Man tells GF that her fan fiction is 'cringey' and 'not actual writing;' AITA?

Part of being in a loving a supportive relationship is encouraging your partner's hobbies, career goals, or any other creatively fulfilling activity...

Just because you might not understand why the person you call your soulmate suddenly developed a passion for rollerskating poetry doesn't mean you can't clap along politely at the skate park reading. So, when a conflicted man decided to consult the moral compass of the internet otherwise known as Reddit's 'Am I the As*hole' about his girlfriend's fan diction, people were ready to roast him.

AITA (Am I the As*hole) for making fun of my girlfriend for writing Fanfiction and claiming it’s actual writing?

My girlfriend, Abby (f31) and I (m33) have been together for a few months and this Easter, I was going to introduce her to my family. We haven’t moved in together yet.

Abby is quite smart, she has a phd and works in her field. I only have a BA so you can imagine my surprise when hot and smart woman wanted to date me. Anyway, I digress, Abby’s passion is writing although she’s never allowed me to read anything she wrote. She dreams of writing a book and says she’s practicing and trying to draft things.

One day, I was staying over and fell asleep and she went to her office to write. When I woke up I peered over her shoulder when she was writing and saw names that sounded familiar. I asked her about this and sure enough, she admitted to writing Fanfiction.

Apparently, she already wrote 100k Fanfiction and is working on her third one. She says it’s writing practice and she loves it. I told her it’s cringy and if she was serious about her book, she’d write it by now because she’s pretty much already wrote 2 books if only they weren’t Fanfiction. She got silent and told me to leave her alone.

When I introduced her to my family, I mentioned that she has a phd. My brother and sister got impressed and asked about it. Abby tried to tell them but I interjected and told them to not be so impressed because she wastes her time writing silly Fanfiction so I dont know how she even got her doctorate.

It was meant to be a joke but Abby was angry. She called me an as*hole She wouldn’t talk to me for the rest of the day and asked me to drive her home. I tried to come in but she told me she wanted to be alone and write her Fanfiction. I told her she was childish but left anyway.

I haven’t heard back from her since then and I told my sister and my sister agreed with Abby. I tried to call Abby but she texted me with “as*hole,” and nothing else. My sister thinks I owe Abby an apology but I don’t think I did anything wrong and yet Abby is annoyed. Was I really the a*shole here?

Of course, the jury of internet strangers was eager to weigh in on this. Here's what people had to say:

lihzee said:

YTA. Thankfully she's seen the light and broken up with you.

BbGhoul666 said:

What a disgusting thing to say. You are a giant AH. Fanfiction is extremely popular and millions of people read and write it, and enjoy it.

There are even popular websites where people post their fanfic stories and get recognition and kudos for their works. Often it leads them to becoming published authors as well. Besides all of that, she's doing it because it makes her happy and she's able to practice writing in this manor.

You are just jealous she's creative and has a PhD... I wish her well in her fanfic writing adventures, far away from you!

ParsimoniousSalad said:

YTA and this post reeks of jealousy. You try to dismiss the work she put in to earn her PhD because you don't like what she writes? Who made you the writing police?

Forward_Squirrel8879 said:

YTA - You are an AH and she is your EX girlfriend. You feel insecure about your her level of education compared to hers to you decided to make fun of her and put her down in front of your family. The only one acting childish is you.

Aunty_Fascist said:

YTA. If she's writing, it's writing. Doesn't matter if you approve of the subject matter or not. Being a gatekeeper and judging your girlfriend's hobby so contemptuously makes you the a*shole, every time.

bwiy75 said:

YTA - Wow. Dumping on her harmless hobby and dissing her in front of her family. Yeah, you... you're not really a prize, are you?

MaybeAWalrus said:

YTA. Sounds like you are so intimidated by her intelligence that you would find anything to publicly humiliate her and make you feel better about the relationship. Yikes. Writing is writing, whether or not YOU personally love the subject or not.

JMarie113 said:

YTA. Multiple people have told you already that you are. Do you even like her? What you did was mean and insulting. She deserves better.

djiboutiivl said:

NTA! You did her a huge favor giving her such a giant red flag early in the relationship! She should thank you!

So, there you have it...

Everyone agreed unanimously here that this man was 100% and fully in the wrong to shame his girlfriend's passion project, especially in front of other people. Luckily she made the right choice and bailed before he crushed her creative force. Good luck everyone (except this lame ex-boyfriend).