A man has been praised online after revealing that he had walked out of his sister's wedding because she made an insensitive comment about his husband.
The man shared in a newly-viral social media post that he decided to leave his sibling's special day early for that specific reason, receiving substantial support on the internet.
"My sister Anne got married on Saturday. My husband of seven years, Mark, was there with me and up until one point, [it] was an amazing evening. After the ceremony, Anne wanted a picture with all of our siblings and their respective partners so we started lining up," the man opened up in the Reddit post.
"When Anne saw that my husband was standing next to me, she shook her head and said something about him 'ruining the aesthetic'. Apparently, her plan was to put one man and one woman next to each other alternately."
"My youngest sister, who doesn't have a partner and was standing on the very side, offered to stand between the two of us, so that we could be close and Anne's wish would still be respected. Anne disagreed and told Mark to get out of the picture," he continued.
The Redditor made clear in his post that he'd felt offended and his husband was hurt by his sister's comments and actions. He wrote that he then decided to boycott the wedding by leaving early in a direct response to her hurtful words.
"It was obvious that [Mark] was hurt and disappointed by being left out. Obviously, it didn't stop me from getting angry and I walked away with him," the man wrote.
"I congratulated Anne and her husband one last time, but then I said my goodbyes. When I was asked why we were leaving early, I said that I didn't feel like our presence was wanted," he added.
After the wedding, Anne continued to message her brother and called him "overdramatic" for deciding to walk away from her big day. The Redditor made clear that the pair still aren't on pleasant terms, even though their parents have been trying to stage a compromise.
Expert Verdict: Have An Open And Honest Conversation
Nia Williams, a relationship therapist and life coach, told Newsweek that it's totally reasonable for the Redditor to have been offended by his sister's comments, but that there are ways for the siblings to rebuild their tainted relationship.
"It's understandable that the situation at his sister's wedding left him feeling hurt and disappointed. Family events, especially weddings, are supposed to be joyous occasions where everyone feels included and valued," Williams told Newsweek.
"Telling sometime to get out of a picture is hurtful but so is leaving on someone's wedding. More empathy was needed on both sides. The man should reach out to his sister, and express his feelings in a calm and non-confrontational manner."
"He should share his perspective on how her decision made him and his husband feel excluded and hurt. It's essential to approach the conversation with empathy and a desire to understand each other's viewpoints," she added.
Williams went on to say that while the pair are speaking about the matter, the Redditor should give his sister Anne an opportunity to respond to what he'd said and explain her intentions behind her decision.
"He should listen to her reasoning and try to understand her perspective, even if he may not agree with it completely. This can help foster a sense of mutual respect and create a foundation for resolving the conflict," the therapist explained.
The social media post was shared to Reddit on June 20 by u/Throwaway5680123, and has been upvoted by 91 percent of the users who engaged with it. The majority of the Redditors interacting with the post have left messages of support for the man.
One user commented: "Has your sister always been shamelessly homophobic, or has the wedding brought out a new side of her?"
"[Your] sister is horrid," another user added.
Newsweek has asked u/Throwaway5680123 for comment.
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