Posts involving someone who insists SHADOW IS NOT GAY

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AITA for Cutting Off My "Debate Buddy" Over His Shadow Obsession?


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So I (28F) used to love hanging with my close group of friends where we’d nerd out about games, comics, movies—pretty much anything. One of my oldest friends, Jake (29M), has taken his fandom way too far lately. Ever since the new Sonic game dropped, he’s been completely obsessed with proving that Shadow the Hedgehog is NOT gay. Every conversation somehow ends up with him showing me charts, fan theories, interview clips—whatever he can find—to back his claim.

I used to just laugh it off and nod politely when he went off on one of his rants. But over time, his fixation has turned our casual hangouts and group gaming sessions into this awkward mess. The other night during our monthly board game night, things got embarrassing fast. We were talking about character backstories when Jake suddenly launched into a 15-minute lecture about Shadow’s “purity of character” and his rock-solid heterosexuality. The game completely derailed and everyone was just uncomfortable.

Later, a couple of friends pulled me aside and said that his non-stop need to prove this one point was really killing the vibe. I tried to talk to him afterwards and mentioned that his obsession was making our get-togethers unpleasant, and maybe he should take a break from it. Instead of hearing me out, he accused us of “censoring free speech” and said that if we weren’t willing to debate him on the topic, then we weren’t loyal fans.

I really miss the friend who used to just enjoy a good conversation without turning it into a Shadow debate. I honestly like Jake, but his constant crusade about Shadow’s sexuality has taken over everything. So, AITA for cutting him off until he can just chill out on this obsession?
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============================   Post Number 2   ============================
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AITA for kicking my friend out of game night for nonstop rants about Shadow the Hedgehog not being gay?


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This past Saturday, I hosted our regular game night at my place—a chill hangout that we all look forward to because it’s a break from our crazy routines. Most of us are pretty laid-back, but one friend, Darren, has an obsession that’s really getting old. For months now, every time the conversation drifts to video games (even sometimes when it doesn't), Darren has to announce, with way too much intensity, that “Shadow the Hedgehog is NOT GAY.” At first, it was just some silly banter, but now it’s become a major disruption that kills the vibe.

This Saturday, while we were in the middle of a co-op board game, we started talking about our favorite Sonic moments. True to form, Darren launched into his usual spiel and ended up getting into a heated debate with another friend who mentioned that Shadow’s dark, edgy storyline could be seen from a different angle. I tried to steer the conversation back on track, but Darren just got louder and more insistent—completely derailing our game and even making some guests leave early because they were fed up with the nonstop ranting.

I finally stepped in and said, “Darren, can we please just enjoy the night without rehashing this argument? It’s getting old.” He ended up getting really defensive, saying I was “censoring his passion” and that if he was fighting for what he believed in, I should back him up instead. Some of the guys agreed with him, but a lot of us were clearly annoyed.

Later, when things had calmed down a bit, Darren told me that my comment made him feel unwanted at my own party and that he’d feel free to invite anyone who “gets how important this issue is.” I apologized and explained that it wasn’t about the topic – it wasn’t really about Shadow at all. It was about keeping a fun environment where no one feels overwhelmed by one person’s extreme obsession.

I’m really frustrated here. I love my friends and I’m all for supporting passionate views, but not at the expense of ruining the hangout for everyone. So, AITA for telling Darren to cool it even if it meant risking his spot at our game night?
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============================   Post Number 3   ============================
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 AITA for kicking my buddy off game night for his nonstop Shadow rant?


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 So I (28F) have been hosting a monthly board game night with a tight group of friends for over a year now. It’s always been chill—until a couple of months ago.

One of the regulars, “Derek” (29M), has become obsessed with proving that Shadow the Hedgehog is NOT gay. I know, it sounds ridiculous, but every game night he somehow turns the conversation into a long speech about how any “queer readings” of Shadow just make no sense. He goes on for like 10-15 minutes, dropping random interview clips and fan theory points he claims are “undeniable proof.”

At first we all tried to ignore it, thinking it was just a weird tangent. But over time his rants started to take over our entire night. What used to be a fun group hangout slowly turned into a place where we were stuck listening to his crusade. A few of the others said they were uncomfortable with it, and I tried to handle it calmly—until last week.

