Woman Cancels Parents' 40th Anniversary Party After They Refuse to Invite Her Wife

Mar. 15, 2025

Woman arguing with parents in stock photo.Photo:Getty

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A woman says her parents asked her to plan their 40th wedding anniversary celebration — and then told her they wouldn’t be inviting her wife.In a post shared anonymously toReddit, the 32-year-old woman writes that she has been married to her wife, Emiily, for two years.“My parents have never fully accepted my relationship, though they insist they still ‘love’ me,” she writes. “They didn’t come to our wedding, claiming it was ‘too painful’ for them, but I tried to move past it.“She continues: “Recently, they asked me to plan their 40th anniversary party. I handled everything, the venue, catering, guest list, decorations. I spent months making sure it would be a perfect night for them. But last week, when I went over final details, my mom casually said, ‘Of course, Emily won’t be coming.’ “The woman writes that she was “stunned,” and asked her mom to elaborate when her dad chimed in to say the couple “didn’t want any drama” and just wanted a “traditional family celebration.”“I told them that if Emily wasn’t invited, I wouldn’t be coming either. My mom sighed and said, ‘We just don’t want to make people uncomfortable,’ " she adds.The post continues: “That broke me. Make people uncomfortable? My wife, who has done nothing but try to be polite to them isn’t welcome at a party that I organized because they’re worried about appearances?“Ultimately, the woman told her parents that if Emily wasn’t welcome, “neither was their party.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“I called the venue and canceled everything. No caterer, no decorations, no celebration. My parents freaked out, saying I was being vindictive and punishing them for their ‘boundaries,’ " she writes. “My extended family is divided, some say I was right to stand up for Emily, but others think I overreacted and ruined something that wasn’t about me.“Now, the woman’s parents aren’t speaking to her, and she’s left wondering if she took things too far.Many Reddit commenters are pointing out the hypocrisy of the woman’s parents, with one writing, “So they want you to honor their marriage while spitting on yours? Make that make sense. They didn’t want “drama,” but somehow they thought it was totally fine to drop that disrespectful bombshell after you’d already done all the work? Nah, they wanted control, not peace. “Added another: “They wanted you to do all the (free) work of planning their party but can’t even bother to respect you as an adult and a married person (for free) … You did the right thing.”

A woman says her parents asked her to plan their 40th wedding anniversary celebration — and then told her they wouldn’t be inviting her wife.

In a post shared anonymously toReddit, the 32-year-old woman writes that she has been married to her wife, Emiily, for two years.

“My parents have never fully accepted my relationship, though they insist they still ‘love’ me,” she writes. “They didn’t come to our wedding, claiming it was ‘too painful’ for them, but I tried to move past it.”

She continues: “Recently, they asked me to plan their 40th anniversary party. I handled everything, the venue, catering, guest list, decorations. I spent months making sure it would be a perfect night for them. But last week, when I went over final details, my mom casually said, ‘Of course, Emily won’t be coming.’ "

The woman writes that she was “stunned,” and asked her mom to elaborate when her dad chimed in to say the couple “didn’t want any drama” and just wanted a “traditional family celebration.”

“I told them that if Emily wasn’t invited, I wouldn’t be coming either. My mom sighed and said, ‘We just don’t want to make people uncomfortable,’ " she adds.

The post continues: “That broke me. Make people uncomfortable? My wife, who has done nothing but try to be polite to them isn’t welcome at a party that I organized because they’re worried about appearances?”

Ultimately, the woman told her parents that if Emily wasn’t welcome, “neither was their party.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“I called the venue and canceled everything. No caterer, no decorations, no celebration. My parents freaked out, saying I was being vindictive and punishing them for their ‘boundaries,’ " she writes. “My extended family is divided, some say I was right to stand up for Emily, but others think I overreacted and ruined something that wasn’t about me.”

Now, the woman’s parents aren’t speaking to her, and she’s left wondering if she took things too far.

Many Reddit commenters are pointing out the hypocrisy of the woman’s parents, with one writing, “So they want you to honor their marriage while spitting on yours? Make that make sense. They didn’t want “drama,” but somehow they thought it was totally fine to drop that disrespectful bombshell after you’d already done all the work? Nah, they wanted control, not peace. "

Added another: “They wanted you to do all the (free) work of planning their party but can’t even bother to respect you as an adult and a married person (for free) … You did the right thing.”

source: people.com