AITA for Refusing to Leave My Apartment Because My Roommate’s Conservative Mom Was Visiting?
When his Muslim roommate asked him to disappear for a full day so her mom wouldn’t find out she lived with a man, this student faced a clash between respect for culture and personal rights at home.
A 23-year-old college student found himself caught in an awkward cultural situation. He shares a student apartment with two women, one of whom, Sana, mentioned that her conservative mother would be visiting. Since her mother disapproved of her living with men, Sana asked him to leave the apartment entirely for the duration of the visit, even overnight.
I didn’t want to disrespect her culture, but being told to vacate my own home for a full day felt unfair—especially when I pay rent and had a major assignment due.
The roommates had lived together peacefully for over a year. When Sana explained that her mom would disapprove of her living with a male roommate, the OP tried to be accommodating but set reasonable limits. He offered to stay quietly in his room all day, only leaving briefly for meals, but Sana insisted that he needed to be completely gone—even overnight.
"I wasn’t comfortable being told to leave my own apartment to protect someone else’s image."
The conversation became tense. Sana emphasized that her mother would “freak out” if she found out a man lived there, but the OP stood his ground, explaining he had a right to stay, especially with a looming assignment deadline. Their third roommate stayed neutral, understanding both perspectives.
"I pay equal rent and have every right to be home, even if her mom doesn’t approve of my existence."
Sana became distant afterward, frustrated that he refused to leave. However, after reflecting on the situation and reading others’ feedback, the OP later decided he would temporarily stay with a friend to make things easier for her and approach the situation with more empathy next time.
🏠 The Aftermath
Eventually, he chose to spend the day elsewhere while Sana’s mother visited, realizing it was just one day and that compassion might mean more than being right.
He stayed with a friend overnight, finished his assignment later, and planned to have a calm talk with Sana afterward about boundaries for future visits.
The tension eased slightly once the weekend passed, but the experience left both roommates more aware of how their lives and values sometimes clash under one roof.
Sometimes respect looks like inconvenience, and that’s okay for a day.
He admitted feeling conflicted—wanting to stand up for fairness but also recognizing how much stress his roommate faced trying to balance her family’s expectations with her independence.
💭 Emotional Reflection
This story isn’t about right or wrong—it’s about a collision of worlds. One roommate tried to honor his own space and commitments, while another faced cultural pressures that made coexistence complicated for a day.
In the end, he realized empathy can mean temporary sacrifice, and that kindness sometimes costs a bit of comfort. His choice to step away came not from guilt, but from understanding.
Situations like this remind us that reasonable people can disagree, especially when family expectations and personal freedoms collide under one shared roof.
Reddit had a lot to say about this roommate dilemma:
You were right not to leave—she can’t expect you to vanish just to maintain a lie for her mom.
It’s kind of you to reconsider later. One day of empathy won’t hurt anyone, and it probably meant a lot to her.
Cultural clashes like this are tough—everyone’s doing their best to survive different expectations.
The responses were split: some emphasized boundaries and fairness, while others praised his eventual empathy. Most agreed it showed maturity to understand both sides.
🌱 Final Thoughts
Standing up for your space is important, but so is choosing compassion when the cost is small. In this case, understanding won over pride.
Sometimes, being the bigger person doesn’t mean you’re wrong—it means you see beyond the argument.
What do you think?
Would you have left, or stayed and kept trying to make it work? Share your thoughts below 👇
![Me [35 M] with my wife [29F] of five years, wants a divorce after I requested a paternity test.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5WUFPRBe77g6Qkr2SvfYtFnTRGVzmALILg8Rn7NER8CBTetFYIll2ffRl6-A7HBVPRXSYCrdq5s40KzmruT_4EqZkpNyLmGPTEjtVf10JCm0mtHucsqHkLZRSObreK0cfxmvdmnTFfjg1HEWnZYlGh79MguWfROzyMZD7pLHzH8rczUQj5g7v1vncYOCV/w72-h72-p-k-no-nu/RS82.jpeg)
0 Comments