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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To find her jokes about me offensive

192 replies

isitreallyjoking · 28/03/2017 21:35

Just to lessen any confusion I will say now that DW and I are both women.

DW has a cousin who is also her very close friend. Cousin has a habit of saying things about me which I find offensive but she always says are jokes or sometimes advice. For example she will say oh God why are you wearing that or if you just spent 20 more minutes on your hair it would probably look half decent and lots of jokes about how I'm punching above my weight with DW. She also quite frequently says no offense but ... usually followed by something a bit offensive , like no offense but my granddad would wear those shoes.

I find these quite offensive however DW and her family tell me it's just how she is and she is like that with everyone.
But whilst she may make one or two comments about others at an event she always makes at least 8 or 9 about me. Once or twice DW or I have pulled her up on it but she shrugs it off as she was only joking and I need to learn to take a joke.
We only see her in person about 5 times a year and DW is close to her so I tend to just try and ignore it.

On Sunday we all went out to dinner for DW aunts birthday (cousins mum). Most people were drinking quite a bit including cousin. So cousin had already made her usual comments about my outfit/appearance. Everyone was sat around the table waiting for food including DW and our DCs and a conversation started up about mothers day and how people celebrate. One of the guest said they thought it was commercialised.

Cousin then pointed at me and said I bet you think it's commercialised how did you used to celebrate it with your mum.
My mum died when I was in primary school so I don't really remember celebrating with her.
However people quite do sometimes forget my mum died when I was young so I just assumed cousin had.
I told cousin that I don't remember what I did with my mum.
Cousin said oh my God I can't believe you don't remember what you did with your own mum how could you forget.
Aunt then whispered to cousin I didn't hear but I assume she reminded her that my mum died when I was young.
Cousin then said oh God yes sorry though I guess that explains why you are the manly one. Everyone was completely silent which was really awkward.
Cousin then said come on I was only joking, because she had no mum she never learnt how to be a mum or a women herself that was the joke. See its funny now I've explained it to you. Cousin then sighed and said God you need a sense of humour and walked off laughing to herself.

The food came shortly afterwards and everyone ate and cousin came back and everyone was joking with her and it was forgotten. As soon as we ate I told DW I wanted to leave. She agreed and we didn't speak to cousin again. We said goodbye to everyone else and no one mentioned it.

We got home and I told DW that I was upset about the comments. She agreed they were mean and she messaged cousin to ask her to apologise.

Cousin messaged DW today and said she was sorry if I was upset but she had been drinking and it was just a joke and everyone else didn't think it was a big deal.

DW thinks that she was drinking and has just made a bad joke and its all ok now because she apologised. I think she wants me to just forget about it. But I don't think it was a funny joke and I don't think she meant her apology. I am still a bit upset about it but everyone else seems to think I should just accept it was a joke.

So AIBU to think that her jokes are just offensive or should I just accept that it's a joke and go along with it.

OP posts:
dutchyoriginal · 31/03/2017 21:28

Read this yesterday and wanted to respond after all. Regarding your DW and not wanting to choose between the two of you, ask her how she would react if one of your DC's classmates would have said about your DCs what your cousin said about you. I wonder whether she would still be ok with people calling it a "joke". As a mum, I would have gone ballistic. And as a wife, I should do the same...

As for the cousin, most of her remarks are plain rude, but her latest remarks about you and your mum are downright cruel. Ideally, I would, every time she wants to say something, say "people who make fun of deceased parents and their children, are cruel." Call it like it is.

Oh, and if you want to do the "bad joke imitation" that she does... follow up that "cruel" remark with "did you torture puppies as a child? ha ha ha joke!"

She is awful and needs to be pulled up on her behavior. Angry on your behalf!

HappyFlappy · 31/03/2017 23:09

DW said she didn't know what I wanted her to do but she has already told cousin that she accepts her apology.

Only you can accept (or not) the apology. Only YOU were insulted.

RandomMess · 01/04/2017 09:25

It's actually the cousin making your DW choose.

It is the cousin displaying utterly awful behaviour and is in effect saying "Let me abuse your DW cousin or I will drop you".

