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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Aibu? Insensitive comment

29 replies

Jsjeksmne · 19/12/2019 23:29

Name changed for this.
I need some help. I know I can be overly sensitive but I just want to know if I’m being unreasonable or not. I was going to write this months ago but then I thought it’s not worth it, I’m just being stupid. But then something else happened and then just wasn’t sure. I’m sorry this will be a very long one.

Basically, my close cousin died very unexpectedly in the summer. I have a snap chat streak with a friend and I only do it because of them. I don’t see the point of it but I do it anyway to please her. Anyway when he died I didn’t bother snapping her back. To me it just seemed ridiculous to be sending snaps just for a streak when someone has died. Tbh most things I couldn’t see the point of. When it happened I didn’t open or send any snaps. My friend messaged me and called me because she thought that was odd. I didn’t bother opening her messages.

She was currently on holiday in Dubai which she goes every year. She asked another friend to give me a call. Still no reply from me. Eventually after 4 days I replied on group chat to say I’m sorry for not replying my cousin has died. I opened my messages and snaps from my friends. They were mostly things saying “where are you” , “I’m worried” “is everything ok” etc. He died on Sunday and I messaged them on the group chat on the Wednesday evening. I didn’t say when he died. My two friends both said we’re here if u need to talk etc. The next day (Thursday) I messaged them about what happened and how he supposedly died.
Now the thing is on the Friday my friend is still sending me snaps. Mostly of herself on holiday having fun, out with family, going out to eat and watching the new BTS movie. I was shocked. Why would you send pics and videos to someone who’s close relative has died of you enjoying yourself. She didn’t just send me the snaps she also put it on her Snapchat story. I just didn’t understand it and thought it was insensitive. No way would I be doing that. For example if her brother had died. Would i be sending her pictures of my nice food in a restaurant or me having fun? I thought it was just awful. And 100% there would be no way on earth I would even do that. She chose to send me the snaps and she chose to put it on her story. I was going to say something but I bit my tongue.
I thought If I said something I was worried it would get turned round on me. Because you could argue that I shouldn’t have been looking and opening her snaps anyway and that it was my fault. And that I should’ve continued not to open them. But if someone is sending it to you, doesn’t it say more about them? As I said would never in a million years have done it to anyone. But I just left it cos I didn’t want to cause any argument. Also it could be argued that she was sending the same snaps to all her friends so she didn’t realise. But hand on heart if that was me I would make sure I wouldn’t have sent anything. Also with Snapchat stories you can block people from viewing them. I just don’t understand it as I cannot imagine myself taking all these pics and purposely uploading them for that friend to see knowing what a terrible time they’re going through.

Anyway, as I said I left it but It was always in the back of my mind. However recently I been chatting with my friends on group chat. We were all joking around and they were pretending that same friend is getting married and that I needed to get my Asian clothes ready for her wedding. I said I don’t have any Asian clothes and my friend said yes you do what about the pink one. Now the “pink one” was what I wore to my cousins (who died) wedding. Again I was shocked and said “but that was the one I wore to my cousins who died wedding. Unless u want to me wear it I can 😂” I was upset that she suggested this. But the reason for the comment “unless u want me to wear it I can 😂” was so that it didn’t make it seem I was upset, especially that’s why I added the emoji.

Now I was wary of the reply. Id have hoped she would’ve said sorry I didn’t realise or didn’t mean to. But deep down knew that she wouldn’t say sorry for the comment. So I Purposely, didn’t read it until the next day. I was putting it off because I was worried she’d disregard the comment and say something like “oh maybe not” or “whoops haha” or even”I don’t mind”. I was preparing myself for an insensitive comment back and was telling myself not to get worked up about it. As I said I can get upset about the littlest things. However, I was secretly hoping that that she’d said sorry. I would’ve been honestly “oh dw haha that’s ok”.

But this morning when I opened it, her response was “😳what did the poor dress do”. I couldn’t believe it, and especially that use of emoji as well . Perhaps I shouldn’t have added the other comment and just left it as “but it was dress I wore to my cousins that died” . Then I don’t think she’d have made that comment. I mean you’d have to say sorry if someone said that wouldn’t you! What surprised me was the fact she even remembered I had a pink outfit. She has terrible memory at times. And my cousins wedding was 4 years ago! I think I must’ve been talking about it all the time and I remember sending a pic of the outfit material on group chats. I never go to weddings so it was an exciting time. So I found it upsetting she’d even suggest that. I mean she could’ve thought it was different cousin that died or only remembered the outfit forgetting I wore it to my cousins wedding maybe? But nevertheless, she should’ve said sorry after I mentioned that I wore it to my dead cousins wedding!

