A new collection of stories asks whether people with food allergies are the ones being unreasonable, or whether everyone else just doesn’t want to deal with it. The post, titled “39 Stories About Allergies That Might Make You Wonder Why People Don’t Take Them Seriously,” gathers accounts from people who faced awkward social situations over allergies.
The stories cover a range of situations, from a coworker who brushed off a dairy allergy as lactose intolerance to a friend who refused to attend a birthday picnic because of flower pollen. The common thread is that every person in the story felt they had to make a choice about how much they would accommodate someone else’s restrictions.
Allen Thinks Lactose Intolerance Is The Same As A Dairy Allergy
One story comes from someone with a dairy allergy who was hanging out with four friends. The group’s friend brought along a new acquaintance named Allen. When the storyteller said they couldn’t eat pizza, Allen jumped in with a dismissive answer: lactose intolerant, just take a lactade and you’ll be fine.
The storyteller pushed back, explaining that their reactions included itchy mouth and throat and sometimes a runny nose. Allen responded by saying dairy allergies aren’t real and that lactose intolerance is the only condition that exists. The storyteller offered to give Allen their doctor’s number but said “I’m done discussing it.”
After Allen left, the friend who brought him to the gathering took the storyteller’s side. Allen was argumentative, always trying to prove he was right, and the storyteller had antagonized him by feeding into it.
A Coworker’s Breakfast Eggs Trigger An Allergies Policy
Another story involves a woman at the same office who is anaphylactic to eggs. The office has a strict policy: no eggs, no egg cartons, no egg products brought in. Everyone is also asked to avoid eating eggs before coming to the office, including breakfast.
The storyteller eats eggs nearly every morning. After breakfast, they take a shower, brush their teeth, and get ready. Another coworker, who does not have the egg allergy, called the storyteller an “AH” for eating eggs at home. The coworker insisted the storyteller was putting the allergic coworker in danger.
The storyteller explained what they do to mitigate risks but the coworker wouldn’t hear it. The storyteller also noted they declined to pretend to eat egg only on days when it was safe to do so.
A Birthday Invite Refused Because Of Rose Pollen
A third story involves a friend named Stacy whose 21st birthday party included a picnic at the city’s botanical gardens. Stacy had arranged a spot next to the rose display, her favorite flowers. The storyteller, who is allergic to flowers, declined the invitation because of the roses.
The storyteller’s reaction is severe: eyes so itchy they swell closed, a nose that runs like a leaky tap, and very rarely difficulty breathing. Roses seem to be the trigger that causes the breathing issue.
Stacy was upset when told the story. She said the excuse wasn’t good enough and kept insisting the storyteller should come anyway. She cited medication, but the storyteller pointed out it was a nasal spray, not something that would help with the breathing problem.
The AITA Test: Who Is Being Unreasonable
The stories are posted to AITA, a community forum where people ask whether their actions were the reasonable ones. The question in each case is whether the allergic person should have accommodated the situation, or whether the other person should have been more careful.
The forum’s response to the Allen story was direct: ask the person with the allergy. The response also suggested the allergic person might need to draw a hard line to keep the rule from crumbling.
What The Stories Reveal About How People Handle Allergies
| Situation | What Happened | AITA’s Advice |
|---|---|---|
| Coworker’s breakfast eggs | Storyteller eats eggs daily | Ask the allergic person what they need |
| Birthday picnic with roses | Storyteller declines invitation | Ask the allergic person what’s safe |
| Argument over dairy vs lactose intolerance | Storyteller offers doctor’s number | Done discussing it |
The stories show different reactions to the same problem. Some people are accommodating as long as the rules are clear. Others feel guilty when their actions might trigger a reaction. Some dismiss allergies entirely.
The Verdict: People With Allergies Are Not The Problem
The AITA community’s response to these stories suggests the allergic people are the ones doing the reasonable thing. The forum advised that people with allergies might need to put hard lines in place when others pressure them to bend them.
The collection of stories is a reminder that allergies are not a choice. The reactions to them are. And sometimes, the person with the allergy is the only one who can say what is safe and what is not.
The stories are available on the AITA community, where readers can weigh in with their own verdicts in the comments.
Source material: “39 Stories About Allergies That Might Make You Wonder Why People Don’t Take Them Seriously,” Bored Panda.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.