AITA For cancelling last minute because my boyfriend wasn’t invited?

Step into a moment where excitement for an amusement park adventure crumbles under a friend’s betrayal. This Reddit saga unfolds as a 20-year-old woman discovers her friend’s lie about inviting her boyfriend, who grapples with anemia, to a group outing. Her last-minute cancellation ignites a firestorm—was it a bold stand for loyalty or a friendship misstep? Reddit and experts unpack this clash of trust and empathy.

The sting of deception hit hard, targeting her boyfriend’s health struggles. This tale of friendship and fairness brims with raw emotion, pulling us into a debate about honesty and inclusion. Let’s dive into the details, community reactions, and expert insights.

‘AITA For cancelling last minute because my boyfriend wasn’t invited?’

I (20F) have a small friend group that me and my boyfriend(19M) share. For context, my boyfriend has some pretty bad anemia, and is prone to fainting spells, dizziness, etc. He only recently started treatment for it, so he’s not in top shape. I also have terrible asthma, so tons of physical activities give me attacks.

A few weeks ago, our friend group went roller skating, which involves a lot of movement and spinning and after going around the rink a few times, my boyfriend fainted while walking back to our table. He was fine, but didn’t want to faint again, so we went around one last time and spent the rest of our time at the arcade.

Only one of my friends, Dawn (fake name) was mad at this, but we both brushed it off since nobody was really affected. Yesterday, I received a text from Dawn asking if I wanted to go to our local amusement park, she told me she had sent the same text to my boyfriend as well, I of course said yes.

Later, I was fully dressed and ready to leave, but my boyfriend was still in normal clothes relaxing. I asked him why he wasn’t dressed, and he told me he didn’t know we were going anywhere. I texted my friend again and turns out she lied to me, saying she didn’t want to invite him because he’d “make a huge scene” fainting again.

I ended up saying I didn’t want to go anymore because she lied, and told her I’d pay her back for my admission ticket if she already bought it. Dawn blew up in our group chat telling everyone how terrible I was for cancelling last minute. I got some private messages from other friends saying I’m TA and that she had a right to not invite him.

I was still upset, so I told everyone that we could talk later, I spent the rest of the night staying in with my boyfriend. I don’t think my friend should’ve lied to me, but I’m also not sure if my other friends are right in saying she can invite whoever she wants.. AITA?

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This young woman’s choice to ditch plans after a friend’s lie screams loyalty in a tough spot. Dawn’s deception—excluding the boyfriend over his anemia—shows a lack of empathy. Dr. Susan David, a psychologist specializing in emotional agility, says, “Honesty in relationships builds trust; deception erodes it.” The lie, not the cancellation, sparked this mess, as the woman prioritized her boyfriend’s dignity.

Dawn’s excuse—fear of a “scene” from his medical condition—highlights a broader issue: stigma around health challenges. The boyfriend’s fainting wasn’t drama but a real struggle, yet Dawn weaponized it. Research shows 60% of people with chronic illnesses face social exclusion, amplifying the hurt here.

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David’s work suggests addressing betrayal with clear communication. The woman’s cancellation was her boundary, but a calm talk might prevent future rifts. For others, discussing inclusion openly with friends could help.

See what others had to share with OP:

Reddit’s dropping truth bombs with a loud “NTA” and a pinch of sass. Here’s the community’s spicy take:

SoMuchMoreEagle - NTA Your friends are major assholes. If she 'had a right not to invite him,' then why would she lie to you about it? And why don't you have a right to not go when you've been lied to and your BF has been excluded because of a medical condition.

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christina0001 - NTA she flat out lied to you. You were right to cancel and personally I wouldn't pay her for the tickets if she bought them.

zombieduckv2 - NTA Dawn has an attitude problem that needs major adjusting. Who looks at their friend who faints and gets MAD about it, instead of concerned? And then who makes a point to exclude them from future events because of a medical condition?. You did everything right in this situation, so don't feel bad about it.

[Reddit User] - Wow. These people are not your friends.

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AJWordsmith - NTA. But Dawn can invite whoever she wants AND anyone can decide not to attend. Dawn should never have lied about it. That’s the biggest reason she’s TA.

GalileaGalilie - NTA I wouldn’t have even offered the courtesy to pay the ticket back if she already bought it. Dawn sounds like the type of person who would lie about getting the ticket so she can get some extra money.

Quiet-Essay-9268 - Not TA. She had every right not to invite him; she became TA when she lied to you about inviting him. Your friends are focusing on the inconvenience of you not going; not on the bigger issue of the lie.

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TinyRascalSaurus - NTA. Your boyfriend didn't faint for attention, he had a legitimate medical emergency from a documented condition. Dawn then lied to you that he would be included, rather than admitting she didn't want someone along who might have a medical issue. You would have refused had she told the truth from the start, so it's perfectly alright to refuse upon learning it.

RaymondBeaumont - NTA. She literally lied to you that he was invited.. Find better friends, and not just Dawn, but the other ones too.

Wise_Date_5357 - NTA they’re right in saying she can invite whoever she wants but where she became the AH was not only lying about it which was a weird move as how would you not find that out, but also for holding his health against him instead of being worried about someone she supposedly is also friends with. You don’t need that drama.

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These hot takes cut deep, but do they see the full picture? Reddit’s a wild arena—let’s check their aim.

This story spins a tale of trust broken by a friend’s lie and a woman’s stand for her boyfriend. Canceling plans felt right to her, but was it the only way to call out Dawn’s deception? It’s a tangle of loyalty and fairness. What would you do if a friend lied about excluding someone you love? Share your stories—how do you navigate betrayal in friendships?

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