So am I right to be upset?

OP posts:
fligglepige · 19/12/2019 23:33

She's being a bit insensitive. You're being a bit over sensitive, understandably as you are grieving. Maybe it would help if you met face to face and you opened up to her about how you down you're feeling.

toodlethenoodle · 19/12/2019 23:34

Just delete snapchat...

purpleme12 · 19/12/2019 23:35

Not everyone associates certain items of clothes with sad events.
To a lot of people it's just an item of clothes so why not wear it again

I think you are being a bit over the top

(Her sending holiday photos when he'd died was insensitive and not right but this other thing I think you're being a bit over sensitive about)

BumpkinSpiceBatty · 19/12/2019 23:39

She seems quite flippant about your loss. You seem slightly over sensitive. I don't see a problem with wearing the outfit again?

Bluerussian · 19/12/2019 23:39

You're not exactly unreasonable and possibly your friend is rather insensitive but, honestly, people often don't know what to say when someone is bereaved. Some try to be overly cheerful and carry on as normal. I've had that in bereavement, you wouldn't believe two of the emails and letters I received, all mock heartiness but I know the people and they mean no harm.

Things will gradually get back to normal, op, but I am truly sorry for your loss.

(I don't know what a 'streak' is)

Ginfordinner · 19/12/2019 23:41

As I understand it people post on Snapchat like they would on other social media, so unless the poster knows the circumstances of everyone who is following them they aren't going to know that posting a holiday picture (or a picture of a cat or a baby or a delicious meal) is going to offend at least one of their followers.

If the holiday pictures are in a private group or just for you then it is insensitive, but if they are just for general followers YABU.

Sorry for your loss Flowers

MyKingdomForBrie · 19/12/2019 23:43

I think you're really overthinking, sorry. She should have specifically removed you from her snapchat distribution list but I do know that people who use it just send to all and I'm pretty sure she would assume that you just wouldn't open your feed.

Also could it be that maybe she's not very close with her cousins so doesn't understand that you feel similar to a sibling dying? For example I would never have made or even imagined that comparison in my mind as my cousins are really no where near as close to me as my sibling, I'd be very upset of course but not deep in grief.

Fanlights · 19/12/2019 23:45

OP, I’m sorry for your loss, but I have zero memory of outfits I wore four years ago. I would not regard something I wore years ago to the wedding of someone who’d since died as significant. I’d wear it again if I liked it. You clearly don’t feel this way, but perhaps your friend does.

And I think that your life would be immeasurably improved if you deleted Snapchat.

Jsjeksmne · 20/12/2019 00:26

Thanks for everyone’s replies. Perhaps I am over reacting. It’s good to hear others perspectives.

Just want to clarify I don’t spend all my time on Snapchat . I mostly snap my friend for streaks—hard to explain what that is. She only snaps her friends/family, she doesn’t to any strangers. My upset was that i wouldn’t be sending pics and videos of me on holiday when my friend has told me the day before their close relative has died. The problem isn’t snapchat, this could’ve well have been on wattsapp/insta etc

Secondly, the comment about the outfit. I understand people have no problem re wearing an outfit. It’s not that...it’s when she suggested to wear it and I replied but I wore it to my dead cousins wedding. She should’ve recognised that wasn’t ok and said sorry I didn’t realise. Not “😳 what did the poor dress do”

OP posts:
Bananabeak · 20/12/2019 03:42

I’m sorry for your loss. The thing is you having worn that to your cousins wedding before wouldn’t necessarily stop you from wearing it again and they way you phrased it and put an emoji has kinda of lead her into the next part. You should’ve just said I would rather not because... you’ve have her the impression all is well in your reply and she’s not psychic.

user1483387154 · 20/12/2019 04:06

sorry for your loss but you are completely over reacting to those scenarios.

Medievalist · 20/12/2019 04:19

I’m sorry for your loss. The thing is you having worn that to your cousins wedding before wouldn’t necessarily stop you from wearing it again and they way you phrased it and put an emoji has kinda of lead her into the next part. You should’ve just said I would rather not because... you’ve have her the impression all is well in your reply and she’s not psychic.

^^ This

And the Snapchat thing - if the posts are just for you then yes, that was very insensitive. If they were for a group of people then I think you are being unreasonable.

