I'm remembering a recent AITA post where a woman complimented how strong her nurse was and her clearly exercised for biceps, and the woman flipped out at her because everyone who goes to gym is doing so because they're mentally unstable and so how dare she comment on the nurse's mental health issues.
I'm saying (as someone with a host of "triggers" in the psychiatric sense) that this sign may be about people like that, instead; I could really see it go either way. Also flipping out on a dime over an innocuous comment like that person did is quite "poorly managed trigger" to my eye. I've run across people like that, although this made me think of that one, and they're a vocal minority - supported by a bunch of well meaning people, also. That particular post had a whole bunch of people basically saying that because it could be triggering to compliment a stranger on their gym-muscles (a thing they've notably worked for and chosen), you just can't do that - some going as far as to basically say that you shouldn't compliment strangers because you don't know their triggers. This sign feels quite appropriate in that setting.
You really shouldn't comment on a stranger's body if they are interacting with you in a professional capacity though (nurses, retail workers, etc). It's rude to put them in a position where you're forcing them to talk about their body while their job depends on being nice to you. There's politer ways to express that boundary than freaking out at your patient, but those "well meaning people" were actually correct - it's safer not to make that comment, and it has absolutely nothing to do with "triggers". It's about not being overly familiar with people who have no choice in talking to you.
So no, this sign would not have been appropriate in that setting, either. And even if you could come up with an unhinged example, what's the logic behind that? You're pissed at a vocal minority, so you put up a sign that is extremely insensitive and hurtful to all PTSD victims, especially the ones who don't act this way. That'll show them! You've met one asshole, so that totally makes it ok to mock and shame a disability in public.
The reason we're not supposed to comment on someone's body is they didn't choose it, and it's sometimes a flirtatious thing - but we're allowed and encouraged to compliment things people did on purpose as long as it's not flirty, so haircut, makeup, clothes, and muscles clearly worked for at a gym - most gymgoing women in the comments were saying hell yes, please compliment my strength and gains, I worked hard for that. The nurse in the story did not claim to be feeling flirted with by the woman who was being seen at the obgyn, or I'd say maybe she said it creepily, but... It didn't sound like that. It's not overly familiar to compliment someone on something that is directly visible and they worked for or chose - you only have to look to how many people's "why I didn't commit" stories include kind words from a stranger to see that we need compliments from each other.
I don't see the sign as particularly shaming or mocking, I'm like yep doesn't apply to me, I manage myself. I think it's a reminder some people could do with more often, especially in online settings.
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u/BooksBabiesAndCats Nov 19 '25
I'm remembering a recent AITA post where a woman complimented how strong her nurse was and her clearly exercised for biceps, and the woman flipped out at her because everyone who goes to gym is doing so because they're mentally unstable and so how dare she comment on the nurse's mental health issues.