I’m a 24F who has lived with her religious parents her entire life. They treat me like a child, and want to keep me as a prisoner. My parents get upset when I go outside to the grocery store midday. They don’t let me see my friends, and I’ve had to cut off ties with a lot of my friends due to my parents. If I get home late, my mom doesn’t allow me to eat at home. Yet, they don’t say anything when I go to work and have late shifts until 11 pm. They do however go into my workplace and ask for my boss when I get out a minute late (I work at a hospital I will never get out on time).

I follow Islam, but like others here, in a progressive manner. I don’t wear a hijab, and have rebelled that to my parents who have given up. I do dress modestly.

About 10 months ago I met an amazing man. We’ve been dating, and he is from the same cultural and religious background as me. However we both are so young we don’t want to rush into doing a nikkah. We do plan on getting married someday once I have an established career. My parents have met him and I’ve met his parents but my parents are very religious and want me to get married to him now.

Marrying him will not solve anything, I will still be treated like a child in my parents home. I have an okay paying job now and I have saved up money to buy an apt and move out. I already have been pre approved for a mortgage loan.

I feel very guilty about leaving my parents home, but I can barely do regular things. I’m expected to come home and work. I can’t travel anywhere or see my friends and it’s hard to sneak out to see my bf. If I wasn’t so serious about him then I would stay at home. I have to hear verbal abuse from my parents every day. But at the same time I feel very bad about moving out. Am I overreacting? I just want my freedom. Have any other females dealt with this before? My parents are not bad people, they are just overtly religious compared to me, and I do want to have a good relationship with them.