The bathroom is a sacred place.
That is one of the places everyone goes to to be alone, no matter what is going on.
Which is why it can cause a few problems when people decide not to knock before entering.
Case in point…
Redditor Positive_Balance3756 wanted to discuss her experience and get some feedback. So naturally, she came to visit the “Am I The A**hole” (AITA) subReddit.
She asked:
“AITA for doing weird/awkward poses whenever my MIL ‘accidentally’ walks in on me in the bathroom?”
The Original Poster (OP) explained:
“So, my M[other] I[n] L[aw] (I’m a gal by the way) came to stay with us for few weeks until her home is renovated for Christmas.”
“The problem is that she has been randomly walking in on me while I’m in the bathroom.”
“Thankfully not once has she seen me naked because I started picking up on her behavior after the second time in a week.”
“She’d barge in, then turn and says ‘oh sorry’ then close the door.”
“I tried talking to my husband about it but he kept ignoring me, then flat out said ‘so what if she accidentally seen you naked? She’s faaaammmillly!!'”
“He seriously said that!”
“We have a lock and I could’ve used it but I have past trauma from the idea of locking/being locked in a room after my brother locked me in the bathroom when I was 5.”
“So I came up with this idea.”
“I’d go inside the bathroom pretending to use it and wait for her to come (cause honestly? It’s deliberate at the this point).”
“When she ‘accidentally’ barges in she’d see me in a weird/awkward position.”
“For example doing a ballet stand, standing on the toilet, or standing facing the wall with my hands up, (fully clothed of course).”
“I could see how awkward and weird this would be for her because she’d stand there for few seconds trying to figure out what I was doing.”
“It was hilarious at first seeing her initial confusion but she told my husband about it claiming ‘she’s caught me practicing rituals in the bathroom.'”
“I cleared things up and revealed the reason why.”
“My husband was livid.”
“He called me childish and said that I made his mom feel ‘terrified/weirded out’ by my behavior.”
“He said I should’ve acted maturely and locked the damn door instead of playing mind games.”
“So AITA?”
Redditors shared their thoughts on this matter and weighed some options to the question AITA:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You’re The A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
Many Redditors declared OP was NOT the A**hole.
“NTA. You went the funny way and that’s dope.”
“Your husband, however, is an a**hole.”
“He expects YOU to be mature about it, but he doesn’t expect his mother to KNOCK ON THE F**KING DOOR before walking in?” ~ ER_Jujube
“It’s incredibly weird.”
“Let’s discuss how messed up MIL is that OP can reliably predict she will show up and open the door anytime she uses the bathroom.”
“Is that a power play, a weird kink or does she suspect OP has a dong or what?”
“I have a perverse need to know MIL’s motivation because that’s just bats**t behavior.” ~ The_Nice_Marmot
“What I’m guessing is that it is so that she hopefully catches OP in a compromising position (pooping, naked, masturbating, etc).”
“That A) she’ll be able to use against OP later to wind up OP’s enabler husband, or…”
“B) something that she can use as a bit of character assassination against OP amongst whatever group of gossipy old biddies she hangs with (or extended family members).”
“Power play is also at work like is surmised here, but I think this one has an end goal of character assassination.” ~ HashMaster9000
“She should ask MIL.”
“What is your motivation for walking in on me in the bathroom?”
“We both know that it is rude to walk into a bathroom with a closed door.”
“Why do you choose to be rude?”
“What are you getting out of it?”
“Also consider being ready with your phone and start taking pictures of her every time she walks in on you.”
“Then share on social media.”
“Maybe keep count of the times per day she walks in.”
“Ask everyone to guess how many times it will be today.”
‘Don’t help her hide what she is doing.”
“If husband objects ask him why he won’t stand up for his marriage and why he thinks it is okay for his mom to be rude and creepy.”
“Explain on social media husband thinks it is fine.” ~ HambdenRose
“So she outed her odd behavior to your husband and he blames you?????”
“SHE LITERALLY INVADE YOUR PRIVACY AND WATCHES YOU WHILE IN THE BATHROOM and it is YOUR fault?”
“OP could decide to pee fully naked and whatever she does in the toilet while alone is her own damn problem.”
“You have definitely a husband problem. NTA.” ~ CraftySense1338
“Wait… So he’s mad at you because she barges in on you IN THE BATHROOM… in YOUR home… that she is a guest in?”
