We have all dealt with that one male relative who thinks it is his divine mission to “correct” our behavior. Whether it is telling us to smile more or critiquing our outfit choices, there is always someone ready to offer unsolicited advice on how to be a “proper lady.” But one woman on Reddit just reached her absolute limit with her brother-in-law’s subtle s*xism, and she decided to handle it in the most biological, hilarious, and slightly savage way possible. If you’ve ever wanted to literally blow a s*xist comment out of the water, this story is your new anthem.
The Original Poster (OP) lives in a co-owned house with her husband and his brother. While they have separate living quarters, they share the kitchen and living room, which means plenty of opportunities for “roommate friction.” The OP describes herself as a “wood rat of a woman” who loves getting her hands dirty and doing hard labor. Her brother-in-law (BIL), however, seems to think she should be a character in a 1950s sitcom. He’s constantly making comments about her “ladylikeness,” telling her she should cook more or dress up more often. It’s the kind of subtle, nagging commentary that can turn even the most patient person into a ticking time bomb.
The tension finally hit a boiling point when the OP let out a stray belch in the kitchen. Her BIL popped his head in and—even though he was “joking”—asked if she’d ever thought about being more ladylike. For the OP, the word “ladylike” is like a car tailgating her on the highway; it only makes her slow down and get pettier. She tried to shut it down with a simple “nope,” but he doubled down and told her she should “consider it.” That was the moment the OP decided that if he wanted a show, she was going to give him one he would never forget.
The next morning, the OP was walking past the living room where her BIL was quietly watching the news. Seizing the opportunity, she decided to “grace” the room with a fart of legendary proportions. We are talking about a “just woke up, everything is moving” masterpiece. It had volume, it had vibration, and in the small room, it reportedly echoed. It was a 9/10 on the Richter scale of flatulence, and the OP (rightfully) thought it was a work of art.
The BIL, however, did not appreciate the performance. He jumped up and started raging about how “gross” it was and how “women shouldn’t do that.” Never mind the fact that he apparently lets them rip all the time; suddenly, when a woman does it, it’s a national emergency. The more he screamed, the harder the OP laughed, eventually doubling over in tears. Her laughter only fueled his fire, and he ended up storming off to his bedroom to pout like a toddler who lost his favorite toy.
It has been over twelve hours, and this 37-year-old man is still “enraged” and hiding in his room. He’s calling her an ahole, which the OP admits is technically true in a literal sense. But the real drama is that her husband is now starting to side with his brother. Even though he initially found it funny, he now thinks it was “too immature” and that she should have just had a calm conversation with him. Because apparently, women should always be the ones to stay calm while being constantly belittled.
Let’s be real: if you spend months telling a woman to be “ladylike,” you are practically begging for her to do the least ladylike thing possible. The BIL was trying to control her behavior and enforce weird, outdated gender roles in her own home. If he can’t handle a little bit of gas, maybe he shouldn’t be making comments about her body or her lifestyle. It is the ultimate “f*ck around and find out,” and the fact that he’s pouting all day shows just how fragile his ego really is.
The husband’s reaction is also a bit of a b!tch move. It is very easy to find something funny until your brother starts crying about it. But he needs to realize that his brother was the one being overbearing and s*xist. The OP shouldn’t have to “talk it out” for the hundredth time when her “I do what I want” attitude was already very clear. Sometimes, a well-timed fart is worth a thousand words.
There is a huge double standard at play here. The BIL thinks it’s fine for men to be “gross,” but as soon as a woman exhibits a basic human bodily function, it’s an “ahole move.” If he wants to live in a world where women are silent, perfumed statues who never belch or fart, he should probably go live in a museum. In a real house with real people, sh!t—and gas—happens.
The OP is wondering if she took it too far, but we are here to tell her that she is a hero. She managed to silence a s*xist bully and get a great ab workout from laughing all in one morning. If the BIL is still hiding in his room, that’s a “him” problem, not a “her” problem. He wanted her to consider being more ladylike, and she gave him something very important to consider instead.
So, NTA (Not the Ahole). You solved an ahole problem with an actual ahole, and that is just good engineering. We hope the OP keeps her “wood rat” spirit alive and that her BIL eventually grows up and realizes that women are human beings with digestive tracts. Until then, we hope she keeps a can of beans in the pantry just in case he decides to give her any more “advice.”
What would you do if your brother-in-law kept telling you to be “more ladylike”? Would you have had a serious talk, or would you have let one rip just like this legend? Let us know in the comments if you think the BIL is being a total baby!
Shit! You wanna be drinking buddies?