*This is a work of non-fiction sourced from social media discussion boards and verified experts/specialists.*
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In a recent Reddit post, a user shared their experience of being constantly made fun of by their brothers-in-law for their appearance.
The author revealed that his family members never miss an opportunity to mock him about his physical attributes. He explains:
“My brothers-in-law make fun of me for being short, stocky, and for looking older than my age/balding. I’m 30. Whether it’s sports-related, the size of my legs, my vehicle, my stomach, etc. I don’t normally make fun of others and try to be aware of others' feelings. But I heard them talking in a small group from a distance about how terrible I look for my age.”
This constant belittlement has taken a toll on the author’s self-esteem and left him feeling bad about himself after every encounter, as he continues:
“I agree with them for the most part, but figured if we’re speaking facts, then it would be okay for me to walk over and say, “For as old and terrible as I look, at age 30 my salary is triple yours at age 45” and I smiled. Awkwardness ensued and I was approached by others saying that I took it too far to mention money and a man’s job.”
Harley Therapy states that being on the receiving end of constant taunting can have a profound impact on someone's self-esteem and mental well-being. Constant teasing and bullying can also erode an individual's confidence and lead to feelings of shame and worthlessness, as touched on by Choosing Therapy.
Despite the way his statement was poorly received, the author still feels it was justified, as he concludes with:
“I convince myself to be ok with this, but I naturally feel bad for having said this, but I figured I could not make fun of them for being short or fat because they aren’t, so basically, I had to work with the ammo that I had. I usually let them making fun of me slide without saying a word and go home feeling kinda bad about myself, but I’ve been getting tired of it lately.”
What do you think?
Was the author in the right to clap back at his brothers-in-law, since they spent years degrading and humiliating him, and he finally stood up for himself, even if someone else was offended by what he said?
Or was the author wrong to have said something so cruel, even though people were saying cruel things about him, and he should have been the bigger person here?
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