A woman shared her reasons for hating being touched by most people and how, when she was a child, this led to her punching her brother’s mother-in-law in the chest.
Bodily Autonomy
She began by saying, “When I was six, bad things happened to me at the hands of someone I had been told I could trust. Part of the aftermath of that situation was lots of therapy and an introduction to a strange and wonderful thing called bodily autonomy.”
No Hugs Without Consent
In therapy, she was told that even as a child, she could tell other people that she did not want them to touch her. This includes hugging, hair ruffling, and anything else without her consent.”
Okay To Say No
She said, “If anyone touched me without my consent, it was okay for me to tell them no, and it was okay for me to be as loud and emphatic about this as it took for them to get the message. I could even push them away if they persisted.”
Upsetting the Adults
“Adults might be upset if I said no,” she explained. “But that was not my problem because adults are expected to control their emotions and actions.”
Just a Few People
At first, the only people she would allow to touch her at all were her mother, maternal grandmother, and her aunt. It took a while, but eventually, she was able to extend this to family members who had her permission and were aware of the implications of her trust.
Older Brother
She said, “There’s a substantial age gap between me and my brother–about 14 years. At the time of this story, I was about eight years old. I was a small kid.”
The Mother-In-Law
Her brother had been dating a woman for a couple of years, and they decided to get married. His mother-in-law-to-be was very touchy-feely. “Upon seeing pictures of me, she squealed that I was just the cutest thing she’d ever seen, and she couldn’t wait to meet me and give me a big hug,” the woman said.
Don’t Hug My Sister
Her brother told his future MIL, “No, don’t hug my sister. Don’t pinch her cheeks, ruffle her hair, kiss her, or touch her at all. If she offers you a hug, that’s okay, but under no circumstances should you touch her without her express permission.”
Could Not Wrap Her Head Around It
The woman said, “She could not wrap her head around the idea that a child could tell an adult not to touch them and expect to have their wishes heeded. My brother mentioned that he must have tried to explain it to her a dozen times.”
Lots of Reminders
The MIL was reminded several times about this in the run-up to the wedding. She would always agree but follow this up with comments about how adorable and darling she was.
The Day of the Wedding
The day of the wedding arrived. She said, “Because I loved my big brother and had opted to gracefully tolerate his chosen spouse until I developed an actual liking for her, I cooperated with the efforts of my mother and grandmother to make me look presentable. I was wearing my very best outfit, which was a frilly pale-blue dress trimmed with white lace, and, yes, it made me look adorable.”
Strange Woman
She recalled, “Suddenly, out of the crowd, this strange woman in a cerise satin dress, which emphasized a bust that needed no extra emphasis, and a hairdo like an explosion in the blonde factory, came swooping at me with her arms flung wide, emitting a sort of teakettle noise. I back-stepped fast and loudly told her no.”
The Whole Family
Her whole family had assembled, including her brother, mother, aunt, grandmother, grandfather, one uncle, and his wife. They all shouted, “Don’t!” at the same time.
Defended Herself
The woman said, “Secure in my knowledge of bodily autonomy and armored with the assurance that defending myself from unwanted contact was okay, I was prepared to act. So, as the MIL stooped upon me, despite repeatedly being told by several people not to hug me, I took action. I squared up, planted my feet, and hauled both fists back at chest level.”
Don’t Touch Me
She screamed, “Don’t touch me,” then double-punched her brother’s imminent mother-in-law squarely in the chest. The MIL reeled backward, with her arms flailing, then landed on the ground, crushing the gigantic frilly bow on the back of her dress.
Hid Behind Her Family
Having defended herself, she hid behind her grandfather and the rest of her family. The MIL demanded, “Why did she do that?”
She Was Warned
Her mother calmly said, “We did warn you not to touch her several times.”
The MIL wailed, “But she’s so small and pretty.”
Small Packages
Her grandmother remarked, “You know, dynamite comes in small decorative-looking packages, too.” Then she turned around and asked where they were sitting.
Didn’t Improve
The woman finished by saying, “That was the first time I saw this woman. She did not improve with further exposure.”
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