Editor’s Note – 8/23/2017 – The title and url of this story have been changed after several readers objected to the term “mansplaining.”
A woman with Type 1 diabetes shared a video of a quasi-date that quickly went downhill when the subject turned to diabetes.
In a video posted on the “You Know You’re a Type 1 Diabetic when…” Facebook group, Rose Gelin described how the date got off to a rocky start when the man she met noticed her Tandem insulin pump and asked her which type of diabetes she had.
“Was it the good one or the bad one?” he asked, according to Rose.
She said she had Type 1 diabetes, and he asked if that was the “bad one.” He then went on to share his family’s history with diabetes, eventually focusing on one male relative with diabetes who, he claimed, ate three bananas and then promptly died. According to the man, the relative was told by his doctor he could eat one banana and be fine, but three would kill him, and the relative ate the bananas to commit suicide.
(Here, let’s pause and take a moment at how you know you’re having an awkward first date when the conversation quickly turns to suicide-by-banana.)
After this, Rose and her date reached an impasse. She couldn’t buy this version of events and told him that bananas didn’t kill his relative. In the video she said, “I just had three pancakes today and, like, four pancakes.” He stuck to his guns and began to chastise her for her diet choices, telling her “you need to cut it out.” That about did it for Rose; she decided the date wasn’t going to work out.
“I don’t want someone who is going to control how many bananas I eat,” she said.
Toward the end of the video, Rose wavered slightly and wondered if she was being too hard on her date; she asked those viewing the video what they thought. Those who commented on the post were pretty much in consensus that dating a person with diabetes who insists they know more about it than you (and who insist bananas will kill you) is probably not a smart idea.
We’re extremely appreciative to Rose for sharing her experience on Facebook and sharing the video with us to post. If you’ve had a bad date because of Type 1 diabetes and wish to share with us your written thoughts or a video of your recap of the experience, please email us at submissions@insulinnation.com.
Do you have an idea you would like to write about for Insulin Nation? Send your pitch to submissions@insulinnation.com.
Thanks for reading this Insulin Nation article. Want more Type 1 news? Subscribe here.
Have Type 2 diabetes or know someone who does? Try Type 2 Nation, our sister publication.
