female friends to look at his account and see what they say. Don't ask 'is this cringe', that is prepping them. Just ask 'what do you think about this account, what is your reaction?'. It could be that your response is because you are too close to him, others may have no issue.

If it comes back as 'cringe' then you need to figure out exactly what it is that is cringe. What he is doing, what he should change, all of that. You do this not to be critical, but to help the guy out. We often need a female perspective. Now sit him down and be like 'next story, about if we do it together'. He will probably ask why, when he does, you tell him.

greenie4422 − I relate to this but my boyfriend posts a lot of “spirituality” content. Very cringe to me and a lot of friends (they have brought it up to me before as more of a curiosity because we are not religious people). I cope by not caring lol. It’s his page and his following. If mutual friends have a problem, that’s their problem to deal with. Don’t overthink it too much!

Chemical-Finish-7229 − My husband’s Facebook content is dumb. A few posts are interesting. I love him, accept him for who he is, and don’t say anything. My teenagers, however, will tell him he’s dumb

toocritical55 − Embarrassing how?

[Reddit User] − Posts like this make me sad because I remember the world before social media

monocita − linking his ig so we can do the work for you seems like the best option tbh

goldencricket3 − I would approach it by finding another fitness influencer that's a dude (that's not TOOOOO hot so he's not embarassed) and tell him 'oooo babe, instead of the wink on the next video, what if you were to try a fitness post that looks like this! It may come off a bit more professional/suave instead of outright flirty, you know?'.

Then offer to help him get the fitness content he needs. He posts that s**t because he feels attractive and proud. Don't tell him it's cringe. That's a SUREFIRE way to kill his confidence. Instead, do what you can to help shift the types of content by getting more involved. He'll feel supported, not torn down.

QueenofAvalonia − I think you should be questioning how much you care about this guy - why does what anyone else thinks matter?. You literally are caring more about the opinions of others (hence your embarassment) than being with your boyfriend online.

0ToTheLeft − If he is happy, let the man be. You are dating a person, not a social media profile.

eeelicious − his content is not your taste and because of it you’re embarrassed by him. it’s not offensive, degrading, or anything else that affects other people, you just don’t like it. you should think really hard about what loving him means to you.

if you see a future with him or anyone else you should come to terms with the fact that there’s no man who you will like everything about and you just need to decide which things you’re willing to live with because going into something intending to change the person is sh!tty.

you can have an honest convo with him about what he’s posting, and you never know, you may find that he’s been wondering how to improve it and you can help him. but if that’s not what he wants and you’re embarrassed enough about his social media that you can’t get past it and would end the relationship i’m not sure how in love with him you are.

These Redditors are dishing out wisdom, shade, and a sprinkle of nostalgia for pre-social media days. But are their hot takes practical fixes or just keyboard bravado? Some urge her to let him shine, others push for a tactful intervention—either way, the debate’s as lively as a viral reel. Dive in and decide: team love or team glow-up?

This Instagram saga shows love can weather even the cringiest posts—if handled with care. The woman’s stuck between her heart and her feed, but a tactful talk could save the day. Have you ever cringed at a partner’s social media? How did you handle it without dimming their shine? Share your stories and tips below—let’s unpack this digital dating pickle together.

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