Man Asks If He's Wrong For Asking His Ex Not To Publish Intimate Details About Him In Her Essay

He discovered that his ex had essentially documented their entire relationship in detail.

Stephanie

• Published in Interesting
• December 30, 2022

What would you do if someone threatened to publish private information about you for the whole world to see? Well, Reddit user u/AITAThrowawayEssay recently posted in the AITA (Am I The A**hole?) subreddit, asking for advice on this exact thing.

You see, the Redditor and his ex-girlfriend have stayed in touch since their breakup. She is pursuing her dream of becoming a famous author and is currently completing a graduate program.

The OP explained that his ex texted him recently, asking him to read an essay that she is considering having published in a public literary magazine. The Redditor said he would be happy to as he is still very supportive of her and her writing goals.

OP's ex went on to say that he is a "character" in the story, so she was hoping for his blessing before publishing it. The Reddit user assumed she had probably included him as a secondary character, or given him a brief mention in passing, so he wasn't concerned and told her he would let her know once he had read it.

Well, when the OP read the essay, he discovered that his ex had essentially documented their entire relationship in detail. She had used his real name, his dog's name, and even mentioned the area where they lived!

The essay even mentioned intimate details about their breakup, along with specific dates and experiences they had shared. The OP says his ex had even gone as far as to include word-for-word dialogue that he'd had with her and others.

Understandably, The Redditor says he is extremely uncomfortable with the idea of this essay being published in the public domain. It documented a painful and private time in his life, and he wasn't okay with the whole world knowing about it.

The OP says his ex is angry that he doesn't want her to publish it, but he says the answer is no unless she is willing to make significant changes and remove his personal details entirely. Keep scrolling to see how people reacted.

The Redditor shared the story about his ex-girlfriend wanting to publish an essay about their relationship.

She is pursuing her dream of becoming a famous author asked him to read an essay that she is considering having published in a public literary magazine.

When the OP read the essay, he discovered that his ex had essentially documented their entire relationship in detail.

Understandably, The Redditor says he is extremely uncomfortable with the idea of this essay being published in the public domain.

OP says his ex is angry that he doesn't want her to publish it, but the answer is no unless she is willing to make significant changes and remove his personal details entirely.

Here's how people reacted.

"Has she even read other published essays of this type?"

"You are entitled to your privacy."

"She needs to learn."

No means no!

She needs a diary.

"It's like spying on someone."

It's a basic right.

"You're not wrong for being uncomfortable."

NTA.

Document everything!

"Get ready with a lawyer."

"If she publishes that, you will want to get your side in too."

What's your take on this situation? Do you think the OP is wrong for forbidding his ex to publish her essay or is he well within his rights to protect his privacy?

Either way, his ex shouldn't have asked for his permission if she wasn't willing to accept no for an answer. After all, she will need to learn this if she wants to be a professional author.

We would love to hear your opinions on this. You can share your thoughts with us in the comment section.

Stephanie