Woman Wonders If She Was Wrong For Not Changing Her ‘Offensive’ Shirt To Appease Her Religious Uncle

Jun 26, 2023

Meeting distant family members isn’t always a walk in the park. Although some reunions mean that old flames will be rekindled and it is a good time to catch up with each other, some family gatherings are sometimes the melting pot of drama.

A user took to the "Am I The A**hole" thread on Reddit and shared a particular family reunion that got her wondering if she was in the wrong. The Original Poster (OP), an 18-year-old female, went to see her relatives for dinner outside of town. After driving for six hours, which OP described to be a “notoriously uncomfortable activity,” she decided to put on a comfortable set of clothes upon their arrival at the hotel. Decked with a pair of leggings, a hoodie, and her favorite shirt, OP ran from the hotel to the restaurant as it was just five minutes away and it was raining heavily at the time. 

“When we had finished saying hello and everything and sat down, I took my hoodie off. My uncle looked at my t-shirt and immediately hissed at me asking what I was thinking wearing a t-shirt like that in public and to go back to the hotel and change. I refused because I didn't want to walk all the way back to the hotel in a thunderstorm just to change my t-shirt,” she told the thread. 

Notably, the shirt that her uncle was fuming at featured a tongue-in-cheek print of children doing a satanic ritual with the words: "Activities for children: Let's summon demons.” Her uncle, who is a religious Hare-Krishna did not speak to her the entire dinner in horror of the shirt.

Throughout the evening, the woman was even thankful that her uncle did not speak to her, as "he is not a close family member" and "irritates" her, while her family tries "to limit contact" with his side of the family. She also couldn’t hide the shirt even if she wanted to since her hoodie was already soaking wet. 

OP also noted that her whole family was atheist, so she didn’t think it would be much of a deal for him. However, after the dinner, OP’s dad approached her and said that she should have just gone back to the hotel and changed clothes because he was then criticized by the uncle for letting her wear such obscenity. 

“From my POV I really don't think the t-shirt is even that offensive however I totally recognize that I might have been the a**hole for being stubborn rather than just changing,” she said. 

Meanwhile, Redditors supported OP’s decision not to change her clothes and told her she can do what she wants so as she was already of the right age. 

“NTA, you're an adult wearing appropriate clothes and your uncle seems entitled af,” someone said.

“NTA. Your uncle needs a hobby. And NOT one that involves staring at teenage girls, like he does now. His reaction was over the top and ridiculous,” one posted.

“NTA. But you would BTA if in the future you don't purposefully wear similar shirts. He deserves it. Like every time he sees you your shirts should get progressively more "offensive". :)” a user reminded.  

“Since when does someone get to dictate to an adult what is appropriate to wear just because that is their opinion? NTA," another asked. 

What can you say about the uncle’s reaction to the shirt? Would you have wanted your niece or any family member to go through a storm to change their clothes? Do you think OP was in the wrong? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends and other loved ones to know what they think!