We were halfway through a pretty intense game of Catan when Derek launched into another one of his monologues. I tried to gently cut him off by saying, “Hey Derek, maybe we can talk about that later? We’re here to have fun and play games.” He shot back that “truth matters” and called us “lame for not caring.” I just couldn’t take it anymore—I told him, “This isn’t the time or place for your theory; either we have a fun game night or you take your lecture elsewhere.” He got really mad, his face turning red, and stormed out right then and there.

Now some of my friends think I was too harsh for doing that in front of everyone, saying everyone’s entitled to their own opinions—even if they’re insanely random. Others think I was 100% right to set boundaries, just for the sake of keeping the night enjoyable. I feel bad that things ended so badly, but I really can’t stand having my personal space turned into a platform for that endless rant.

So, AITA for calling Derek out and effectively kicking him off our game night because he wouldn’t drop his obsession about proving Shadow isn’t gay?
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============================   Post Number 4   ============================
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 AITA for Canceling Game Night Because Derek's Obsession with Proving "Shadow is NOT GAY" Was Ruining the Vibe


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 Hey everyone, I've been hosting a weekly board game night with a small group of friends for over three years now. It used to be a fun time full of laughs, friendly competition, and the occasional deep dive into random topics. Recently though, one recurring issue has really gotten to me.

So here's the backstory: one of our regulars, Derek, has always been a bit quirky. But in the last couple of months, he’s become totally fixated on proving that Shadow the Hedgehog is NOT GAY. Every game night, as soon as we settle in, Derek launches into a long rant about how saying anything else is "ridiculous and out of character." He even brings his own memes and fan art to back up his point.

At first I laughed it off. I mean, it's just a video game character, right? But soon enough his fixation started taking over our conversations. Instead of planning strategies during our games, the table would split into debates over his so-called "evidence" and detailed breakdowns. A few friends even started leaving early or skipped game night altogether because the vibe was getting completely overtaken by his lecture.

I pulled Derek aside last week and explained, in a calm way, that while I get passion in fandoms, his constant rants were turning what used to be a relaxed night into a series of exhausting debates. Instead of understanding, he accused me of trying to shut down his freedom of opinion and even hinted that I was against his “proper” take on the character.

Since our talk, he’s doubled down on his behavior and now plans to bring a couple of friends who share his view to the next game night. Honestly, I'm worried it's only going to make things worse for everyone else. Feeling like I had no other choice, I decided to cancel this week’s game night in hopes that a little break might cool things off.

Some friends are saying I'm being too controlling and that I should just let Derek share his "harmless opinions" since it's just his quirky take on Shadow. But I really miss the nights where we could all just relax and enjoy the games without the conversation being hijacked by a never-ending debate on Shadow's orientation.

So, AITA for canceling game night because one person's obsession was turning our weekly hangout into a battleground?
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============================   Post Number 5   ============================
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 AITA for Calling Out a Friend's Obsession That Ruined Game Night?


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 I'm a 29M who's been part of a weekly gaming group for a couple of years now. Most of the time, things have been pretty chill until recently. A few months ago, one of our regulars, Alex (30M), started getting super into debating one topic over and over: that Shadow the Hedgehog is NOT gay.

I’m a big Sonic fan too, but I never expected someone to pick a character and turn every chat into this never-ending crusade. At first, his comments were just random and funny—memes, heated forum posts, random chats during our game sessions. But then it quickly escalated. Every game night, every break, and even our online chats became a long argument where Alex insisted on citing these obscure sources and going on rants about “preserving character integrity.”

It got so bad that during our last cooperative game session, when everyone was trying to work together, he hijacked the chat with a 30-minute lecture about how all his research proves that Shadow’s “brooding nature” isn’t some code for hidden gay vibes. I asked him to stick to the game, which led to a pretty heated argument—our other friends were clearly fed up with being interrupted.

The next day, a few group members told me privately that they miss the old game nights where we just enjoyed the session without these absurd debates. They asked if I was going to say something to Alex. I ended up confronting him privately and told him that while I get that he loves discussing game lore, his obsession was ruining the fun for everyone. I said something like, "Alex, it's cool to have your own take, but do we really need to rehash this every time? The lecture about Shadow is getting old." Instead of taking it as constructive criticism, he got defensive, saying that he was just "standing up for a character he cares about" and that his research is "rock solid."

