When I Refused to Give My Seat to a Pregnant Woman, Chaos Ensued

Public transportation brings together people from all walks of life, creating moments of kindness, tension, or outright conflict. Daily commuters often face questions of courtesy—like giving up a seat—that can spark strong reactions. Recently, a Reddit user shared a story about encountering this exact challenge.

They wrote:

I have a non-visible disability that doesn’t allow me to stand for very long. I even have a certificate that proves I am disabled.

It was the afternoon and the bus was quite full. I was sitting in an aisle seat, cramped between a school kid and a man with a massive backpack, when a pregnant woman (not heavily pregnant from what I could see) stepped onto the bus.

She took one look around, made a beeline for me, and told me she needed my seat. No polite question, no “please,” no "hello"—just the demand to give up my seat.

I explained to her that I had a disability, that standing was difficult for me, and that I would rather not be in pain. I froze when, suddenly, that woman began calling me rude and accusing me of trying to harm her and her baby by refusing to get up.

Another woman eventually offered her seat, but for the rest of the ride I could feel that pregnant woman glaring at me. When I got up at my stop, she made a snide remark about how I was surely faking it and that I could walk just fine.

I hate when some people feel like the world has to bend to their will just because they’re pregnant—especially when they’re so rude about the whole situation. I would’ve given up my seat without a problem if I wasn’t disabled.

This story sparked a huge reaction on Reddit, and all the users showed their support for the author.

• Like you, I have an invisible disability, and like me, I’m sure you’d trade it away to be free from the pain, but sadly, life doesn’t work that way. All you can do is ignore and just keep moving the best you can. © Oddly-Appeased / Reddit

• I’m 6 months pregnant and went to Honolulu/Waikiki for a week, and we didn’t rent a car, so we relied on their bus system. I know as a pregnant woman I’m allowed to use the disabled seats, but I avoided it at all costs. One time, I had to use a disabled spot, and even though there were more disabled spots available, the second a regular seat opened up, I moved to a regular one. I also never asked anyone in to move out of a seat if everything is full. © HumbleCoyoteGames / Reddit

• I used to run into this issue before I started walking with a cane. People still give me looks (I’m 30 but look early 20s so they always have the “you’re too young to be disabled” speech ready) and ive been berated by bus drivers for asking for the ramp when they pull up a foot and a half from the curb (I can step up fine, knees hurt but I can do it, it’s taking big steps that I can’t do.) © Informal-Sorbet4548 / Reddit

• I have kidney disease and sometimes have to walk with a cane. Years ago I was on the London Underground going home from work and it was packed. Somebody offered me their seat which I gratefully accepted. Some tosser in a suit loudly said “That’s a good trick! Perhaps I’ll get cane then I’ll always get a seat too!” I said, “Would you like the kidney disease that goes with it?!” He swiftly shut his pie hole. © Xenomorphsavedmylife / Reddit

• Even with a visible disability people can be absolute pricks. I was in my early 20s, on the tram, sat in the disability seat, with my crutches very visible. A woman in her late 50s gets on, and demands I move because she’s “elderly” and needs it more, 50 isn’t elderly, she just didn’t want to stand. I gestured to my crutches and said, “no, sorry, I need this seat too.” Oh my god, you’d have thought I’d called her something vile the way she went off at me! Calling me all sorts of names, demanding to know why I needed the seat, then resorted to saying shit like “You probably did that to yourself” What!? © Bearx2020 / Reddit

And here you can read pregnancy stories that won’t leave anyone indifferent.