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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Close friend ended friendship due to 'difference in morals'

445 replies

Unpopularopinion1 · 21/06/2020 19:57

Name changed. I'm really hurt by what's happened, and I'm struggling with being told my opinions, which I've never thought are anything too uncommon, are that 'disgusting' (her words) that she cannot continue the friendship. We had a disagreement about a certain subject, which led to her blocking me. A few days later she unblocked me and attacked me with all these messages about different topics, asking me outright what I think as some sort of test, before concluding my answers weren't good enough for her high standards.

AIBU for thinking two close friends, of decades, should be able to have different opinions without cutting ties? I'm not sure I have any choice but to let it go. I'm just angry.

OP posts:
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7
CrunchyCarrot · 22/06/2020 08:12

I think that is one 'friend' you can safely do without, OP.

Pikachubaby · 22/06/2020 08:13

Be glad to be rid of this virtue signaling loon

DarklyDreamingDexter · 22/06/2020 08:14

You are right to be angry, OP, as you’ve done nothing wrong and she’s been a toxic bully. Block her on everything and don’t give her any means to contact you again to continue the bullying. Yes it’s sad when long standing friendships end, but she’s shown herself to be a horrible, judgemental bitch. Is she going through all her friendship group getting rid of people who don’t echo her warped narrative, or has she got new, woke friends who she’s trying to impress? You’re far better off without her in your life.

BelleSausage · 22/06/2020 08:14

She a sanctimonious prick.

You are well rid of her. I imagine she was worried that woke Twitter would discover your friendship and hound her for it.

So tolerant and supportive. What a bunch of wankers they are.

longwayoff · 22/06/2020 08:15

Crikey OP, your friend has worryingly intransigent views. Not all fascists are on the right, you are definitely better off in her absence.

Thinkingabout1t · 22/06/2020 08:18

Close friend ended friendship due to 'difference in morals'

The funny thing about your ex-friend is that the only immoral behaviour you have mentioned is her own, in launching a vicious online attack on you. But she will not see that.

NothingIsWrong · 22/06/2020 08:18

One of my closest friends and I have diametrically opposite views on the TWAW subject. We still manage to have the best friendship because we both recognise that there are nuances and opinions on both sides. She sounds bonkers.

Happynow001 · 22/06/2020 08:36

I think she's a bigot and a bully and you should be grateful not to have her in your life.
Totally agree with this. Life is too short to have people like this in yours.

AngryFeminist · 22/06/2020 09:05

I think there are some nuances to be had here. I'm also concerned about the retention of female safe spaces, and as such agree with some of what JKR said. That said, my fear is of abusive men using GRA legislation to access those spaces, not of trans women. I think that given we are all at most risk from men, it makes sense to share spaces and share the fight against patriarchy, but I also think that part of collaboration should be recognising where each others' needs diverge as well as intersect. One of these divergence is that cis women need single sex spaces for a bunch of reasons, whether that's based in religion or in the fact that penises can be traumatic for women who've been sexually assaulted. There's no reason why we shouldn't fight together for both a shared space for trans women who need it and cis women cwho are happy to share, and a single sex space for cis women who need it. I can't see how it's transphobic to ask for this to be respected.

I also used to be very angry re: 'people who menstruate' but accept that people see this as person-centred and had good intentions with it. I just also think they overlook the fact that cis women have been reduced to their reproductive functions as the root of their oppression and that for this reason it's offensive to many. I see no reason not to make the language more inclusive, but in a way that respects this - just name everyone, ie cis women, trans men and non-binary people.

As regards BLM and social media, I see your point and agree there was definitely a lot of virtue signalling going on. However, I also think that much like the Me Too movement, the idea was to demonstrate that a critical mass of people - and especially white people - supported the movement in order to encourage others to start interrogating their own racism. White people's silence on racism is a huge issue for people of colour and BLM is in great part about changing that.

I empathise with her on the political front and I think it probably underpins a lot of the disagreements above. The last election in particular was hugely divisive, and if you are of the left it can be very difficult to see how you could switch from Labour to Tory at all, but especially to a Johnson-led government. If you believe first and foremost in an equitable society then that will include dismantling structural racism and support for the LGBT community. Johnson has been explicitly racist and homophobic on several occasions. I can understand that for her these issues aren't just differences of opinion, but differences in morality that she can't get past.

All that said, I think doing all this from behind a keyboard is what is driving a lot of divisions in society. I don't subscribe to the school of not having heated discussions with close friends - my friendship group differ on a lot of things and quite enjoy hashing them out over wine, and that's exactly how you actually come to see other points of view and maybe change your own. If she were of one of the minorities mentioned, I would understand it, but the point of allyship is to bring these topics into communities - like white straight cis ones - where they need discussing. Not to shout at you and cut you off and share private messages so you both end up entrenched in your positions!

CecilyP · 22/06/2020 09:05

Since then she has been tweeting about it’s always the people you don’t expect who are the biggest racists/transphobes etc. She also screenshot a text I’d sent about the our national debt being higher than the economy since lockdown and how it’s worrying and she tweeted the screenshot alongside the words “Tory mentality: Worried more about the economy than lives. Might as well wish the vulnerable dead”

This isn’t differences of opinion, this is actually disgusting behaviour on the part of your friend. Has she always been a bully and you just haven’t noticed before? While I would be sad to lose a friendship over different views, that is not the case here. This person has shown there true colours and I would be the one ending the friendship!