“But- Gets mad at you for weirding her out and causing her ‘grief?'”
“What… um. It’s her fault.”
“She should be knocking and not acting like no one lives there and it’s her own house.”
“Girl. Go get some jelly. Red if you can.”
“And smother it on your face and when she walks in.”
“Eat it like a caveman.”
“Then when your husband asks… you was stress eating. NTA.” ~ Fluffy-Doubt-3547
“Humor her. Stop posing, but look at your watch seriously while facing the door like you’re waiting for a kid after curfew.”
“Then sigh disappointedly and shake your head ’14 seconds MIL. That’s terrible. You will need to do better/'”
“Alternatively- shove a towel under the door. NTA.” ~ Shanisasha
“NTA. Who opens a closed bathroom door?”
“Your MIL is such an a**hole.”
“This is the weirdest power play to continually walk in on you in the bathroom.”
“Your next pose should be facing the door giving her two middle fingers.” ~ Harry7411
“Walking in on somebody doing a ballet pose in the bathroom is ‘terrifying,’ but barging in on your D[aughter] I[n] L[aw] and making eye contact while she squeezes out a dookie after being told repeatedly not to barge into the bathroom is normal behavior?”
“Getting real sick of these spineless partners who can’t stand up to their moms. NTA.” ~ Tar-Nuine
“NTA, although you really might want to go to therapy about the no locks thing, because this situation would have been infinitely simpler if you could’ve just done that.”
“Nonetheless, your MIL needs to learn to knock.”
“More importantly, your husband needs to quit making excuses for why MIL hasn’t started knocking yet and tell her to quit barging in on you if she doesn’t want to see things she isn’t supposed to see.” ~ mm172
“Damn that’s hilarious.”
“Kudos on you for thinking of it.”
“Also, his mom barges constantly barges in the bathroom uninvited and YOU’RE the one making her her feel terrified/weirded out?”
“Guarantee she doesn’t feel terrified/weirded out but has just caught on and is punishing you for ‘fighting back.'”
“It’s ridiculous that he’s on his mom’s side on this.”
“You’re doing nothing wrong or harmful.”
“An innocent joke at worst.”
“He should’ve told her to stop or to learn how to freaking knock in the off chance she’s actually doing it on accident. NTA.” ~ spectre893
“NTA. At this point, even if you did lock the door, MIL will probably start saying you are definitely up to something because otherwise why lock the door?”
“Completely ignoring that she busts in on you, and that many times can’t be a mistake.”
“You definitely have a husband problem.” ~ MaddyKet
“NTA. You could have been a raging jerk about this and still have been within your rights.”
“She only saw you ‘practicing rituals’ because she’s weirdly invested in barging in on you in the bathroom.”
“She’ll be fine and maybe learn a lesson.” ~ caffeinated92
“Oh my God, I love this so much.”
“Your mother in law is very rude (and actually very creepy and insane for doing this) and your husband needs to stand up for you, I can’t believe he hasn’t done anything to stop her yet.”
“You’re NTA, your husband on the other hand.” ~ earlgreylavandertea
“NTA. Once is an accident, twice is forgetful more than that it’s deliberate!”
“Regardless of the door being locked or not she is well aware of where you are.”
“Good for you for calling her out on it and thank you for making me giggle imagining the weird bathroom poses.” ~ karmasootra1
OP came back with an update…
“Lol. Um what?”
“I just came back on here and saw literally 1000s? of people?”
“Now I feel embarrassed.”
“Glad I went anonymous Lol.”
“But seriously… I’m looking at my screen and am like… I’m famous?”
“Seriously though… my husband and his mom are extremely upset with me.”
“He still thinks it was ridiculous and is demanding an apology before she goes back to her home.”
“I’m not sure if I will apologize because yes while it was a ‘me problem’ that I couldn’t use the lock.”
“It still feels wrong what she did and maybe I’m wrong too but at least I got (so did you apparently lol) a bit of a chuckle out of it.”
“Also, I’m sure Thanksgiving dinner will be hella awkward tomorrow.”
“Especially after what happened. Lol.”
Well OP, Reddit understands your chuckle.
People are suppose to knock first before entering, especially in the bathroom.
Hopefully this doesn’t ruin Thanksgiving.
Good luck.