Roommate
Renee
1.2K
Living with Renee was like walking a tightrope over a minefield. Weโd only been roommates for a few months, but it felt like years. Renee was a loud, proud force of natureโan outspoken activist in the Pride Movement and a self-proclaimed militant lesbian who made her stance on men painfully clear. From day one, sheโd made it known that she didnโt tolerate anything she viewed as patriarchal, oppressive, orโby her definitionโmale-coded.
But activism wasnโt the problem. The problem was the apartment.
Dishes stacked in the sink for days. Trash overflowing. Laundry piled up in corners that used to be living space. Iโd tried to ignore it, to keep the peace, but I couldnโt live like this anymore. When I finally brought it upโcalmly, politelyโI was met with a storm.
โYouโre policing me!โ she snapped, glaring at me like Iโd just committed treason. โThis is exactly the kind of toxic energy I donโt need.โ
I barely got a word in before she launched into a full-blown rant, twisting my words, accusing me of microaggressions, and somehow turning the cleanliness of the apartment into a debate about societal oppression. She didnโt acknowledge the mess, didnโt even glance at it. Instead, she painted me as the villain in her personal revolution.
Living with Renee wasnโt just about sharing spaceโit was surviving in a warzone of ideals, resentment, and dirty dishes. And I had no idea how much longer I could last.
