If someone is on the spectrum, they may not understand social cues very easily, but does that give them a free pass to be rude and disrespectful?

The person in this story doesn’t think so.

What would you do if a neurodivergent friend was disrespectful of you and your belongings in your own home?

Would you put up with it or call them out on it?

Let’s see how this person handles it.

AITAH for kicking out my friend’s neurodivergent friend, for what I felt was ignoring boundaries and touching my most personal stuff?

I’m just super annoyed that I’m made to be the bad guy but in case I’m missing something, here it is.

My friends have a buddy (uses pronouns they/them), they bring along who is on the spectrum and high-functioning.

They can drive, live independently, clearly make friends, and hold down a job – so personally, I think they can understand and respect boundaries.

They have a really rude habit.

They have this annoying and disgusting habit of burping really hard, effortfully, so it is loud.

And I have a sensitive nose and it smells.

I don’t care they do that but when it’s in my literal personal space, less than three feet, that’s an issue.

I told them several times not to do that when they are literally facing me and talking to me, facing me, or eating right next to me, with an entire plate of food being passed around.

Then they crossed another boundary.

The end of my patience was then met when I had a gathering and they invited them.

They (their friend), came in and I was warm to them, then when I go to the bathroom, I come back looking for them to tell them we are eating dinner.

Lo and behold they are playing with my hearing aids I put in a device to dry them out since it was raining. (My friends just speak louder around me when they are off)

I literally need those for work and my safety, and other people playing with, let alone wearing them, is unsanitary.

They don’t seem to appreciate how delicate and important these hearing aids are.

I flipped out and told them to put those down.

And he burped in my face, laughing, saying they was sorry and tried to hug me.

They drop one of my hearing aids on the floor and almost spill their drink on it, the puddle barely touching it as I grabbed it.

These are $3000 each…

The friends didn’t seem to think it was a big deal either.

I told them to let go and my friends were trying to get me to understand that they has trouble with these social cues.

My response was:

“I’m allowed to decide what I put up with in my personal space and who handles my medical devices. Anybody who can hold down a job, make friends, and live alone should be able to respect boundaries. I don’t care if they’re on the spectrum, that doesn’t mean anything on this.”

My friends left with them and I’ve been back and forth with one of them about it.

Time to find some new friends, ones who respect boundaries.

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this story.

This person thinks the neurodivergent friend did this on purpose.

Social cues aren’t the issue here.

This person needs to set a clear boundary.

An autistic person weighs in.

Another person wants to know how old these friends are.

Being on the spectrum doesn’t give you a free pass to be a jerk.

If you thought that was an interesting story, check out what happened when a family gave their in-laws a free place to stay in exchange for babysitting, but things changed when they don’t hold up their end of the bargain.