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Standing up for yourself is supposed to feel empowering, not like you just committed some unforgivable social faux pas.

One socially anxious woman found herself repeatedly inching away from a clueless older woman standing too close behind her in a slow moving Target self-checkout line.

After several rounds of politely stepping away, the woman finally spoke up, politely asking for a little more space and explaining that close proximity makes her anxious.

The stranger’s reaction wasn’t understanding, it was exaggerated shock.

She then began to wonder if she was the one who was overreacting.

Keep reading for the full story.

AITAH for asking her to stand back in line?

I was at Target last week and this older woman was standing behind me in the self-checkout line.

I have horrible anxiety, and she was standing too close to me, so I inched away.

But this lady still didn’t take the hint.

Then she inched up. So I inched up a little more, then she moved again. I inched up again (btw the line wasn’t moving), and she moved again.

That’s when this woman decided to speak up against her better judgement.

I politely said to her, “I’m sorry, but do you mind standing back a bit? I get anxious when people stand so close.”

Of course, this stranger didn’t react well.

She acted like it was the most insane thing she’s ever heard. She said, “Wow, really?? Okay, fine,” and then stood 4 feet back like I just assaulted her or something.

I never stand up for myself, this was one in a million. Was I really that crazy for saying something? Please someone validate me.

Dramatic much?

Reddit is sure to have a lot to say.

Some people just need bluntness to finally get the message.

This commenter has had to take similar measures.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about neighbors who complain about dandelions only to find themselves on the other end of a creative response.

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Maybe, as a general rule, strangers should be giving each other more space.

There’s nothing “crazy” about asking someone to give you a few extra inches of space in a line that wasn’t even moving.

This woman handled the situation about as gently as possible, repeatedly adjusting on her own before ever saying a word, and only spoke up once it became clear the other woman wasn’t going to take the hint.

Standing up for yourself isn’t always comfortable, but it’s still something worth doing.

Some people have zero spacial awareness.

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Author

Benjamin Cottrell

Benjamin Cottrell | Assistant Editor, Internet Culture

Benjamin Cottrell is an Assistant Editor and contributing writer at TwistedSifter, specializing in internet culture, viral social dynamics, and the moral complexities of online communities. He brings a highly analytical, editorial voice to his reporting on workplace conflicts, malicious compliance, and interpersonal drama, with a specific focus on nuanced stories that lack an obvious villain.

As a published author of rhetorical criticism, Benjamin leverages his academic background in human communication to dissect and elevate viral social media threads. Instead of simply summarizing events, he provides readers with balanced, deep-dive commentary into why the internet reacts the way it does. In addition to his cultural reporting, he is an experienced fine art photography essayist and video game reviewer.

When he isn’t analyzing the latest viral debates, Benjamin is usually chipping away at his extensive video game backlog, hunting down the best new restaurants, or out exploring the city with a camera in hand.

Connect with Benjamin on Instagram and read more of his essays on Substack.