I really miss the laid-back vibe we used to have, but now it feels like every hangout turns into this never-ending debate. So, AITA for calling Alex out and asking him to stop turning every session into a Shadow debate? I didn't mean to hurt his feelings—I do value his friendship—but I'm wondering if I was out of line for trying to keep game night about the game and not endless debates about character sexuality.
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============================   Post Number 6   ============================
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AITA for telling my roommate to chill with his Shadow rants?


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I'm usually pretty laid back, but lately I've been seriously fed up with my roommate, Matt. He's a huge video game nerd, and for some weird reason his obsession these days is proving to anyone who'll listen that Shadow the Hedgehog is NOT gay. I get that he's passionate about his favorite characters, but his constant need to bring this up is getting way out of hand.

When Matt moved in about a year ago, his off-the-wall rants were just one of those quirky things I found amusing. We’d have debates about game lore or which Sonic title was the best during late night gaming sessions, and it was all chill banter. But in the past few months, every conversation—whether we're cooking or vacuuming—ends up with him launching into his latest “evidence” on why Shadow can’t be gay. Sometimes it starts with a single line of dialogue in the game, other times it’s random stats he pulled from some obscure fan site. I honestly don't understand why he's so obsessed with this.

The other day, I was trying to work from home with my headphones on when Matt barged into my room during a call. He was loudly telling a friend that Shadow's backstory totally disproves all the nonsense and that anyone who disagrees is just "missing the obvious truth." My call got cut off, and I was left annoyed and embarrassed by the whole scene.

Later, I pulled him aside and asked if he could keep his rants to a more reasonable time and place—especially when I have work calls or when friends are over. I told him that while I respect his right to have opinions about video game characters, his obsession is starting to be really intrusive. Instead of taking it well, he got defensive and argued that he’s just "correcting misinformation" and that if people can’t handle the truth about Shadow, then maybe they need to grow up. He even said, "If you can't appreciate the facts, then you're part of the problem."

Now I'm worried that maybe I came off as too harsh about something that makes him happy, but the constant interruptions to my work and my peace of mind are becoming unbearable. So, AITA for asking him to tone down his never-ending crusade about Shadow the Hedgehog?
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============================   Post Number 7   ============================
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AITA for finally calling my cousin out for his nonstop Shadow the Hedgehog rants?


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This has been bugging me for a while and I need to know if I'm the asshole here.

I'm 27F and I love our family get togethers, but lately they're getting derailed by my cousin Jake, who's 23M. Ever since I can remember, Jake's been obsessed with proving that Shadow the Hedgehog is NOT GAY. I mean, I get it—when someone is passionate about something, it's cool—but his fixation has really gotten out of hand.

At our last family reunion, while everyone was just catching up, Jake launched into a long rant about how Shadow’s design, backstory, and even gameplay prove his “true nature.” What started as a comment about video games quickly turned into this 20-minute monologue filled with weird lore references and his endless rant. I tried smiling and excuses to chat with others, but every time I looked around, everyone just had these glazed expressions like they were over dissecting a video game character’s "sexuality."

I know Shadow has a huge fanbase and there are plenty of memes about it, but his daily obsession—texting in group chats, calling me during dinner parties, even joining video calls to debate it—is really ruining our family time.

Last weekend, at a small dinner I hosted for a few family members, Jake started his “Shadow is 100% not gay” keynote right when everyone was starting to relax. I finally said, "Jake, I understand Shadow's your passion, but can we please have one night without this debate? It's taking over the conversation." He exploded, calling me dismissive and even selfish for “dismissing his truth.” I'm all for sharing opinions, but not when it's turned into a lecture nobody asked for.

I really respect Jake's love for the franchise, but I also believe in keeping our family time fun and inclusive, not just revolving around one person's endless rant. So, AITA for telling him to tone it down and stop hijacking every conversation with his obsession?
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============================   Post Number 8   ============================
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AITA for shutting down my cousin's endless Shadow the Hedgehog rant at game night?


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Last weekend I hosted our monthly family game night, a tradition where cousins, friends, and a few relatives get together for board games, video game trivia, and just a good time. I spent weeks planning it – making sure there was plenty of food, a mix of competitive and cooperative games, and even a little retro gaming setup for nostalgia.