Sorry for your loss but I think you are over-analysing what people say and do.

Greggers2017 · 20/12/2019 04:20

Sorry but you are massively overreacting. A Snapchat story is what everyone sees who is following her, not just you and she probably has her settings set that her snaps get sent to everyone on her list of contacts. She did nothing wrong. It wasn't her uncle that died, all she is doing is carrying on with her life as normal. Why didn't you just log out if you were being so sensitive?

Regarding the outfit, some people aren't sentimental over a piece of clothing. I'm not, I wear what I was wearing when I was with my grandad when he passed away, all the time. Same as I wear clothes I wear for funerals at work.

It's sad, very sad but people die and the world does not stop turning because of it. Maybe some bereavement counselling would be good for you if it is affecting you so badly. They have been very useful to my sister.

GiveHerHellFromUs · 20/12/2019 04:22

Delete Snapchat. I have 15 year old sisters and even they gave up on streaks a long time ago.

It sounds harsh but the world doesn't stop turning when somebody dies.

I also think that you made the situation about the outfit awkward. It doesn't matter what you wore to your cousins wedding (that was 4 years prior). If you didn't want to wear it you could have just said so. Instead you tried to embarrass your friend and make her feel uncomfortable.
But just because someone died 4 years after you wore it, it doesn't mean you can ever wear it again.

I do get that grief affects people in different ways though and I am sorry for your loss.

GlamGiraffe · 20/12/2019 05:12

Are the snapchat posts to lots of people like facebook and instagram are @Jsjeksmne or are they sent just to you like a test message would be?
This is the key point

If it is the former you are being over sensitive you are grieving and in stalemate likewise but your friends live is continuing as she shouldn't have to stop that because of your circumstances, sad as they may be.
If however she is sending the messages just to you it is strange and she is insensitive.

Regarding the outfit no one probably other than you would ever put the same emotional attachment on that outfit. It is I believe unusual to put such a strong connection on a dress (apart from your wedding dress maybe) that you have worn for weddings or even funerals of people close to you. I think you are over sensitive on this matter.

It sounds as though your grief is quite severe. Maybe some grief counselling would help you and someone to talk your thought through with might be a good idea.

It might be a good idea to tell your friend just how hard the death has hit you and how affected you are by it too, rather than carrying on normally so she can understand and it will stop similar repeat situations in the future.

Can you please explain to all of us oldies what a streak is.

christmasathome · 20/12/2019 06:29

Imo you are being over sensitive. I can see you where you are coming from about the snapchats and if they were a direct message to you rather than a snapchat to multiple people then i think you would have more reason to feel upset.

The dress thing is weird tbh. So you won't ever wear that dress again? What about an outfit you wore to his birthday party? Or the last Christmas you spent together?

I could sort of understand if she suggested you wore an outfit you bought specifically for his funeral but not happy occasions.

Veterinari · 20/12/2019 10:55

You’re being v over sensitive. It sounds like you have good friends who supported you whilst grieving, checked in to see you were ok and stayed in touch despite you ignoring them. Your problem seems to be that your friend didn’t respond in your preferred way - perhaps she was trying to distract you, show you lovely positive images?

It seems that you want to ditch your friend because she didn't Respond to your grief in your preferred way.
I lost a close relative recently - i’ll Wear my funeral dress again and not think twice about it because it’s a lovely (non-black) dress - does that make me insensitive?

If you aren’t planning on wearing the outfit again then get rid of it but don't Take offence because your friend suggests you wear an outfit she knows you have Confused

LochJessMonster · 20/12/2019 11:04

Wayyy overreacting.

Snapchat stories are able to be viewed by everyone, which is why she has put them on there, not to rub it in.
I imagine shes just automatically clicked on everyone on her friends list plus added it to her story. Not deliberately picked you out.

Jsjeksmne · 20/12/2019 13:02

It seems that you want to ditch your friend because she didn't Respond to your grief in your preferred way

No I dont. I don’t see where that’s come from?

I imagine shes just automatically clicked on everyone on her friends list plus added it to her story
I suspected that maybe the case and so I just left it. But then that comment made things worse for me. She only sends to her friends as i said. She doesn’t have millions of followers! I’m just saying if it was ME I wouldn’t have sent anything. Also I don’t know who else she was directly sending her snaps. I just received them. I also remember her sending me memes directly on insta-which again I couldn’t understand.

The dress thing is weird tbh. So you won't ever wear that dress again? What about an outfit you wore to his birthday party? Or the last Christmas you spent together?

