Coworker Emma claims she has celiac to get special gluten-free food at work, but grabs regular pizza at office party, and has to admit it’s just a sensitivity when called out publicly: ‘She's saying I "outed" her medical information’

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  • AITA for calling out a coworker's 'gluten-free' lie when she ate regular pizza at the office party?

    Colleagues eating pizza and talking in office.
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  • She constantly talks about how hard it is to find safe food, makes restaurants change gloves when preparing her meals, and has asked our office to stock gluten-free options for meetings.
  • At yesterday's office party, Emma was in line ahead of me at the pizza table.
  • I watched her take two slices of regular pizza - not the expensive gluten-free ones we specially ordered for her.
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  • When I asked if she grabbed the wrong slices by mistake, she said "oh, I'm not being strict today."
  • I said, "Emma, you can't just not be strict with celiac disease. That's not how autoimmune disorders work."
  • Several coworkers overheard.
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  • woman holding a slice of pizza up to her face
  • She got defensive and said she has "gluten sensitivity, not celiac" and sometimes she "cheats" when the food looks really good.
  • I pointed out that she's specifically told people she has celiac disease and made the office spend extra money on accommodations.
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  • Now she's saying I humiliated her publicly and several coworkers think I was being a "food police" ah le.
  • Others agree that she's been lying about a serious medical condition.
  • people eat pizza while working on a laptop
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  • Here's why I'm upset: My sister actually has celiac disease.
  • It's not something you "cheat" on - even tiny amounts of gluten cause weeks of severe symptoms.
  • Emma's behavior trivializes a real autoimmune condition and makes it harder for people with genuine celiac disease to be taken seriously.
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  • But maybe I should have talked to her privately instead of calling her out in front of everyone.
  • She's saying I "outed" her medical information, even though she's the one who's been openly discussing her supposed celiac disease for months.
  • AITA for calling out what seemed like a clear lie, or should I have minded my own business?
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