Everything was going great until my cousin Jeff (32M) launched into his usual rant about how “Shadow the Hedgehog is absolutely NOT gay.” For context, this isn’t his one-off opinion – it's something he's been obsessed with for years. Every time we meet, no matter how many times we've already heard it, he feels like he has to set the record straight. That night, right in the middle of an intense Mario Kart round, he interrupted everyone with a 20-minute diatribe. He even had screenshots from old fan forums, hand-drawn sketches, and passionate claims that anyone who disagreed was just “ignoring the irrefutable evidence.”

At first I tried to keep the mood light by laughing awkwardly, but it soon became clear that his lecture was killing the fun. I asked him nicely to wrap it up so we could go back to playing games and chatting. Instead of taking it as a simple request, he blew up – saying I was being intolerant and censoring his “freedom of opinion.” A couple of family members even sided with him saying I’d “ruined his chance to enlighten us” or that I was “dismissing his passion.”

I just wanted a normal, enjoyable night without an impromptu Sonic lore lecture. I love my cousin and know his love for video games, but his constant fixation was taking over the entire evening and making everyone else uncomfortable.

So, AITA for calling him out on his constant need to prove that Shadow is not gay and asking him to tone it down, even if it meant dampening his enthusiasm a bit?
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============================   Post Number 9   ============================
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AITA for telling my cousin to cool it on his Shadow rants at our family game night?


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So a few months ago I started hosting a monthly family game night at my place. It's meant to be a chill way for everyone to catch up, play some board games, and just relax. For the most part, things are awesome—except for one recurring issue that's bugging everyone.

My cousin Dan (35F) has gotten totally obsessed with proving to anyone who will listen that Shadow the Hedgehog is NOT gay. I don't know if it started as a random comment in a game chat or something else, but now every time someone mentions any Sonic stuff during game night, Dan goes off on an unsolicited lecture. He interrupts the game, rants about obscure character facts, and even starts arguments mid-round, insisting his "research" is 100% correct.

I get that fans can get fired up over details, but his constant rants are seriously ruining the vibe. A few of the teenagers (and even some adults) left halfway through because they just wanted to enjoy a fun game without getting dragged into a debate about a video game character's sexuality. I tried pulling him aside and saying, "Hey, can we keep the Shadow talk to a minimum tonight? Let's save it for another time," but he took it as an attack on his taste and claimed I was "censoring" him.

At our last game night, after his fifth rant about how "everyone clearly misinterprets the character," I finally said in front of everyone, "Look, Dan, I love that you're passionate about Sonic lore, but can we please switch topics? We're here to have fun and enjoy each other's company." That didn't go down too well—he stormed off, and some family members even told me I ruined a good night. Now a couple of people have messaged me saying maybe I was too harsh or that I singled him out unfairly.

So, AITA for laying down a hard line on the Shadow debate at our family gatherings?
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AITA for shutting down my friend's endless Shadow rants at game night


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Last Saturday, our weekly game night — usually a mix of board games, laughs, and some friendly debates — got way awkward because of one person. I've been hosting for a while now, and most of us enjoy the time together. But there's one recurring issue: Sam, a longtime friend, has this obsessive need to prove that Shadow the Hedgehog isn't gay. Yep, every. single. week.

No matter what we’re talking about, somehow Shadow gets dragged into the convo. Last night, in the middle of a strategy game, our friend Mark casually mentioned Shadow when talking about a new indie game announcement. Before I knew it, Sam went into a nearly 30-minute speech complete with charts, obscure interview clips, and a pile of so-called “facts” claiming that Shadow is obviously straight. I understand that video game debates can be fun, but his fixation was seriously killing the vibe.

At one point, I politely said, “Sam, can we please stick to the game tonight?” I wasn’t dismissing his opinion, just asking for a break from the same off-topic debate every week. Instead of backing off, he raised his voice and insisted, “No, everyone needs to know the truth: Shadow is NOT gay, and ignoring that is just... well, it’s disrespectful to the facts!” That not only ruined the game night vibe, but it also made other guests uncomfortable — some chuckled nervously while others just exchanged looks.

I really just want our group to have a fun evening without recurring off-topic rants. I’ve always liked Sam and I appreciate his passion for gaming, but his constant need to prove his point about a video game character is getting old for me — and apparently for some of our friends too. Later, some friends messaged me saying I should be more “tolerant” of his opinions, while others told me I was right to keep the evening on track.