He lived abroad. I don’t have an outfit that I wore to his birthday party or Christmas because I’ve not spent those occasions with him. It wasn’t just an outfit I bought in a shop. I had to buy the material and pay somebody to make the outfit. My friends at the time kept asking about it and telling me to send pictures. So that’s why I’m sure my friend remembers the pink outfit. I’m not saying I’ll never wear the outfit again in the future and I’ll certainly feel odd if I did. But this was my first proper wedding and outfit that was tailor made.

It's sad, very sad but people die and the world does not stop turning because of it
I do know that!Hmm

It sounds like you have good friends who supported you whilst grieving, checked in to see you were ok and stayed in touch despite you ignoring them
They didn’t know anyone had died. Because I didn’t streak my friend she messaged me and I didn’t reply....because I didn’t feel up to it. I did eventually reply 3 days later and apologised for ignoring. When I told them he died I got the usually response of “we’re here if you need to talk etc. That was it no follow up messages asking how I am. No phone calls etc . I thought it was odd because I know how they’re so close to their cousins, they’re practically siblings. One I particularly is soo unbelievably close to her cousins that’s all she talks about. If it was her I would be directly messaging her asking how she was and call her.
“they way you phrased it and put an emoji has kinda of lead her into the next part”

I agree

I’m just going to have to accept I’m being unreasonable. Thanks everyone. First time posting a ‘proper’ thread. Usually just ask for recommendations of places to visit haha. I did think some responses were quite harsh but hey ho.

OP posts:
AlternativePerspective · 20/12/2019 13:10

How old are you all?

Playing out all this stuff over snapchat is really not healthy in any way.

Also, even if you went to trouble to get the wedding outfit doesn’t mean other people would remember that. It was your wedding outfit, and I’m guessing they didn’t go to the wedding or were part of the arrangements so how on earth are they going to remember an outfit which you wore to the wedding of someone they didn’t know four years ago.

sweeneytoddsrazor · 20/12/2019 13:21

Most people send snapchat to everyone on their list. Nothing insensitive about it.
And I dont understand the dress comment at all. It sounds as though you were jokingly blaming the death of your cousin on wearing the dress to his wedding and would she really want to take a chance on you wearing the same dress to her wedding in case the same thing happened again, which is why she responded in the way she did.

Tombliwho · 20/12/2019 13:22

Can I ask, are you very young? This sounds like very teen based drama.. It's sad that you lost a cousin but if I'm honest I can't really see that your friend is particularly in the wrong.
I think less social media in general would be helpful for you.

Ellisandra · 20/12/2019 13:26

There is no established etiquette for behaviour on SM when someone dies. It’s too new for traditions. This isn’t the Victorian period where you could consult a book to know how many days you had to wear black before switching to purple, for what kind of relationship.

Perhaps the etiquette should be that no-one posts on SM for 3 days after a death for any follower.

Perhaps the etiquette should be that you post what you want but with a black border for a week.

Perhaps the etiquette should be that the responsibility for removing yourself from a group lies with the bereaved.

If she had stopped sending to you, how long should that have been for? And isn’t there a fine line of leaving you isolated in your grief, when you’d actually rather have other people’s mundane happy chat to stop you feeling alone?

You’d shown her that you were able to leave the group (or not look at it) for days.

Sending holiday stuff directly to you? Insensitive. But she didn’t.

Carrying on a group as normal? Just no etiquette and I don’t think she was wrong.

I actually think you were over sensitive about the dress. It wouldn’t occur to me that a friend wouldn’t wear that dress. Or, hasn’t worn it since the wedding so it was so totally associated with it. I actually assumed at first it was made for the funeral, to understand why you found it insensitive.

I think her response about the dress’s fault and emoji was fine - given your emoji use first. Black humour is a thing, a lot of people laugh about things related to death.

The thing I really picked up from this, is that you don’t seem to like her - and you seem to worry about her reaction. I think this is more to do with your overall relationship with her.

hazell42 · 20/12/2019 13:32

If i was your friend I wouldnt necessarily think that you would be so traumatised at the death of a cousin that you couldn't mention the clothes you wore to their wedding.
Not saying you're not entitled to be, just saying a lot of people would have just been a little sad and gone on with their life pretty much as normal
Maybe she is like that and just assumed you were too

Equanimitas · 20/12/2019 13:42

Were you that close to your cousin if he was abroad and you didn't see him for birthdays and Christmas? To be fair to your friends, they may not have realised.