We’ve all had those moments when someone says something we find rude or offensive but try our best to brush off – cause we know that deep down, they didn’t mean it that way. Although, that won’t stop you from crying yourself to sleep at night.
The following AskRedditors respond to the question, “What’s the meanest thing someone’s said to you that wasn’t suppose to hurt your feelings?”
For more stories take a look at the original Reddit thread at the end of the article.
I ran into an old high school friend at a concert when I was 30. He said, “wow, time hasn’t been kind to us.” Well damn, dude. I thought I looked ok.
sissy_space_yak
When I was 18, I was a few weeks into a new relationship with a crush of mine. We were in the backseat of a friend’s car making out for the first (and last) time in our relationship. She paused and looked thoughtful for a moment and I asked her what she was thinking about.
“I’m trying to decide who I should pretend you are.”
That relationship came to a screeching halt right then and there. Oh boy, emotional scars…
RoughBacon
Facebook photo = me smiling.
A friend tells me his mom thought my picture was hilarious. He said he told her that I like to screw around like that and make goofy faces.
It was a normal picture. Sorry to those who have had similar situations and been hurt.
RyanPelley
One of my ex-girlfriends, during sex once, was in the middle of dirty talk (she was wild) and said, “yeah, you shove that little penis in there.” She said it in such a sexy way it took me a second to realize my life sucks.
Floridius
“I just love how you don’t care what you look like.”
Well, I worked really hard on my makeup, picking out my clothes, and doing my hair all for nothing I guess.
-ScreamingBarista-
Had a nasty battle with throat cancer. Lost a ton of weight (~200 pounds), lost my teeth, face and neck are all wrecked and scarred. Hadn’t seen my dad in some years and he flew in to visit. He actually walked past me not recognizing that it was in fact me. When I stopped him his look of utter shock was something I’ll never forget. He said, “Oh, son….I’m so sorry.”
It really devastated me. It’s been a very tough road but I have the best wife ever. She’s been the cheerleader I needed and has filled my head with “You look just fine” and “Will you just stop thinking it’s so noticeable” and “I think you are still handsome”. She was so good at it that I started to think I did indeed not look as bad as I thought. Then I got to see the unprotected reaction from my dad and the entire facade came crumbling down.
I don’t blame my dad. It was an honest reaction. The part that really hurt was when I talked to my wife after he went back and told her about this. I could see the storm clouds on her face as she realized what he had done. I asked her to be honest and she told me that yeah, I’m a wreck. What was she supposed to do? Let me flounder or be my rock and help me get through it all? She told me one of the sweetest things too she said “I meant the ‘through better or worse part’. I still love you and you are still the same person, just with different packaging.”
It’s weird to feel both blessed and cursed at the same time.
CancerFaceEww
I used to be involved in a karate class and I overheard my instructor saying something like “I’m really proud of despairofthefault. She has improved a lot even though she has autism.”
….I’m not autistic….
DespairoftheFault
I had a crush on a girl and we became friends. One day she says to me: “You care for me so much, you’re always there when I need you and you love me so much. “
Finally? My big moment? What followed destroyed me:
“Happy Mothers day (Yes, it was Mothers day). You’re like a mother to me.”
Yes, I got mother-zoned.
TheAstralistVision
A kid who was maybe 5 or 6 asked me “Why are you so fat?” Kids are blunt, and I was really overweight. I don’t think it was mean-spirited at all. I weigh a lot less now, partially because that kid’s comment really jarred me, so I guess it all turned out ok.
BreatheMyStink
My seven-year-old has autism. My brother is an overweight. One day recently we were saying our goodbyes. I told my daughter to hug her uncle goodbye and she replied with, “No! His belly is too big!”
He laughed it off knowing she wasn’t trying to be mean but later told our mom that it really bothered him.
CranialFlatulence
My over-achieving older sister was a few years above me in high school. I was a good student, but I wasn’t as clever or as good looking. One day a teacher found out I was her sister and she said: “So if she got the brains and the looks, what were you left with?”
wood865
“You’re like a plant. Nice to have around, but no one would care if you died.”
He’d been a totally normal ‘friend’ until that point and it took me entirely off guard. He seemed genuinely confused as to how that could have been in any way hurtful and actually asked a mutual friend why I was crying afterward.
ninjasexbang
I’m past the point of being embarrassed by my mother because, in reality, she’s only making herself look bad. She says hurtful things repeatedly because she’s “joking”.
We can’t make it through a day (or even a meal) without her telling everyone (including strangers) about how I always had no bottom or boobs, but now that I’m pregnant, I have both. Whatever, it’s true that I had really small tits. But I was also barely 100 lbs and my chest didn’t start filling in until I put on some weight in my early 20’s. Now that my sister has lost 20 lbs, she’s the target of the flat chest comments.
Sounds benign, but after years of hearing it multiple times per day, I became really self-conscious about it. Why can’t she just NOT comment on my body? I told her to please knock it off the other day, but she’s decided that it’s just my pregnancy hormones talking.
im_twelve_
My friend and I were both 16and we were talking to this guy who was trying to recruit us for this club in college. He was trying to convince me to give my friend permission to travel abroad because he thought I was her mother.
SassyRoro
One day I was going to a quinceaera here in Mexico. I put on some of my finest clothes then when I came down the stairs from my room my cousin asked me, “when are you changing it’s getting late.” I was freaking insecure about my clothing the whole quinceaera.
crigon559
“We always supported you when you were a kid even when we knew you’d never achieve.”
Yeah, that really got me motivated to get a better job…
what_does_edgy_mean
“You’re cute for an overweight guy.”
People just want to be liked for who they are, and not despite something about them. I try to avoid people who give these kinds of “compliments” nowadays.
tragicclearancebin
Was discussing LED bulbs with my boss (converting from fluorescents) and he said we wouldn’t have to change the lights again for 15 years. I replied that if I am still changing light bulbs in 15 years I need to reevaluate my life. My about to retire 65 yr old coworker seemed quite sad about that statement.
bluev1121
It’s okay, she’s really nice and it’s not like she has any friends.
A new coworker wanted to switch shifts but was a bit nervous. It was suggested they switch with me. I’ve been feeling fairly lonely lately but ouch.
CassieAlexan
I was showing a colleague around our UK firm for the week and we went to our London site. She met me at the train station and said: “I liked your clothes…. yesterday.” Cold as ice.
prendc
I was a hairy girl and I remember in 8th grade I was watching a school baseball game and a little girl looked at me and asked her dad “why does that girl have a mustache?”
It wasn’t really that thick but it was noticeable. It did make me sad back then. Thankful for waxing!
tenbananasjc
“I don’t think you’re an appropriate friend for my children.” I was 12. It was my best friend’s mom. I had been friends with him and his sister since we were 4. We lived in a relatively upper-class area at the time and, although my friend was really cool, his parents were really snobbish. I got that line right after my mom had to sell her business because of a divorce. I wasn’t allowed to come over, they weren’t allowed to speak to me, and that was around the time they started homeschooling so I didn’t even get to see them at school anymore. All because my family fell out of a social class they felt was necessary for their children’s friends to be a part of.
CodyS1998
My dad recently got a pretty good promotion at work. When he told me I said, “I’m proud of you, Dad!”
His response: “Well, your approval isn’t the one I need.”
Thanks, Pops.
Outkikked