So, AITA for calling him out and asking him to drop his never-ending rants about Shadow’s sexual orientation during game night? I'm not trying to censor anyone's opinions, I just want a chill night without the same off-topic debate every single time.
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============================   Post Number 11   ============================
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 AITA for booting my friend at game night for non-stop Shadow rants?


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 I hosted a game night last weekend at my place with a mix of board games, video games, and just hanging out. I’ve always tried to keep things chill so everyone could relax and geek out without getting dragged into long debates.

Here’s the deal: one of my old friends, Mike, has been totally obsessed with proving that Shadow the Hedgehog is NOT GAY. And I mean obsessed. Every time someone mentioned Sonic lore or character backstory, Mike would go off, yelling stuff like “I will prove it any minute—Shadow is NOT GAY!” in a tone that could wake the dead.

What started as a fun night quickly turned into a battleground because of his constant monologues. I tried to steer the conversation away, but every time there was even a hint of any Sonic discussion, he’d jump in with his rant.

At one point another friend lightly mentioned how the fandom loves to joke around with theories, and that was it. Mike lost it and launched into another one of his rants, completely ignoring that everyone else was trying to have a good time. Frustrated and wanting to save the night, I told him, “Mike, we’re not here for your deep dive on Shadow’s orientation – can you chill or leave?”

He got really upset, claimed I was disrespecting his “evidence”, and started accusing me of shutting him down over something trivial. To avoid a full blown argument that would ruin the night for everyone else, I asked him to leave. Later, he messaged a few people calling me an asshole for “ruining his chance to educate everyone” and “disrespecting fandom.”

I was just trying to keep the vibe fun and avoid one person turning a chill night into a lecture. So, AITA for putting the overall vibe over Mike’s obsession with proving Shadow’s orientation?
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============================   Post Number 12   ============================
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AITA for letting my friend turn a chill game night into an endless Shadow rant?


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For context, I (27F) host a monthly game night that most of my friends look forward to as a way to unwind after our hectic schedules. We usually mix board games with some retro video game setups (yup, we even have a Sonic arcade cabinet for a bit of nostalgia). Everything was going great last Saturday until my buddy Alex – who recently became obsessed with one thing – decided every conversation was a chance to prove that Shadow the Hedgehog is NOT GAY.

Just to be clear, I’m not here to spark a whole debate on Sonic lore, but Alex spent the entire night raving his “facts.” Almost every time someone mentioned the characters (or even just said “Sonic”), he’d launch into a five-minute rant. “Shadow’s too intense to be gay,” he’d say. “Anyone saying otherwise is living in denial,” was his usual line. I tried redirecting the convo, even threw in a joke or two, hoping everyone would just move on. But every time, Alex doubled down and turned even a side comment into a long lecture.

It’s not like his opinion is harmful by itself—it’s just that his constant interruptions completely killed the relaxed vibe we all looked forward to. A couple of friends left early, and later I got texts saying they came for a fun night but were over the endless pseudo-debate about a fictional character’s sexuality.

At one point, I pulled Alex aside and said, “Hey, can we please focus on the games tonight?” Instead of understanding, he just replied, “I’m just setting the record straight for anyone who’ll listen,” and walked off to start another impromptu debate with whoever would listen. I didn’t want to escalate things or embarrass him in front of everyone, so I let it slide, even though the mood in the room took a nosedive.

So, AITA for not shutting him down sooner and letting his obsession ruin our night?
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============================   Post Number 13   ============================
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 AITA for shutting down my roommate's nonstop "Shadow is NOT GAY" rant during our living room hangout?


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 So here's what went down. My roommate (28m) and I have been living together for almost a year, and things were fine—until his obsession with proving that Shadow the Hedgehog is NOT GAY took over everything. I'm cool with people being passionate about stuff, but his one-track mission started taking over every conversation.

Last weekend, a few friends came over for movie night. Everything was chill until about halfway through when my roommate suddenly launched into a long rant about how "Shadow's edgy vibe and dark backstory totally disprove any silly rumors about his sexuality." At first, I tried to let it slide, but as the rant dragged on, it completely ruined the mood. I said something like, "Hey man, can we save this debate for later? We're here to enjoy the movie and hang out," but he snapped back, insisting that his opinion was non-negotiable and that our whole hangout was meant for real conversations, not censorship of his truth.

