Guy snaps at brother after he makes fun of him for having a gay friend, parents step in.

People with no backbone will tell you you're overreacting for standing for something, but that accusation is often a projection on their part.

In a popular post on the AITA subreddit, a teen asked if he was wrong for refusing to speak to his brother after he made homophobic comments about a friend. He wrote:

"AITA for refusing to speak to my brother after he called me gay for hanging out with my gay friend?"

I'm 18M. My sister 18 has a best friend who is gay. I'm going to call him Joey 19. They met at a party last year and since then, there very close. He was always at our place. I gotta admit, I was only interested in being friends with him in the beginning, because he was friends with a lot of hot girls. He would introduce me to them and yeah, you get the point. But I got to know him and he's actually a chill, funny guy.

I like him for him and not just for the perks, I can get from being friends with him. All this year me, him and my sister hung out a lot. Were all close. My brother 24 who lives in a different country, flew home for the Christmas holidays. He's been here a week. He pulled me aside and asked why am I hanging out with Joey? I said because he's my friend. He asked if I was gay!

I said no, just because I hang out with Joey, doesn't make me gay! He scoffed and said you gotta be gay if you hanging out with him. Things got heated fast and my parents had to step in between us, before it got bad. My parents asked him to leave after we calmed down and he got angry and called me a name I won't repeat on here. He left and went to a family member's house.

Since then I've had family ring and text and say I should make up with my brother. I said I won't unless he apologized to me and Joey (Joey was there and heard the whole argument when things got out of control) My family thinks I'm being sensitive and I shouldn't this drama ruin this Christmas. AITA?

The internet had OP's back.

Midnights24 wrote:

NTA. Your brother sounds all around a really repressed hateful person, and kudos to you for standing up for your friend.

He likely would never have confronted your sister about hanging out with Joey or said the same things to her, he's likely threatened somehow by how comfortable you are in your own masculinity that you don't feel the need to be 'alpha Chad' like he does or your closeness to Joey rather than to him.

FlaxFox wrote:

NTA - Your brother was homophobic and weird, and it's even weirder that your parents think YOU should apologize for that. No, he doesn't deserve an apology.

Drunkendx wrote:

NTA. You stood up for your friend. While your brother needs to reflect QUITE a bit. Calling someone gay just because they have gay friends is stupid and immature. Your brother beeds to reevaluate his worldview.

MildlyInteressato wrote:

Nah, man. Your brother was a total jerk and owes you both an apology. NTA.

Uberguy5 wrote:

NTA. Die on that hill OP. I’m sorry you have a brother with the intellect equivalent to a potato.

OP is NTA here, but the rest of his family (excluding his sister) sure are.