A husband came under fire after his wife and mother of seven, Ash Williamson, shared a video of him ordering a dish at a restaurant to which she had a fatal allergy.
He ordered shrimp at a restaurant even though his wife has a severe shellfish allergy.
In her video, Williamson admitted that she was “deadly allergic” to shellfish. But that apparently didn’t stop her husband from ordering a whole portion of shrimp and then eating it in front of her without a second thought.
“I think he longs for this even more because he knows it will put me in my grave,” she wrote as overlay text.
It didn’t take long for Williamson’s video to garner mixed reactions online. In an attempt to defend her husband, Williamson clarified that she didn’t make her original video to “disparage” or criticize him, but to poke fun at the whole thing.
“He is allowed to enjoy shellfish after a prior kiss and is meticulous about making sure he is ‘freshly washed’ when we get home so as not to trigger anaphylactic shock if he touches or kisses me later,” she explained in a follow-up video.
Although Williamson claims her allergy is not airborne and she has even been to a hibachi restaurant where shrimp was prepared in front of her, it’s the principle that gets people upset.
In response to Williamson’s video, a life coach named Shawnda said she had seen countless videos similar to Williamson’s in which a woman blatantly demonstrates how indifferent her husband is and actually doesn’t care about her.
“You’re telling us your husband eats shrimp, even though he knows shrimp can kill. I just don’t understand what you’re trying to tell us,” Shawnda insisted. “Most women you talk to don’t understand that because we couldn’t stay married, let alone date, a man who couldn’t care less about our well-being.”
The most fundamental component of a relationship is concern for the other person’s safety.
If your partner is allergic to shellfish, wouldn’t it make more sense to not order anything on the menu that contains shrimp or other shellfish? It’s not that Williamson’s husband couldn’t eat shrimp if he were eating alone, but completely ignoring his wife’s severe allergy is a pretty selfish decision.
“I think videos like this are a cry for help. You’re looking for other women to tell you what you already know, and that is, ‘You deserve better,'” Shawnda added. “You deserve someone who puts your health and well-being first. And not only do they do that, but they never put you in a position where your health is at risk because of a decision they made.”
An allergist explained that food allergies should be a serious issue in relationships.
In a TikTok video, Dr. Rubin, a pediatric allergist and immunologist, responded to Williamson’s video, pointing out that severe food allergies can impact an intimate relationship.
“Even the smallest amount of ingested food allergens can cause a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis,” he explained, adding that a doctor can easily help you decide whether or not your partner should continue eating the foods you’re allergic to. He even offered some helpful tips to consider when even bringing up the topic.
He stressed that your partner should be understanding and respectful of your food allergies, but it is normal for it to take some time for them to fully understand and experience these issues, especially if they affect their own eating habits.
People with food allergies are advised to ask their partner what foods they have consumed before engaging in any type of physical intimacy because, as Dr. Rubin pointed out, even the smallest food allergens can be detectable in a person’s saliva.
“They need to wash their hands with soap and water and rinse their mouth before any kind of physical intimacy,” Dr. Rubin said. “It’s also important that they learn how to use an epinephrine auto-injector and when to use it.”
Ultimately, there should be a certain level of respect for each other’s health and safety in a relationship. If your partner has a severe allergy to something, you should hold back and not eat the food that could be fatal to you. No shrimp cocktail is worth your partner’s life.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news and lifestyle writer whose work explores current issues and experiences.