Zaphodsotherhead · 22/06/2020 09:05

My best friend and I also have vastly different views on many things (she's a Brexit loving, Tory voter and I'm not). We occasionally discuss these things but normally just agree to differ or say 'we will wait and see what happens'. We're not going to fall out after nearly 30 years over it, when we see eye to eye on almost everything else!

SmiledWithTheRisingSun · 22/06/2020 09:12

She sounds like a nightmare person who is unable to see nuance.
Also seems like she didn't much value your friendship.
Not posting about BLM does not make you a racist. And the JKRowling bashing is outrageous!
You are better off out of it IMO x

SmiledWithTheRisingSun · 22/06/2020 09:14

Although if you voted TORY I would unfriend you too.

wrongsideofhistorymyarse · 22/06/2020 09:22

A good pal left a group of friends recently because she's deemed us 'transphobic' for agreeing with JKR. No discussion, just an accusation.

I really can't be bothered.

JKR said that only women menstruate. That is true, no matter how the woman in question personally identifies.

TinyPigeon · 22/06/2020 09:23

Great post @AngryFeminist

Italiangreyhound · 22/06/2020 09:24

AngryFeminist why have you said

"I empathise with her on the political front and I think it probably underpins a lot of the disagreements above. The last election in particular was hugely divisive, and if you are of the left it can be very difficult to see how you could switch from Labour to Tory at all..."

The OP clearly said...

"She replied saying “ok then tory” despite the fact I’ve never voted conservative. "

Beamur · 22/06/2020 09:30

Crikey. Your friend is a bit unhinged OP.
Some issues are hard to discuss and sometimes you have to agree to disagree.
One of my very closest friends and I have different views on Brexit. So I asked her why, she explained to me and I thought about it. I didn't change my mind entirely but because I respect her opinion and judgement it did give me pause to think. Funnily enough we managed to have a conversation about the divisive issue of the day without coming close to falling out.
I think lockdown has driven maybe more people to posting online anyway as a means of communication and it's much less easy to have a nuanced conversation.
A couple of my friends have got into a tussle over BLM on social media which has been painful to see. I have hidden a couple of friends for a while as I can't agree with them and they keep trying to win people round to their view. But, we are still friends and I don't see why all the other parts of our friendship count for nothing.
The need to 'win' an argument is not coming from a good place.

HunkyPunk · 22/06/2020 09:34

Ronald Reagan once said "Facism will rise again but come in the form of Liberalism"

Did he? That's almost prophetic. Sadly.

AngryFeminist · 22/06/2020 09:36

@Italiangreyhound oops misread sorry - my mistake!

GreytExpectations · 22/06/2020 09:41

And the JKRowling bashing is outrageous!

It's not "bashing" to disagree with someone's opinion...

IntermittentParps · 22/06/2020 09:42

she replied saying “ok then tory” despite the fact I’ve never voted conservative
The BLM and JK Rowling stuff aside, this would fuck me off on its own. I'd ignore her and sack off the friendship, TBH.

SerenityNowwwww · 22/06/2020 09:47

I hope she is happy in her bubble though - I find people who dive into extremes end up emotionally fragile and unhappy. But she sounds like a stroppy teen.

Unpopularopinion1 · 22/06/2020 09:49

I said I've always voted labour until last year, as I didn't support Corbyns labour. Not voting labour doesn't mean I voted conservative. I have never voted conservative. Can't remember who I'm replying to with this and too many messages to find it again.

We've had another argument again this morning and I'm annoyed at myself for even wasting my breath. Entirely about the economy/lives issues this time. I don't know why I think I can have a rational conversation with her. I thought maybe I could get her to see my side. She blocked me again before I had the chance to do so to her. I won't rise to it again.

Lots of responses on here, obviously can't reply to everyone personally but thank you all for your input. It wasn't about one issue in particular, but clearly one issue is a more controversial one as the responses on this thread show. There have been some really eye opening, informative responses though so thank you for taking the time.

OP posts:
GreytExpectations · 22/06/2020 09:52

As regards BLM and social media, I see your point and agree there was definitely a lot of virtue signalling going on. However, I also think that much like the Me Too movement, the idea was to demonstrate that a critical mass of people - and especially white people - supported the movement in order to encourage others to start interrogating their own racism. White people's silence on racism is a huge issue for people of colour and BLM is in great part about changing that.

You whole post is really great @AngryFeminist and I agree with it. The above specifically I wish people on Mumsnet would understand. Posting on social media isn't always virtue signalling, I certainly don't use it that way and nor does anyone I know. It's actually a great way of sharing knowledge. Often, people will find some good reading material or interesting facts on BLM and subjects that support it and they will share to the Instagram, FB, twitter and then others who may be uneducated on the topic but interested in learning will read the posts and actually begin to get some insight into the issues. It's also a good way of circulating petitions and raising awareness. Remember George Floyd's murder video was shared across social media, the woman in Central Park calling the police on that innocent man was also shared via social media. So many of us get our information from resources being shared. Social media can be a great tool when used properly but it gets so disregarded on here.

My0My · 22/06/2020 09:52

I’m actually getting sick of the word “Tory” being the latest word of abuse. People have nuanced thoughts. Some might be a bit right of centre and some a bit left. That’s where I sit politically and I think hurling the word Tory around at people on a single issue is abuse. It’s really saying someone is right wing and has no right to their thoughts. It’s greatly disrespectful and we are all allowed to consider each topic on its merits as we choose to see them.

If anyone posted this about me or called me a Tory I wouldn’t be happy. But, some dear friends are Conservative members and I would not fall out with them. They are wonderful people in every way. We just don’t agree on everything and that’s fine.

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