By sobbl_ • Score: 1 • April 25, 2025 12:03 AM
I (19M) have a friend (18F) who I met about two years ago in our highschool philosophy class. Both of us were open from the get-go about two things: I'm transgender, and she's Muslim.
When we first met, I had no issues with her religion at all. I don't care what anyone else believes in as long as they respect others despite it, and she did-- she had no ill will towards non-muslims or queer people. Her private beliefs were her own, and as long as she didn't use them to be hateful I really didn't care.
However, she's been going through a bit of a faith journey the past few months and become a lot more dedicated to Islam. She's started wearing a hijab and taking the rules of Islam more seriously, including those involving homosexuality. I would have no issue with this if it was a choice she kept in her own life, but recently her comments about it have been getting on my nerves.
She makes jokes about how she'll "miss me when I'm in hell", or call herself a "filthy sinner" for shipping fictional gay couples. One time, when I made a joke regarding my hypothetical future wedding, she replied saying she wasn't sure if she could go to a "heathen wedding". (Actual quote. You can't make this shit up.)
My breaking point has been her coming to me for advice taking art commissions and going on a rant about how she's worried she'll get "cancelled" for refusing to draw pride flags or explicitly gay couples. To me. An, to use tumblr terms on an outside site, avid yaoimaxxer.
She previously identified as Bisexual but has now labelled herself as non-practicing, but still continues to use homophobic slurs to make jokes. Which isn't, like, a crime, but pick one? Because if you're consciously deciding to not be queer, I feel like you shouldn't be calling people homophobic slurs?
It wasn't a big deal at first but it's been piling up and I'm starting to get pretty uncomfortable. Being myself is really important to me because I've learned how miserable hiding makes you, and being around these kinds of jokes and comments is getting upsetting.
I'm pretty much her only support system (she's mentioned before that she has basically no friends other than me and she's a pretty fragile person mental health wise) so I worry that if I put down an ultimatum she'll spiral and I'll be the bad guy if that makes sense? If she had other people to talk to about this stuff it probably wouldn't even be an issue, but her only other friend I'm aware of is also trans and a lesbian so that's off the table I assume. I have no ill will towards her or her religion but I'm kind of at my limit.
TLDR: my Muslim friend of 2 years is getting more serious about Islam and consequently starting to make homophobic jokes and comments. I'm trans. I'm reaching a breaking point. Would I be an asshole if I ended our friendship or distanced myself?
Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you!
Please wait...
Fetching data...