AITA For Being Offended Over Not Being Included In My Family’s Matching “I Love You” TATOO?

Jonathan Hours
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Imagine coming home to find your mom and sister sporting fresh “I Love You 3,000” tattoos, a Marvel-inspired nod to your tight-knit trio—only to learn you weren’t invited to join. For one Marvel-loving family member, this wasn’t just a missed ink session; it was a gut-punch of exclusion, worsened by their mom’s dismissive “not everything’s equal” retort. Now, opting out of a family concert has sparked accusations of overreacting, leaving them torn between hurt and standing their ground.

This story is a vibrant clash of love, loyalty, and left-out feelings, as relatable as a family group chat gone silent. Who hasn’t felt sidelined by those closest to them? Their pain over the tattoo snub hooks us, sparking a debate about family bonds, favoritism, and the right to feel seen.

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‘AITA For Being Offended Over Not Being Included In My Family’s Matching “I Love You” TATOO?’

This Reddit post spills the ink on a family drama that’s as emotional as a superhero showdown. Here’s the account of the tattoo exclusion and concert fallout:

Since my dad left my Mom, Sister and I have been tight. There for each other ya know? Some days ago my Mom and Sister came home spontaneously with matching “I Love You 3,000” tattoos. I asked them why I hadn’t been invited or included and my Mom snapped at me saying “they’re inspired by that dumb marvel movie your sister likes you wouldn’t have wanted one”.

Um hello? I love marvel and have been collecting comics and memorabilia for years it’s what she gets me for my birthday and Christmas every year I would have loved to participate, and that’s what I told her. Then she changed her answer saying “not everything has to be equal and that’s life, sometimes you just don’t get included in family things.”.

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There’s this concert this weekend we’re supposed to go to however I’m planning on staying home much to their anger. They’re telling me I’m overreacting however I just don’t feel like going out with them right now. I don’t know how to feel I don’t wanna overreact it is just a tattoo but I feel bad being left out especially since we’ve talked about matching tats for years.

A family tattoo should symbolize unity, not division, but this spontaneous “I Love You 3,000” ink left a Marvel fan feeling erased. The mom’s snap about the “dumb movie” and later pivot to “not everything’s equal” dismisses valid hurt, hinting at defensiveness or favoritism, especially given the trio’s history of discussing matching tattoos. The sister’s silence and the concert boycott tension suggest deeper cracks in their “tight” bond. Skipping the concert isn’t petty—it’s a natural retreat from pain.

This scenario reflects family inclusion dynamics. A 2021 Journal of Social and Personal Relationships study found 35% of siblings report feeling excluded from family rituals, often leading to resentment. The mom’s refusal to acknowledge the oversight, paired with her harsh words, risks long-term trust.

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Family therapist Dr. Gary Chapman advises, “Validating hurt feelings, even unintentionally caused, strengthens family bonds”. The mom could have apologized or proposed a new tattoo plan. The excluded sibling’s love for Marvel, reinforced by years of themed gifts, makes the snub sting more.

To move forward, they could calmly express their need for inclusion, perhaps suggesting a new family tattoo or bonding activity. Setting boundaries, like limiting family outings until feelings are addressed, protects their emotional health.

Check out how the community responded:

Reddit’s heroes swooped in with takes sharper than a vibranium shield! Here’s what the community dished out on this tattoo turmoil:

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Many_Worlds_Media − NTA. Your mom’s response was pretty dismissive of your feelings. Sometimes people do that when they don’t care how you feel, but also sometimes people do that when they feel really guilty the second they realize their mistake - so they avoid it. I’m betting, assuming things are usually good with your mom and sister, that this was option

#2. Unfortunately a lot of the time we don’t get apologies for option #2, because shame makes people act like jerks. So, I’d try and really sit with how you feel about this and determine what you need to move on - and then ask your mom & sis if they can accommodate that need. Make it tangible - like “can we plan a tat for all 3 of us, that we’ll get by a specific time?” If it’s option #2, and you approach them calm and collected with your ask - it should go well.

shontsu − “not everything has to be equal and that’s life, sometimes you just don’t get included in family things.”. Gosh, thats a brutally honest way to tell you who's her favorite.

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PossibilityLost4085 − Get an ' Unloved 3000 ' tattoo to be real petty.

HairyUniversity-287 − My dad passed 2 weeks after I got married. My mom, myself & my 2 siblings all talked about going together to get remembrance tattoos for him. I also live about an hour from the rest of my family… they all went & got their tattoos together & never said a word to me that they were going.

RiddLA311 − You WERE left out and you are feeling some type of way about that. There is nothing wrong with that. It seems your mom is being defensive because she probably realizes deep down that she messed up. It would be great if she could acknowledge that without you having to tell her. I would explain myself as plainly as possible about the concert and let them know, you will get over it, but just not yet.. NTA.

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Yetis-unicorn − NTA but matching mother daughter tattoos like this combined with your mother’s cruel reaction to your feelings makes me think you’ll be glad you maintained distance from this situation in the long run. Your mom either has some sort impulse control problem or your sister is the golden child.

Either way, I’d start making healthy connections and build a support system outside of your mother and sister. I’m not saying you need to cut them off but you need to make sure that they aren’t the only people you have to go to for emotional support.

DotSuspicious4925 − NTA Your mom sounds mean af.

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shinybabycheetah − NTA, you're always entitled to your own feelings. And I don't blame you for being hurt, I'd probably feel hurt too. Take care, OP.

CrunchM − NTA. Let’s start here: your feelings are valid. This isn’t just about a tattoo—it’s about being left out of a moment that was supposed to reflect love, shared history, and connection. When your mom and sister got matching tattoos, especially ones tied to your interests and the family bond you all share, they created a symbol—and intentionally or not, that symbol excluded you. That hurts. It should hurt.

You weren’t asking for identical treatment. You were asking for acknowledgment. For inclusion. For consistency between what they say you mean to them and how they act. Skipping the concert isn’t petty, it’s self-protection. You’re allowed to take space when you’re hurt. If you decide to talk about it later, keep it simple:

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“It wasn’t just about the tattoo. It was about being left out of something that symbolizes love and family, especially when those are things I’ve always valued and wanted to share with you both. When I said I was hurt, I wasn’t trying to guilt-trip anyone. I just wanted to be seen.”. And if they can’t hear that, the problem isn’t you.

RuinBeginning776 − Nta, sounds like they just simply don’t care. I would just move accordingly from now on.

These opinions pack a punch, but do they save the day or just fuel the family feud?

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This tattoo tale is a heart-wrenching mix of fandom, family, and feeling forgotten, showing how a small act can leave lasting scars. The excluded sibling’s concert skip isn’t an overreaction—it’s a cry for recognition in a family that claims closeness. Should they demand an apology or let it fade? This story hits home, urging us to reflect on inclusion and love. What would you do if your family left you out of a cherished moment? Drop your thoughts below and let’s unravel this Marvel-sized mess!

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