'At my sister's wedding, she made a joke about me in her speech. I walked out while everyone laughed.'

"I could feel my face getting hot and my stomach dropped. This was a topic I had confided in her many times, and it felt like she was mocking something that caused me a lot of pain."

A 34 year old woman has shared a story that began with a "joke" and ended with her walking out of her sister's wedding, and it's causing quite the stir online.

The story begins at the wedding reception, where the bride gave a speech. Everything started out normal… until she brought up her sister.

"She started making a joke about how I was the 'favourite' child because I didn't have kids and could still live my life freely, unlike her and other 'tired' parents," shared the sister in question.

Here's the kicker.

"I have been struggling with infertility for about five years now," the woman wrote on the sub-reddit r/AmITheAsshole.

"It's been a really tough journey for my husband (36M) and me, and we've gone through rounds of IVF, countless doctor appointments, and a lot of emotional highs and lows."

The bride, 29, laughed at her own remark, as did some guests. While the woman stayed seated for a few minutes, she confessed that she "couldn't take it".

"I quietly got up, left the table, and ended up leaving the wedding entirely," she explained. "My husband came with me, and on the way home, I started getting texts from family members asking why I left. Apparently, my sister noticed and is furious, saying I made a scene and ruined her big day."

She finished the post: "Some of my family members are siding with her, saying it was "just a joke" and that I'm too sensitive. I get that it was her wedding day, but I just couldn't sit there after what she said. I didn't confront her or make a scene; I just quietly left because I needed to get away."

Asking if she was "the asshole" in this scenario, the woman received plenty of responses.

"Anyone using that lame 'just a joke' non-excuse should be asked to explain what the joke is," one Reddit user wrote. "Because this internet stranger doesn't understand it either."

Another agreed, replying: "The best thing you can do in situations like this is to quietly leave so you can manage emotions away from the event. You did not cause a scene and are certainly NTA (Not The Asshole)."

"I'm sorry she decided to make such a weird and cruel (even if unknowingly on her end) comment about you," a third added. "Your response was mature and healthy. Not only is your situation with fertility extremely emotionally draining, but financially so as well. Seems pretty unkind of her to 'joke' about how 'free' you are, when I'm sure you feel very trapped and helpless about the whole situation."

"It's just not a topic you joke about," read another comment. "I don't even know if my sister wanted kids but I was just a bridesmaid at her wedding and didn't make one joke about her and her partner being childless because it isn't funny. I guarantee you weren't the only people there struggling with infertility. She would have caused a lot of pain with that 'joke.'"

Another user shared their own experience, writing: "My husband and I have fertility issues, too, and my family is aware of them. If one of my siblings made comments like that at their wedding, I would leave immediately. "It's just a joke" isn't an excuse to hurt someone. Jokes are meant to be funny, not hurtful."

"Irish exit after an inappropriate joke? NTA," a further Redditer added.

Feature Image: Getty