A Man's Girlfriend Stands Up for Herself at Dinner With His Parents, Causing Tension

Chifundo
Woman with eyes closed and fingers interlaced.
Unsplash | Ben White

A stay-at-home dad and working mom lead to resentment and tension at a family dinner. When the dad insults the girlfriend's independence, she retaliates causing tension. The man is caught in the middle and is unsure if he should have defended his girlfriend or stayed neutral.

Was the girlfriend right to stand up for herself or should she have stayed quiet? Read on to find out what happened and decide if anyone was in the wrong in this situation.

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Girlfriend stands up to sexist comments at dinner with parents 👏

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Girlfriend asserts financial independence at dinner with boyfriend's parents 💪

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Girlfriend stands up to boyfriend's dad, tension ensues 😬

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Tension arises over girlfriend's retaliation for lack of defense 🤨

amitheassholeta1 | amitheassholeta1

Girlfriend stands up to boyfriend's dad, causing tension 😬

Family dinners can be awkward, especially when significant others are meeting the parents for the first time. But things can get even more uncomfortable when family dynamics are at play. In this case, a man's girlfriend boldly stood up for herself when his dad made a sexist remark.

While her response may have been warranted, it led to tension and hurt feelings all around. The man found himself caught in the middle, torn between his girlfriend and his family. But is it really fair to expect him to take sides? And what does this incident say about larger societal issues surrounding gender roles and expectations?

These are all questions that arise from this uncomfortable holiday dinner. Keep reading for more reactions and comments on this complex family dynamic.

Commenter calls out OP's cowardice and praises girlfriend standing up to sexist father

KartlindWitch | KartlindWitch

Commenter calls out OP's father's sexist behavior. YTA confirmed 👎

Punchnz | Punchnz

OP's girlfriend stands up to his disrespectful parents, but he's too blind to see it. 🤦

Thrwwy747 | Thrwwy747

Defend your girlfriend when your dad insults her. YTA.

Forward_Squirrel8879 | Forward_Squirrel8879

Commenter calls out OP's behavior, receives sarcastic reply.

[deleted] | [deleted]

Girlfriend stands up to misogynist father, commenters support her.

[deleted] | [deleted]

Commenter calls out OP and his dad for being AHs 👀

Samu_2020_15 | Samu_2020_15

Challenging Asian culture's sexism towards women. ❌👎

jungkook_mine | jungkook_mine

User calls out OP's sexist behavior towards girlfriend at dinner 🍽️

TieFew8487 | TieFew8487

Commenter calls out poster for behavior at dinner with parents 👀

IFeelLikeBlueSky | IFeelLikeBlueSky

Commenter calls out OP for not defending girlfriend against rude father

k1p1coder | k1p1coder

Everyone's a little bit of an a-hole in this dinner drama 😬

cyanderella | cyanderella

Choosing your father's side over your girlfriend's? YTA 🤨

MaybeAWalrus | MaybeAWalrus

OP's failure to defend girlfriend leads to YTA consensus 🤔

Talathia | Talathia

Defending your partner is important. YTA for not supporting.

[deleted] | [deleted]

Don't expect your girlfriend to take insults lying down 💪

Snackinpenguin | Snackinpenguin

No winners here. Girlfriend stood up, but also said something cruel.

