I (28F) am a plus-size woman. Depending on what I wear, my body shape makes me look like I could be several months pregnant. Strangers often assume I’m expecting. They smile knowingly, offer me seats, sometimes even ask when I’m due. At first, it was awkward and I just laughed it off, but over time I realized I could use that assumption to my advantage.
I struggle with severe social anxiety. Crowds, long checkout lines, and being surrounded by strangers make me spiral. My chest tightens, I sweat, my hands shake, and I feel lightheaded, like I’m about to pass out. It’s exhausting and humiliating. Therapy has helped somewhat, but waiting in crowded queues still feels overwhelming, to the point where I’ve avoided errands just to escape the panic.
One day, in the middle of a packed supermarket, I nearly broke down. On impulse, I rested my hands on my stomach and asked the people ahead of me if I could go first because I was pregnant. They immediately stepped aside. Just like that, I was out of the store without the looming meltdown. The relief was immense.
Since then, whenever I know I’ll have to wait in a long line, I do the same. I hold my belly, politely explain, and people let me through. It’s quick, painless, and spares me the anxiety attack I’d otherwise be battling.
“This is empathy vs. ethics. Anxiety is real and deserves compassion — but lying about pregnancy crosses into dishonesty that exploits others’ goodwill. OP’s discomfort doesn’t justify deception. The better path: seeking medical help, requesting disability accommodations, or using delivery services instead of putting the burden on unsuspecting strangers.”
The problem is that deep down, I know I’m not being honest. I’ve never been pregnant. I’m leaning on people’s kindness for something that isn’t true. The thought nags at me, even as the strategy keeps working.
Everything came to a head recently when a friend spotted me cutting ahead in a queue. Later, she confronted me. She said she was horrified, that I was “scamming” strangers, and that I was exploiting sympathy for real pregnant women who might genuinely need that kind of help. She warned that if I were ever called out in public — or worse, caught on video — the humiliation would be brutal. She also pointed out that I might be undermining trust, making it harder for real expectant mothers to get compassion if people start doubting their needs.
Her words stuck. I can see her point. What I’m doing is dishonest, and it places the burden of my anxiety on people who are just trying to be kind. But at the same time, standing in line feels unbearable for me. I can’t shake the panic that builds in those moments, and pretending to be pregnant has become my coping mechanism.
I know there are alternatives — grocery delivery, shopping at quiet times, even seeking official accommodations for anxiety. I’ve thought about all of them. But in the heat of the moment, when my heart is racing and I just want to escape, lying feels like the only way to survive.
So here’s my question: AITA for pretending to be pregnant to skip lines? Am I cruelly exploiting others’ goodwill, or just someone with severe anxiety doing what I can to cope in situations that feel impossible?
NTA. Your anxiety is real, and you’re finding a workaround. Could it be healthier? Sure. But people should have empathy before calling you a “scammer.”
At this point, your kid’s going to graduate college before you give birth.
Congrats on your 9th month of pregnancy, for the third year in a row.
YTA. You’re not just avoiding lines — you’re undermining trust. Pregnant women already get accused of faking. You’re making it worse.
NTA. Anxiety is harder than a pregnacy, I know that I had 4 kids. Anxious people should have priority in a queue. All the best to you.
Honestly? If you’re going to scam your way out of lines, at least carry a fake ultrasound photo for consistency.
You’re not the A, you’re not the B… you’re the C — for creative queue management.
ESH. Your anxiety is valid, but your method is manipulative. At the same time, society doesn’t accommodate invisible struggles well, so it’s understandable why you’re resorting to it.
NTA. Survival mode sometimes makes you do what you must. Better to fake-pregnant than faint in public.
YTA. Next step: fake a limp to get on planes first? Where’s the line (pun intended)?
ESH. You’re lying, which is wrong, but your friend was harsh too. Instead of shaming you, she could’ve helped you explore real solutions.
YTA. You’re exploiting people’s kindness. Anxiety isn’t an excuse to co-opt pregnancy — it’s dishonest and unfair to actual pregnant women.
NTA. You’re not malicious, just desperate. That said, it might be time to seek medical accommodations instead of depending on strangers’ assumptions.