Was this neighbour "entitled to say what he wants in his own garden?"

[MrCollinsandhisboiledpotatoes]

My friend shared a funny story this morning.

Her garden ends in a six foot fence, which backs onto another garden for the house behind her. They are large, very long gardens.

The man of this house, clearly thinking he had found a secluded spot away from his kids, was having a VERY explicit conversation with his wife on the phone, at the end of his garden, right against the fence. He was describing in great detail exactly what he was going to do to her when she returned home from her trip.

Trouble is, friend and her kids were sat right on the other side of the fence. They have a decking area there with chairs, tables, kids toys etc.

She couldn't let this conversation go on in earshot of her kids (3yo and 5yo) so she cheerfully shouted over the fence "very happy for your wife mate, but my kids are two feet away from you!" To which she heard a fumbled "shit, hold on" and then silence.

She reiterated this story to us, we all laughed, and agreed she did the right thing.

Retold story to husband just now who laughed, but said really, she had no right to tell him anything and embarrass him. It's his garden, he can have that conversation if he wants, and she should have moved the kids away until it stopped.

I disagree and think if you're going to live around other people you need to think of other people.

Who's right?
Reasonable - me and my friends
unreasonable - my DH

My sitting area isn't right up against my fence and my kids weren't there.

Lol, God love you OP trying to have to clarify that it wasn't you and your kids in the story 😭
Just as a summary below, and I don't know if I missed any, the number of times in the story the OP made it obvious that she was not the person in the story and she doesn't have to explain or apologise for the position of the decking which is not actually hers...

1. My friend shared a funny story this morning.
2. Her garden...
3. ...the house behind her.
4. Trouble is, friend and her kids..
5. They have a decking area...
6. She... couldn't let this conversation go on in earshot of
7. ...her kids (3yo and 5yo) so
8. ...she... cheerfully shouted over the fence "
9. she... heard a fumbled "shit, hold on" and then silence.

10. She... reiterated this story 11. To us, 12. ..we all laughed, and agreed 13. she did the right thing. 14. ..she had no right to tell him anything and embarrass him. 15 ...she should have moved the kids away until it stopped.

Sadly, yes they can. Loudly expressing racist or homophobic remarks in a way in which others can hear it is, of course, abhorrent behaviour. Thankfully, it’s largely no longer socially acceptable to do so in public (or even in private if others can hear) but to do so is not a crime (unless you are inciting racial hatred, threatening, intimidating or harassing someone on those grounds etc). I am not suggesting that racist or homophobia are acceptable. To me personally, they are completely unacceptable viewpoints and behaviours and, as I say, abhorrent - but is someone allowed to make racist remarks their garden? Yes, they are - even if others can hear. It’s called free speech.

Sorry but I would have done a Kenneth Williams impression with "OOOOH Matron!"