Neon-Anonymous | Neon-Anonymous

Don't be an a**hole and stand up for your partner 😤

caryn1477 | caryn1477

Defend your partner, not your parents. 🙅‍♂️

tannieth | tannieth

Commenter calls out OP for taking bad advice from in-laws

Ulwoja | Ulwoja

Commenter calls out YTA for not defending girlfriend against misogyny

MurielFinster | MurielFinster

Defend your partner, but don't go for the heart 💔

RecommendsMalazan | RecommendsMalazan

Commenter calls out OP's dad, defends girlfriend. 💪

Euphoric_Egg_4198 | Euphoric_Egg_4198

Partner's failure to stand up for girlfriend causes tension 😕

Chantalle22 | Chantalle22

Man's girlfriend stands up against verbal attack from his misogynist father 😠

universityidk | universityidk

Commenter calls out OP's behavior with thought-provoking question 🤔

cooljacketfromrehab | cooljacketfromrehab

OP's preference for dad over mom sparks YTA judgement 🔥

SoupNo682 | SoupNo682

Commenter stands up for their partner in face of disrespect 👏

Kirin2013 | Kirin2013

Step up for your girlfriend or become like your father 👀

lemondrop93 | lemondrop93

Ouch! A harsh verdict on the OP's behavior 😬

Accomplished-Fan-550 | Accomplished-Fan-550

Empowerment FTW! 💪 Stand up to outdated beliefs and attitudes.

SPolowiski | SPolowiski

Commenter suggests introspection for insecure boyfriend and father

DreamStunning9223 | DreamStunning9223

Empowering response to a judgmental partner. 🙌

katelibbyx | katelibbyx

Girlfriend shuts down boyfriend's dad at dinner. YTA called out 🙌

womanbehindwords | womanbehindwords

Empowering reply to sexist behavior from partner's family. 💪

[deleted] | [deleted]

Commenter calls out OP's dad and shows support for girlfriend 💪

damnkira | damnkira

Commenter calls out OP and dad, drama at dinner 🍴

Treatapple | Treatapple

Outdated gender stereotypes lead to ESH judgement and tension 🤷‍♀️

Enough-Builder-2230 | Enough-Builder-2230

Commenter calls out the boyfriend's red flags and advises girlfriend to leave 💔

SoloBurger13 | SoloBurger13

Commenter calls out OP for taking dad's side during dinner.

YMMV-But | YMMV-But

Defend your girlfriend, don't let your dad bash her 🚫👨‍👦

jasemina8487 | jasemina8487

Commenter calls out the boyfriend's behavior with a humorous twist 😂

Puffblazos | Puffblazos

Fiery comment shuts down toxic behavior at family dinner 🔥

Single-Pause6638 | Single-Pause6638

OP is called out for not defending girlfriend during dinner 💥

Abcdezyx54321 | Abcdezyx54321

Commenter delivers brutal verdict on OP's behavior. 💥

lemons66 | lemons66

Father insults girlfriend, boyfriend doesn't defend her, both at fault 💔

JohnnyCalibre | JohnnyCalibre

Commenter calls out OP's dad for not valuing his wife's career

Justsosay | Justsosay

Commenter calls out sexism and defends stay-at-home dads. 👏

JaxOmen | JaxOmen

Defending your partner is crucial, YTA and your dad.

crisiscrayonsneeded | crisiscrayonsneeded

Commenter calls out OP's dad for doing nothing. 💥

BoudicaTheArtist | BoudicaTheArtist

Commenter thinks the man is in the wrong. 💥

Aluckysj | Aluckysj

OP gets called out for not standing up for his girlfriend

lunamoon1947 | lunamoon1947

Stand up for your partner, or they'll find someone who will 💪🏼❤️

Wildmoonchild87 | Wildmoonchild87

A scathing comment leaves no room for interpretation 💔

United-Plum1671 | United-Plum1671

Girlfriend shuts down sexist parents, but boyfriend doesn't support her 🤦‍♂️

Meryuchu | Meryuchu

Commenter thinks the man is in the wrong. 💥

phantomrider313 | phantomrider313

A tense dinner with sexist comments and betrayals from all sides 🍽️

Neverwhere_82 | Neverwhere_82

Commenter calls out OP for siding with his disrespectful father. 💥

wykkedfaery33 | wykkedfaery33

Commenter calls out OP's father's sexist views, defends girlfriend.

AdHistorical7082 | AdHistorical7082

Girlfriend speaks up at dinner, tension ensues. YTA confirmed.

Hellothere__22 | Hellothere__22

Power move! Commenter puts rude dad in his place 👊

Weird-Pomegranate388 | Weird-Pomegranate388