After things finally calmed, I was honestly overwhelmed. I appreciate a good debate, but now every conversation turns into his crusade about Shadow. It feels like I'm trying to reclaim our living room as a space for everyone, not just a pulpit for his obsession. In the moment, I told him, "Dude, your passion is noted, but can we not turn every moment into a crusade about Shadow?" He stormed off to his room and hasn't really talked to me since.

So, am I the asshole for asking him to tone down his constant Shadow debate?
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============================   Post Number 14   ============================
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AITA for bailing on my own board game night because Dan wouldn’t stop arguing that Shadow isn’t gay?


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I hosted a board game night at my place last Saturday with a mix of close friends and a couple of family members. The plan was simple: relax, play a game of Codenames, order some pizza, and just have a chill evening. But one of my longtime friends, Dan, completely turned the night into something else.

Dan's always been really into video games—especially Sonic the Hedgehog—and for years he’s been obsessed with proving that Shadow the Hedgehog isn’t gay. I get that we all have our quirks, but Dan took it way too far. During dinner, while everyone was catching up on work stress and vacation plans, he suddenly launched into a long rant about how people misread Shadow’s attitude as a hint about his sexuality. Every time someone mentioned a character trait or even joked about Sonic, he’d jump in with a "Actually, Shadow isn’t gay, and here’s why..."

As the night went on, his interruptions got more frequent and intense. At one point during the game—right in the middle of our strategy session—Dan stopped everything to give a convoluted take on the character’s backstory. He even showed off a slideshow he had put together on his phone (I had no idea he’d gone that far!). Even after a few polite requests to stay on track, he just wouldn’t stop. It completely killed the vibe, and it was super frustrating to see everyone’s mood shift from fun to irritation.

After one especially long rant that not only derailed the game but also drew attention from our other friends and some family, I said, "Dan, can you please save the Shadow debate for later? We’re here to relax, not rehash old video game arguments." Instead of backing off, he accused me of trying to censor him and being closed-minded about video game opinions, which felt pretty ironic coming from someone who was so stubborn about his side of the debate.

I finally hit my limit. I grabbed my jacket and left early. A few people even told me later that they needed a break from his lecture too, though one friend messaged saying I should have just let him have his fun. Now some are saying I ruined an otherwise good night just because I wouldn’t let Dan hijack it.

So, AITA for walking out of my own board game night because I couldn’t handle Dan’s nonstop obsession with proving that Shadow isn’t gay?
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============================   Post Number 15   ============================
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 AITA for shutting down my friend's nonstop Shadow the Hedgehog debates at game night?


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 Last weekend I hosted a game night for a small group of friends. I had everything set – snacks, games, music – until something totally derailed the night. One of my long-time friends, Mark, who has been a huge Sonic fan for years, suddenly went off about why Shadow the Hedgehog is NOT gay.

I don't mind fandom debates or passionate opinions, but Mark's fixation is getting old. Every time we hang out, he somehow always steers the conversation into proving his "facts" about Shadow’s character. That night, right in the middle of a board game, he started citing weird forums and even animated GIFs to insist that any hint of Shadow being gay was just internet propaganda. He went on for nearly 20 minutes and completely ignored everyone trying to get back to the game.

I politely asked him a few times if he could hold the Sonic lecture until after the game, but he brushed us off saying he felt like he had to "educate" everyone on the real nature of the character. Eventually, fed up and feeling like the whole night was being hijacked, I told him we weren't interested in a Sonic dissertation that evening and if he wanted to debate it, he could do it somewhere else – just not during our fun time. He took it as a personal attack, stormed out early, and now a bunch of friends are texting me saying I ruined the vibe of the night.

I respect anyone's passion for what they love, but Mark's constant insistence on dragging Shadow's sexual orientation into every conversation is annoying and really takes away from the point of our get-togethers. So, AITA for firmly asking him to keep his Shadow theories to himself during our game night?
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============================   Post Number 16   ============================
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 AITA for Telling My Coworker to Cut It Out With the Shadow Ranting Every Day?


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 I'm a 29F working at a small digital media company, and for a few months now one of my coworkers (let's call him Dan) has turned our breakroom into his own rant stage. Dan's a huge video game nerd, which is cool—until he starts insisting on shoving his opinions down everyone's throat, especially about how "Shadow the Hedgehog is NOT GAY." And yeah, that seems to be his daily obsession.

