Call-outs are a form of social critique that bring awareness to problematic behavior in order to create change. When someone calls someone else out on their bad behavior, it is done with the intention of making them better and for the greater good.

Calling a guy out on his bad behavior is not always easy. But it is an often-used tactic to prevent future incidents of the same nature. So how can you do it the right way?

How to call a guy out on his bad behavior?

1- Don’t be rude if you doubt his intentions:

When it comes to calling out bad behavior, we need to be careful not to do it in a way that might come across as rude or offensive. This is because the person being called out might not be aware of their behavior or may have been unaware of the impact of their actions.

In order to avoid this, we should try and build up trust with them before calling them out. Try to read their body language and see if they’re doing it purposefully or just as a joke or form of humor to make you laugh or befriend you.

We should also keep in mind that we don’t want to call someone out when they are not capable of understanding why their behavior is bad due to a vulnerability for example if they are struggling with mental health issues.

2- Don’t laugh at his bad jokes:

It’s important to know when it’s time to call a guy out on his bad behavior. It can be difficult but always remember that if you don’t, you are enabling him and giving him the opportunity to continue his behavior.

One thing to remember is that you don’t want to laugh or encourage him. It’s important that you remain calm and collected when addressing the issue. If he continues, then it’s time to walk away from the situation and speak with an authoritative figure of his about what happened.

The term “call out” has a negative connotation because it is often associated with shaming. However, the intention of calling someone out is not to make that person feel bad or embarrassed, but rather to bring attention to the issue in order to encourage a change in behavior. So what you can do instead is not take part in his little jokes and bullying.

Don’t laugh, roll your eyes, smile or show any signs that you’re tolerating his behavior or find it amusing. Simply verbalize the fact that it is not funny to you and even hurtful, with a straight face!

3- Tell him clearly how you feel:

It’s important not to feel embarrassed or ashamed of telling someone how you feel about their behavior towards you. That’s because that will make it harder for them to understand how it makes you feel and repeat it.

The idea is not to be harsh or mean but just to make sure that they know that what they did was not okay and help them understand why it was not okay. Another thing you should do is try and be direct. If he’s being rude, it’s best to just say something like: “I really don’t appreciate that. It makes me feel (express your feelings and why it hurts you).”

If he continues to be rude, the next step is to get more serious with your tone. For example, if he continues, say something like: “I think we’re done here.” and remove yourself from his presence.

4- Be strict and unforgiving:

You should not let a guy off the hook for his bad behavior. Instead, you should be firm in letting him know that you’re not going to tolerate it. Sometimes, you just need to be strict and unforgiving to get a message across. This can help you avoid any confusion or unnecessary conversations.

By being firm, you are not only sending a clear message but also letting him know that you will not accept his degrading or harmful actions.

5- Warn him about the possible consequences of his actions:

It is important to warn any guy that does something that makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe about the possible consequences. As a final attempt at fixing things, you should take the time to explain what you could do in order to protect yourself from such actions.

For instance, warn him that you’ll stop seeing him altogether or talking to him if he’s someone that cares about you. Say you’ll stop acknowledging his existence at least, as long as he chooses childish rudeness over respecting your boundaries.

If he’s someone that’s not close to you, then you can warn him about being open to involving higher authorities or other people he respects to force him to stop.

If this guy is your partner then check out this article on what you should not accept in a relationship. And check this one out on the importance of setting boundaries in a relationship and how to do it!