Teatowelfairy · 01/04/2017 10:03

She sounds vile! Your DW should have your back and realise that if anyone's forcing her to pick a side it's the cousin not you.
Next time she comments about hair/shoes etc I wouldn't be able to resist laughing along and saying "well that's one way to distract us all from your god awful make-up/shoes/hair" followed with tinkly laugh and a follow up comment about how cousin is always so hilarious/always has a great sense of humour etc.

WhereYouLeftIt · 01/04/2017 17:31

"It's actually the cousin making your DW choose."

"It is the cousin displaying utterly awful behaviour and is in effect saying "Let me abuse your DW cousin or I will drop you"."

Good point Random. And one that the OP should perhaps make to her DW.

Spadequeen · 01/04/2017 17:40

No what your dw does is everytime her cousin says something, she sticks up for you and says her jokes are wearing thin, they're not funny and to give it a rest. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

Tell her that is what she needs to do

Also every time she starts a comment with no offence but... you or your dw interrupts her and tell her if she really means no offence don't say it because usually what comes next is offensive.

She isn't bothered about upsetting you or making an awkward atmosphere, so you and your dw shouldn't worry either.

And if your dw isn't prepared to do this, then she doesn't have your back.

lizzieoak · 01/04/2017 17:48

Spadequeen has it 100%. The cousin is a nightmare. She most likely will never stop thinking these hurtful things, so you can either avoid her or your wife can intervene, as spade says, every single time.

People can be awful - it's a good thing there's kind people like you who recognize awful when they see it.

robinia · 01/04/2017 18:05

Absolutely YANBU and she needs to be pulled up on it everytime.
Don't do the passive aggressive or being rude back. Just, every time respond, 'that's rude and you know it'. If she tries to deny or minimise it say 'any reasonable person would find that rude. Don't talk to me like that again please.' Your dw can back you up by agreeing with you or saying the words for you. If she still won't stop then leave - with your dw - either temporarily or go home. Your dw needs to back you up on this and leave at your signal.

AtrociousCircumstance · 01/04/2017 19:29

Has there been any more understanding from your DW about this, OP?

NotBanksy · 01/04/2017 19:52

Another option would be to do a loud, monotone laugh after every 'funny' comment .

'Your shoes look like the could be my grandads'

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

but make it last just long enough to make the sarcasm blatantly obvious.

I would even start the laugh before she's even finished her comments.

Op if you'd spend longer... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Make the whole thing so hideously awkward she won't even want to look at you.

HappyFlappy · 01/04/2017 22:36

Also every time she starts a comment with no offence but... you or your dw interrupts her and tell her if she really means no offence don't say it because usually what comes next is offensive

This

As Spade suggests - shut her up toot sweet.

Spadequeen · 02/04/2017 09:30

Have you spoke men to dw again?

Spadequeen · 02/04/2017 09:31

SPOKEN TO even

BillSykesDog · 02/04/2017 09:36

Cousin then said come on I was only joking, because she had no mum she never learnt how to be a mum or a women herself

'Your Mum must be a cunt then, seeing as how you've never learned not to be a cunt yourself'.

RaspberryOverloadsOnChilli · 02/04/2017 10:03

The cousin is either homophobic, or has issues with the DW giving attention to OP, when the cousin clearly wants to be the centre of the attention, having had the DW's support and attention growing up.

Probably some of both. She's clearly a bully, with those bitchy and hurtful comments. And blaming the drink is no excuse at all.

101YearsOfSolitude · 02/04/2017 10:34

NC just cause. I still don't think calling her out on it is going to yield any results.

When I was in my mid-teens, I was in a relationship with someone I absolutely despised. Every time we were together, I would purposely try and goad him with very personalised remarks. The more offended he got and the more he tried to ask me to stop, the greater my satisfaction because I loved pushing his buttons hoping he would break up with me.

Maybe the cousin is here to sow discord in your relationship. Maybe the cousin just doesn't like you and enjoys seeing you seethe. Either way, don't let her provoke a strong reaction out of you. I can almost guarantee that'll make her immensely happy.

theclick · 02/04/2017 10:39

Cousin dislikes you. A lot. And your wife needs to push back on her a lot more.

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