We had an argument today and it was......not productive to say the least.
So I was on the phone with them and I told them I had some things I wanted to get off my chest and that it would be the last time I tried to reach out and if they listened, id drop it. They agreeded.
I told them in the beginning that I would be telling them what things they have done that hurt, and why that specific thing hurt me. I told them from the beginning that I wasn't going to speak endlessly about my faults in those situations because this was about what they have done to me. I told them in the beginning that I didn't believe they'd listen but I hoped they'd prove me wrong.
Less than 2 minutes into me starting, my father interrupted me to ask "So I assume you'll be admitting you fault in all of this".......I pointed out that I had already said I wouldn't be doing that but we move on.
For some background, my parents are HEAVILY religious and they have a rule that if I dont attend mass, I lose internet, and service access for 48 hours. And we butt heads over that a LOT. But I was trying to explain to them how much I detested their god and how horrible of a place that building was to be in. Because I'm bi and that church had repeatedly preached bigoted sermons. I was trying to tell that how much of a slap in the face it was to go to a place that preached love and kindness, and an all loving god when said god didn't answer my prayers for my csa to stop, when said god allows such hateful speech in his home. And my mother handwaved it aside and my father.....he got very upset, kept threatening to leave the conversation, telling me was telling him to jump off a bridge (i wasn't), that i was criticizing him (um yes?) And that I hated him.
Mind you, I was five minutes in. But I tried to keep going, and as I was going they kept interrupting me and going on long tangents, then blaming me for the time "wasted"
I tried to explain that it hurt that my mother would bring ppl who didn't believe I should exist into what was supposedly my home. And she told me that I couldn't tell her who she could be friends with. I wasn't, I was telling her that it hurt that she would do that when she has a bi daughter. She then said that they weren’t saying bigoted stuff in the house so it didn't matter.
My father left the call and texted me "Hate me if you want. I cannot sit and keep listening to you tell me everything wrong I have done and then lecture me on how to behave. When you can tell me how you feel in a constructive manner that helps us move forward, then I will listen."
I have NEVER said I hated my parents, NEVER. It doesn't matter how many times I tell them thats not what I think, they dont believe me. Mom will say "shes not going to listen to us she wants, thinks, feels." Or "shes emotional right now she won't listen"
That is incredibly infuriating and hurtful. They cannot say "I listen to you" then put restrictions on HOW im allowed to tell them my feelings. That's not how conversations work. And to make it worse, they SAY you want to mend our relationship but then do nothing to actually make me forgive them.
They will go on and on about how I need to make amends, about what I'VE done wrong, about what I need to do for them to forgive me. But they never ask, "what can I do for you to forgive me."
They place all the responsibility of fixing things onto me and put cotton in their ears when the time comes for them to learn their part.
And then they say "we've made changes" changes i have TOLD them were not the way to fix things with me. They have refused to listen, refused to understand, refused to actually see that i am a person and if they want to make things better, they can't always put their way above mine. They cannot say "but I did try to fix things" if I tell you that you didn't do it in a way that would actually make me forgive you, and your response is "but I tried" or "thats how im going to do it, take it or leave it" then dont complain and say you have no idea why im upset.
And my mom will tell me what I said when I know damn well i didn't say that. They constantly make themselves, the victims when it was me who was told "you can't tell me everything I've done wrong" and "I didn't ask how you felt" and "I dont care how you feel" And when I bring that up, they tell me im gaslighting them and abusing them.
They escalate things and then make it my fault when I had barely even spoken. I point out how they have contradicted themselves and they get up and yell "I'm done with you"
And im not saying theyhaven't ever done anything for me. Far from it. They have given me a lot. But being emotionally trustworthy is not one of them.
If you're first instinct to being told your daughter doesn't trust you or feel like she is heard is to say "if you feel that way, id hate to make you a liar" or "Right im just the worst parent in the world, I've never done anything for you" despite my multiple attempts to tell you otherwise. Then maybe you shouldn't have had a kid.
Im so incredibly tired, I feel like I'm losing my mind with them. Maybe im making a big deal out of nothing, maybe I am the problem. I dont know, my understanding of my right to express this resentment and anger has been so heavily skewed that I struggle with knowing how im allowed to be treated.
Anyway, if you have any questions, feel free to ask them. I'll try to answer them all. I know its kinda hard to take some random person on the internets side, so more content might help my case.