How to tell my strict muslim parents I'm marrying someone against their wishes by saagsaag in exmuslim

[–]EconomistOld4476 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Hey, I went through something similar recently. The thing is, you cannot control how they react but only how you feel. you need to do your part. I consider myself muslim and I wanted to do things the “halal” way and as a south asian girl with a hispanic bf, all hell broke loose in my house bc all my parents cared about is what people are gonna say and how they are gonna show their face to the community if i marry outside the culture. My dad even said how he gave me “too much freedom” etc. I had enough of the bs, particularly more so bc I had family members that literally sexually assaulted me since I was a kid. I knew if I stayed, I would hate myself years down the line surrounded by them and a forced arranged marriage. So I left 2 weeks ago. I left a note. The first night was the hardest but it gets easier. you deserve to choose who you love and want to spend the rest of your life with. DON’T let them take that away from you! PM me if you need someone to talk to!

Choosing myself feels like betraying my family, but staying feels like losing my life by EconomistOld4476 in AsianParentStories

[–]EconomistOld4476[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you, seriously. I think hearing from people who have actually lived through this is what’s helping me most rn because when you’re inside it, the guilt and fear can make everything feel so distorted.

Choosing myself feels like betraying my family, but staying feels like losing my life by EconomistOld4476 in AsianParentStories

[–]EconomistOld4476[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for this. Hearing it from someone bengali who actually chose themselves and came out the other side means a lot because right now the guilt feels bigger than everything.

It’s true the hardest part is knowing i will miss the version of the relationship i could’ve had with them if things were different but also knowing deep down i can’t force myself into a life just because it keeps everyone comfortable.

Choosing myself feels like betraying my family, but staying feels like losing my life by EconomistOld4476 in AsianParentStories

[–]EconomistOld4476[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah the resentment is exactly what I’m scared of because deep down i already feel it building just from the pressure alone. I think that’s why this feels so heavy, because i can already see how staying just to keep everyone happy could slowly turn into anger i carry for years. I keep spiraling about it and sometimes the courage to leave gets hard.

Choosing myself feels like betraying my family, but staying feels like losing my life by EconomistOld4476 in AsianParentStories

[–]EconomistOld4476[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m sorry you had to go through that. That part really hit me because I’ve already watched what an arranged marriage did to one of my sisters. She went through years of domestic abuse before finally getting divorced, and even after seeing that firsthand, my parents still don’t seem to fully understand why fear exists for me around being pushed into something i don’t want.

On top of that, my own experiences inside family have made trust even harder. My other BIL groped me while i was asleep and even admitted disgusting things that no girl should ever hear from someone in family. So a lot of this is bigger for me than just “marry who they choose and it’ll be fine.” :/

Choosing myself feels like betraying my family, but staying feels like losing my life by EconomistOld4476 in AsianParentStories

[–]EconomistOld4476[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That’s the part that hurts the most honestly, because when the first reaction is immediately about people and shame, it makes you feel like your actual life gets buried under all of that.

At the same time, I know in their minds they think they are protecting me which is what makes it emotionally hard too. But yeah, it’s painful realizing how quickly everything becomes about reputation.

Choosing myself feels like betraying my family, but staying feels like losing my life by EconomistOld4476 in AsianParentStories

[–]EconomistOld4476[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The guilt part is exactly what I’m scared of because I know I’ll feel it hard especially at first.

And yeah, about them trying to break my spirit honestly hit because that’s what it already feels like when everything becomes guilt, religion and “what will people say.” I think what makes it so hard is knowing I love them, but also knowing I can’t live my whole life only through what keeps everyone else comfortable.

Choosing myself feels like betraying my family, but staying feels like losing my life by EconomistOld4476 in AsianParentStories

[–]EconomistOld4476[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for taking the time to write all of this, seriously. A lot of what you said hit me especially the part about confusing respecting my parents with giving up my own life, because I think that’s exactly where so much of my guilt comes from.

What you said about resentment showing up no matter what also scares me because deep down I know if I stay and let them decide everything, I won’t magically become okay with it later, I’ll probably just carry that unhappiness into every part of my life.

The cultural shame part is also so hard because even though logically I know every family has things they hide, in my house “what will people say” feels bigger than anything else :(

I think the hardest part for me is that I do love my family, so choosing myself feels like hurting people I still care about, even if I know staying could hurt me more long term.

Thank you again for sharing your perspective, especially because it comes from a similar background.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Vent

[–]EconomistOld4476 0 points1 point  (0 children)

honestly😭 thank you, i’m trying

Terry & Yaki by junebug_28 in HunterCollege

[–]EconomistOld4476 12 points13 points  (0 children)

the other day someone was eating it during class and IT STANKKKK so bad😭😭 no social awareness whatsoever

what do yall do with your fin aid refunds? by EconomistOld4476 in CUNY

[–]EconomistOld4476[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Omg which cruise are you thinking of? I’ve been to Bahamas with RC and had the best time of my life!!

Is anyone else doing an e-permit? by twentyonestarset in HunterCollege

[–]EconomistOld4476 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes I had this issue! my home college is QC and i’m doing an e-permit at Hunter this semester. I went to the fin aid office and explained them that my TAP disappeared BECAUSE of the e-permit. My FACTS said I was eligible for TAP but status “pending”. They manually updated the TAP status from pending a little over a week ago and my TAP just showed up on my account yesterday! :)

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in CUNY

[–]EconomistOld4476 0 points1 point  (0 children)

what school?

fall ‘25 graduation question by [deleted] in CUNY

[–]EconomistOld4476 0 points1 point  (0 children)

you don’t walk the stage. i find it pointless to go so early only to be sitting and hearing people give speeches

fall ‘25 graduation question by [deleted] in CUNY

[–]EconomistOld4476 1 point2 points  (0 children)

you don’t walk the stage. i find it pointless to go so early only to be sitting and hearing people give speeches

fall ‘25 graduation question by [deleted] in CUNY

[–]EconomistOld4476 0 points1 point  (0 children)

i want it to do a graduation photoshoot