Updated

Updated · The New York Times · Aug 16

Author Rejects 1 Friend's No-Contact Advice After Father Opposed Her Same-Sex Marriage

Updated

Updated · The New York Times · Aug 16

Author Rejects 1 Friend's No-Contact Advice After Father Opposed Her Same-Sex Marriage

1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 16

At 28, the writer introduced her future wife to her Orthodox Jewish parents and says her father reacted so negatively that friends urged her to cut him off entirely.
She argues she refused because severing ties would not only punish her father but also cut her and her future family off from the Jewish tradition and ideas that shaped her.
The essay places that choice against a broader rise in family estrangement, especially children distancing themselves from parents over politics, values or abuse.
Examples she cites include online no-contact groups with tens of thousands of members, a 2024 book offering a "Toxic Family Quiz," and a new essay collection featuring 32 writers.

Sources

When a father rejects his daughter's identity, is cutting ties the only healthy choice, or does it cause a deeper self-amputation?

Are modern therapists too quick to prescribe family estrangement, and what happens when we refuse to walk away from those who hurt us?

Can you maintain a bond with a parent whose deep religious beliefs fundamentally oppose who you are without losing yourself in the process?

1 total