At first, it was kind of fun—people would throw around video game jokes now and then. But then Dan got way too deep. It started with a few snarky comments during lunch, and before long he was posting long messages in the work chat filled with screenshots and random voice lines, all aimed at proving his point. I've even seen him get into heated arguments with coworkers online over it during work hours. It's honestly just awkward and distracting.

Earlier today in a team meeting, when he tried to bring up his "evidence" about Shadow's design and edgy vibe, I interrupted him to say, "Dan, can we just focus on the project? I get that you're passionate, but not every conversation has to be about video game politics." He basically shot back, saying I was "censoring his passion" and "killing the fun." Since then, a few coworkers have told me I might have gone too far.

So now half the team thinks I'm being a killjoy and should just let him be, while the rest are relieved to get a break from his endless rants. I was just trying to make the work environment less stressful. I'm all for having passions, but this daily obsession is honestly draining.

AITA for drawing the line and telling him to take his daily lecture on Shadow's sexuality elsewhere?
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============================   Post Number 17   ============================
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 AITA for calling out my friend for his Shadow the Hedgehog obsession at game nights?


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 I've been hosting game nights with a close group of friends for a few years now – a mix of strategy games, retro classics, and the occasional new release. But lately one of my longtime friends, Michael, has been taking every conversation over to one topic: proving that Shadow the Hedgehog is NOT gay.

I'm into gaming lore myself, but Michael's fixation has gotten out of hand. No matter what we’re playing or talking about, he finds a way to bring up his "facts" on Shadow, launching into long debates about character design, storyline intentions, and what he claims is the "real" canon. At first I let it slide because everyone’s allowed to have their opinions. But now it’s turned into these long diatribes that take over the night. Even when someone new is around and just wants to chat, Michael ends up cornering them with his lecture.

Last weekend, I tried to steer the conversation toward a new co-op game we just got. In the middle of the session, Michael suddenly goes, “By the way, if you really know anything about character arcs, you know Shadow isn’t gay, and here’s why…” He went on for 15 minutes, completely killing the vibe. I eventually had to say, “Man, can we stick to the game tonight? Not every comment has to be a lecture on Sonic lore.” He got defensive, saying I was dismissing his passion and that I was ruining the discussion.

I get that everyone has their quirks and things they’re passionate about, but his constant need to prove a point – even when nobody asked for it – is exhausting everyone. A few friends have even told me they dread game night because it always turns into this weird Shadow debate, and some are even thinking about skipping out altogether. I care about Michael, and I know he’s smart and has lots to contribute, but his single-minded focus on proving Shadow’s heterosexuality is starting to push people away.

So, AITA for telling him to drop it for one night instead of letting him hijack our game night with his never-ending Sonic speeches?
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============================   Post Number 18   ============================
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AITA for telling my roommate's buddy to chill out with his nonstop "Shadow is NOT GAY" rants during game nights?


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Here's the scoop: I (26F) live with my roommate Alex, and while I'm cool with quirky hobbies and intense fandoms, one of Alex’s long-time friends, Mark, has really been getting on my nerves lately. Mark is totally obsessed with Sonic the Hedgehog lore – specifically, he just won't stop going on about how "Shadow the Hedgehog is NOT GAY." Every time we have a relaxed evening – game night, movie night, or even just dinner at home with friends – Mark finds a way to steer the conversation into another one of his long-winded rants about Shadow's "true nature."

It started off with random quips like, "Actually, if you look at his backstory..." or "Anyone saying otherwise doesn't get the canon!" but over the past few weeks, it's turned into a non-stop monologue. I've tried to politely change the subject by saying stuff like, "Mark, can we just enjoy the game for once?" or "Really, man, let's let Sonic have his moment tonight!" But he digs in deeper, livestreaming clips and pulling up fan memes (which, yeah, are everywhere online) to backup his point.

Last Friday, we had a small group over and Mark's outburst – "I mean seriously, if you can't see that Shadow is totally not gay, you're just not paying attention to the facts!" – completely derailed the night. A few of my guests even left early because the vibe was totally ruined, and Alex was pretty embarrassed and frustrated. I felt like I was hosting what should've been a normal night, and suddenly it turned into an unsolicited lecture about character traits in an old video game.

