When a father of three received an invitation to his sister’s wedding, he was thrilled that his family was included.
As a single father of three boys, the invitation was an opportunity to create happy memories with his family.
Unfortunately, the event did not turn out as planned, and it sparked a heated debate on social media. The post by the father, who happens to be the original poster (OP), gained much attention, with many commenters sharing their thoughts on the matter.
OP explained that his son, Connor, was born female and came out as transgender five years ago. Connor had not yet undergone physical transition but had socially transitioned.
OP’s sister, who was getting married, had a specific dress code for the wedding. Men were to wear a shirt and tie, and women were to wear sundresses.
OP sent his sister a photo of the outfits he and his sons planned to wear, which did not include a dress for Connor.
His sister asked where Nia’s dress was, referring to Connor’s birth name.
OP replied by telling his sister not to deadname his son and that Connor would wear a shirt and tie like the other men. His sister responded by saying, “fine.”
At the wedding reception, the father’s sister became upset when she saw that Connor was wearing a tie.
However, she did not say anything at the time. OP and his sons then sat down at their assigned table, only to find that the place card for Connor read “Nia.”
OP went to his sister and asked why she did that. She said she used “their real name,” referring to Nia.
OP then announced that he and his sons were leaving, and his sister told him not to cause a scene at her wedding. OP called his sister a bigot and left with his sons.
Was Challenging Connor’s Gender Identity Justified?
OP’s post on social media received a lot of attention, and many commenters sided with him.
Some thought that his sister was being insensitive and disrespectful towards Connor.
Commenter samanthacarter4 called out the sister’s comment, “Nia can be a guy any other day,” as being ridiculous.
“He can be a man any other day? What a ridiculous thing to say. Well, sister theoretically could be an AH any other day, too, yet here we are. Good on you for standing up to her in support of your son.”
Others, like MundanePlanet, suggested that the sister’s attitude would lead to another wedding in the future.
“With an attitude like that, I’m sure the sister will be a bride again before long, so ruining this wedding was no big issue.”
Similarly, another commenter lucifersnana put forth an analogy comparing the situation of OP’s son ‘Connor’ and OP’s sister in the following way:
“Long con idea tho; she got married right? She was Miss Smith, let’s say, she’s now Mrs Jones right? Conveniently forget the Jones and call her Smith. I mean that’s what you’ve known her as your whole life, so it’s hard to change what you’ve called someone their whole life, even if they prefer you call them something else.”
DeusXMathematica, pointed out that Connor is a man every day, and the sister should show him respect by not deadnaming him.
“Connor is a man every day. Went to bed yesterday a man, woke up today a man. No one is calling into question whether or not Connor is a man except for the sister, and the only one making a scene of it, is the sister. All she needs to do today, as she should be every day, is showing Connor a modicum of respect and not dead-naming him.”
Cheap_Boysenberry_23 shared a witty response regarding how things tend to change since someone’s birth.
“Yeah, it also says I’m 7 pounds. Lot’s changed since then.”
The Verdict
Overall, the situation at the wedding highlights the tension between social norms and personal identity.
While the father’s sister had a specific dress code in mind for her wedding, she did not consider the feelings of her nephew, who had come out as transgender.
According to social media users, OP’s sister’s insistence on using his birth name and expecting him to wear a dress undermined his identity, leaving only herself to blame for the drama at her wedding.
What are your thoughts on the situation? Let us know in the comments.
Featured Image Credit: Wavebreakmedia /Depositphotos.com.
This article originally appeared on Ash & Pri.