The “orange peel theory” is sparking debates on social media, with multiple women going viral on TikTok after testing it out directly on their boyfriends.
The theory involves someone asking their partner to perform the small task of peeling an orange as one way to test their appreciation and love.
If the targetted person responds with “no” or “do it yourself,” according to the theory, one should break up with them, as they don’t truly love the person.
The most viral version of this trend saw a girl called Shelby asking her boyfriend to peel her orange, only to be told “she’s not that special” and that he’s trying to “build her up as a female” by telling her to peel it herself.
The “orange peel theory” is sparking debates on social media, with multiple women going viral on TikTok after testing it out directly on their boyfriends
Image credits: Jen Gunter/Unsplash
Image credits: melly__mike
Image credits: macfamilyreal
In the now-viral TikTok video, which has amassed 24.2 million views, Shelby could be seen telling her boyfriend: “I hate peeling it,” as a lure to get him to peel it for her.
After asking, “You’re not gonna peel it for me?“, the boyfriend was heard responding: “As if I don’t do enough,” before concluding: “Dude, I ask you to do things all the time.”
Safe to say that Shelby’s boyfriend did not pass the orange peel theory.
Image credits: shelbyywilfong
Image credits: shelbyywilfong
While some viral TikToks showcased various responses, with some igniting arguments, other videos have also featured some hilarious reactions, such as Amy Carreon, who amassed 788,400 views for making fun of the whole trap.
Reacting to the viral trend, sex and relationships psychologist Charisse Cooke told Vice: “They can be useful if we tend to minimize issues in our partnerships and be in denial about some of the problematic aspects of our relationships.
Image credits: sel_wn
“By doing a test, it can draw attention to attitudes or behaviors in a relationship that are not healthy or loving.”
She further revealed: “The best way to create a caring partnership is to ask your partner for what you need.
“I think we want our partners to read our minds or ‘just know’ what we want.
“But we’re always learning in relationships, and we can teach our partners how we like to be loved and what is most meaningful to us.
“This is the best way to develop an open-hearted, reciprocal relationship. Start making requests and asking for things in your relationship rather than testing them.”