I don't have any beef with Shadow, Sonic, or the whole fandom. I can respect geeky passion, but Mark's constant insistence is overbearing and, honestly, rude to everyone who just wants to kick back and relax. I ended up having a straight-up talk with both Alex and Mark about keeping debates out of the living room and letting conversations flow naturally. Mark shot back saying I was "killing his vibe" and that discussing character traits is part of being a fan. Alex even admitted he'd been just as frustrated with the constant interruptions, but he didn't want to cause a scene.

Some of my friends say I'm too uptight and that passion is passion – even if Mark's passion is proving Sonic's rival isn't gay. But all I want is a normal evening with friends without getting dragged into an endless debate about a character's orientation every time.

So, AITA for asking Mark to tone it down and keep his "Shadow is NOT GAY" rants out of our hangouts?
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============================   Post Number 19   ============================
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 AITA for putting my foot down on my friend's "Shadow is NOT GAY" rants at my birthday party?


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 Hey everyone, I need some perspective here. I've got this friend—let's call him John—I've known him for over 7 years and he's normally a pretty chill gamer, but lately he's been obsessed with proving that Shadow the Hedgehog is NOT gay.

It started a few months ago when our regular game chats kept getting derailed by his long rants about how Shadow’s “true character” proves he isn’t gay. At first I thought it was just a quirky nerd rant, but pretty soon it became his go-to topic in almost every convo. Look, I love Sonic games too, but there’s a time and place for everything.

Last month, I hosted a small birthday party with a bunch of friends, looking forward to a chill night with good food and fun. The vibe was good until John suddenly started another one of his rants about Shadow's "aura" right in the middle of the party. He pretty much hijacked the entire night with his lecture, cracking jokes about “haters” and insisting that anyone who disagreed was just missing the obvious.

I pulled him aside and asked if he could keep his debate on the down-low for the night. I explained that while I get his passion, his rant was turning my party into an awkward debate session about a video game character's sexuality. Instead of understanding, he snapped back, saying I was trying to censor his “truth” and that his point was too important to be shut down—even at my own party.

After that, the mood went downhill. I ended up spending most of the night trying to smooth things over, and several friends made comments about how off the vibe was. Eventually I told him that if he couldn’t respect a simple boundary for one night, it might be best if he took a break from our hangouts—at least until he could separate his obsession from every conversation.

Some people are saying I overreacted and it’s just harmless nerd behavior, but I feel like I had every right to demand respect for my party and my friends. AITA for setting that boundary and risking a long-time friendship over a video game character debate?
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============================   Post Number 20   ============================
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AITA for telling my cousin to chill his nonstop Shadow the Hedgehog rant at family game night?


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Last weekend, the extended family got together for what was supposed to be a fun game night. Everyone was pumped to hang out, play board games, and catch up. But as soon as we sat down, my cousin Mark took over the conversation with his obsession over one topic: proving that Shadow the Hedgehog is NOT gay.

I get that gamers can be super passionate about their favorite characters and I'm usually all for a good debate. But Mark spent over an hour – right in the middle of a game of Catan – launching into a lecture with “evidence” from some obscure websites and random comments about how the character’s backstory totally disproves any idea of him being gay. Every time someone mentioned another Sonic character or even the latest gaming news, he’d twist it back to his mission of setting the record straight on Shadow.

After about the fifth time he interrupted a conversation about game strategy to share his latest “fact” (I swear, he even pulled out a sketch comparing Shadow’s design to toxic masculinity packaging – whatever that means), I finally lost it. I told him, “Mark, we’re here as family to have a good time. Can you please drop the Shadow rant just for one night?”

That immediately blew up. Mark got pissed and said I was “censoring free speech” and “ruining what should be a respectful debate.” He even accused me of not respecting his passion and trying to shut down his opinion. A couple of other cousins backed him up, saying everyone should be free to geek out, while a few others admitted they were annoyed but didn’t know how to say so.

I really love my family, and I get that sometimes conversations spiral into weird fandom tangents. But this wasn’t just a casual comment—it was a long, repeated monologue that took over our whole evening. I would normally be cool with a quick debate, but this felt more like a personal crusade than just another opinion at a family get-together.

So, AITA for shutting him down and asking him to save his “Shadow is NOT gay” speeches for another time?
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