This Dad's Trump-Supporting Family Is Pressuring Him To Cut Off His Children Financially Unless They Agree To Attend The Holidays
The holidays are sure to be tricky this year after one of the most controversial presidential elections ever. Recently, a dad was pressured by his Trump-voting family to cut off his liberal children because they are refusing to attend the holidays this year.
Here's the full story from The_Dudes_Dudes: "I have two daughters that are both in college. We have a family group chat with my parents, all of my siblings, and all the grandchildren. My parents and siblings are all Trump voters/supporters and are not shy about it."
"Most family gatherings will devolve into arguing between them and myself. I grew up in the shitshow. My kids did not. After the election, my kids silently left the group chat."
"My mother and sisters are trying to plan Thanksgiving through the chat. When my mother noticed my daughters left, she called to ask me why. I told her they are grown adults and that she would need to ask them. So she did."
"One of my two daughters is a lesbian. When my mother asked the two girls, they told my mom that they would no longer be attending any family functions, including Christmas and Thanksgiving. This created a shitshow on an epic scale in the family chat."
"My mother tried to explain to my kids that their vote had nothing to do with them. My oldest explained that they exposed their character and they were raised not to engage with people that condone rape, lying, and cheating. She told my mother that 'your votes would directly impact our lives in a negative way, and you guys did not care. You chose a politician's hollow words over your grandkids.' There was more, and I'm paraphrasing."
"My parents and siblings are furious. I think it's important to say that I pay for both of my kid's college, health insurance, car insurance, food, and gas. I pay for airfare when they come home. They don't work. My deal with them was that if they went to school and got good grades, I would pay if I could. My mother wants me to cut them off until they come to Thanksgiving and Christmas. I said no."
"I have my kids' backs, and they are adults. I will not force them to make a choice they don't want to make. My siblings are saying I'm an asshole and I'm dividing the family. I honestly never thought I'd be in this insane situation, but here we are. So Reddit, am I the asshole?"
People in the comments were 100% behind the dad for standing up for his daughters. "The fact that your mother wants to financially coerce your kids to come endure their abuse is extremely telling. Not the asshole, great job standing up for your kids," Curbsnugglin wrote.
"Not the asshole. At all. Voting has consequences and this is one of them," abritinthebay agreed.
"Your parents and siblings chose the bully who is an actual threat to both your daughters," FutureVarious9495.
"His [Trump's] way of looking at the LGBTQ+ community is evil, and their reproductive rights are another big issue that threatens both of them."
theGnartist advocated for the dad to spend the holidays with his daughters instead of the rest of his family. "Choose your kids. If I were you not only would I NOT try to force my kids to come, I'd go to my daughters and spend that time with them."
"You've said yourself that your family has been toxic long before Trump. Break that cycle, support your kids, and remove those toxic people from your life."
Eloni16 shared that they are in a similar experience with their own children for the holidays.
"I can confirm that I'm in a similar situation. My parents-in-law are Trump supporters. The day after the election, my oldest told me that they wouldn't be attending any family gatherings where their grandparents would be. My knee-jerk reaction was to object that we should 'stay and fight.' But they rightfully pointed out that it wasn't their responsibility to teach their grandparents basic human decency. They shouldn't have to debase themselves by humoring arguments about what rights they deserve."
Ok-Grocery-6590, an anti-Trump voter, shared that their family has dealt with a similar issue by refusing to discuss politics at all during the holidays.
"I'm in the same boat, but we just make the rule no politics at family get-togethers, period. If anyone even starts to bring it up, we all immediately say no to politics and keep shushing them while they talk until they concede. I've been the one who shushed myself because I am so very much anti-Trump. To the point where every time someone mentions him, I immediately just say 'fuck Trump.' Not proud of it, but he's a piece of shit, in my opinion. When we stopped talking politics, it has been good since."
What are your thoughts on this situation? Let us know in the comments below.
