A Woman's Path To Self-Expression Leads Her To Make A False Cancer Claim, Cancer Survivors From Reddit Approve

"I thought I was prepared to deal with negative comments, but apparently I wasn’t as prepared as I thought."

Kylin

• Published in Funny
• May 26, 2023

Imagine summoning the courage to break free from societal expectations, embracing your inner desire for self-expression, and finally shaving your head, only to face a barrage of negative comments upon returning home. This was the reality for Redditor DirectionChance3347, a 22-year-old woman who recently embarked on a transformative journey of self-discovery, culminating in a liberating act of buzzing off her hair.

During a visit to her partner's more accepting and free-spirited family, OP found the support and encouragement she had longed for. Their positive affirmations ignited a newfound sense of confidence and happiness within her.

However, what began as a euphoric experience soon unraveled into a complex web of confrontation, deception, and overwhelming guilt. While she expected some judgment upon returning home to a conservative state in the United States, she did not realize how bad it could be.

In a mundane grocery store encounter, the clash of values took center stage. Confronted by a middle-aged woman, she was subjected to unsolicited criticism about her freshly shaven head, belittling comments about her appearance, and accusations of deviating from societal norms.

Consumed by anger and embarrassment, she resorted to an impulsive act of deception, claiming to be a cancer survivor to defend herself and inflict the same hurt she felt upon her assailant. While this worked as she intended, she grappled with conflicting emotions.

Questioning her actions, OP turned to Reddit to help evaluate her moral standing. Was she justified in lying about having cancer, or does the guilt she experienced hint at a deeper understanding of the ethical complexities at play?

While visiting her partners family, OP decided to finally take the plunge and cut her hair super short like she has wanted for years

YOLO, amirite?

Unfortunately, upon returning home, OP found herself the target of an older woman's fury over her hairstyle choice

Like, honestly, wtf, who DOES that

OP flipped it on the woman, claiming to be recovering from cancer and that her hair was just starting to grow back

For some reason, OP ended up feeling guilty about the (I think) justified lie

Cancer survior stamp of approval

The height of insensitivity is the best way to describe it

The audacity is truly outstanding

I feel like if anyone's opinion mattered the most, it's this users

They had TEN brain surgeries and support OP's lie

Embarrassment is definitely an effective, albeit terrible, teacher

One would reasonably think lying about cancer is *always* bad

A lesson she should have been taught years ago

*Many* years ago

And actual cancer-havers approved

I don't understand, either

Plus, a shaved head can feel so refreshing

Hopefully that woman learned something from this encounter

And that she is deterred from doing it again

OP was helping karma find it's way

"Never pass up an opportunity to have fun"

Cheers to that

Hopefully that woman left feeling worse than she made OP feel

A classic example of FAFO

It's mind-boggling how some people think they gotta mind everyone else's business

Serves her right for being so god awful

For real though

I can't even imagine how they must have been raised to think any of that is okay to do

I understand why OP chose not to engage with the woman

Confrontation is scary!

OP had no nefarious motives for her lie, so she shouldn't feel too bad about it

Just when you think there's never any good excuse to lie about having cancer

There's almost always at least one exception to any rule

In the aftermath of an encounter that challenged her newfound confidence, OP grapples with the weight of her deception. While the woman's hurtful comments ignited a desire to fight fire with fire, the lingering guilt raises essential questions about the ethics of her actions.

This also serves as a reminder that life is anything but predictable, and even the most straightforward decisions can have profound consequences. And embracing our true selves can sometimes invite criticism, but it also opens the door to personal growth and empowerment.

Kylin