Thanks hvert and WovenGalaxy for checking in with me. Class last night went just as I suspected it would based on these women's very dysfunctional behavior. They were 100% passive aggressive towards me in the following ways:

1. The instructor didn't let me into the Zoom room right away. Normally, she's let me in 10 minutes early so I can join any casual chat about the course topic or chat with her and the other classmates. But nope.

2. The instructor didn't really address me during class and when she did, was totally aloof and cold; not her normal friendly demeanor.

3. The nasty classmate was there. She and the instructor were quite chummy with each other and completely ignored me. Felt very passive aggressive mean-girl behavior to me.

4. I messaged them both before class ended asking them to stay behind to chat about the workshop but the instructor ended the Zoom session when the class ended. Super passive aggressive behavior, I thought. Very disappointed that both of these women are so immature!!!

5. I have two classes left with this instructor. I am determined to finish without letting her or the nasty classmate take any more of my power away from me. Does that sound weird?

@hvert why do you think the instructor is so immature and not willing to act professionally about this situation to resolve it, so that there is no awkwardness lingering from the workshop the previous weekend ago? Is she intimidated by me? Is my personality too much for her, in that I am a very emotional person by nature? I am constantly shamed for being the way I am, by everyone b/c I get comments from people like, "you're too much," or "tone it down," to worse pejoratives like "drama queen," and "hysterical," and "overreactive."

I agree with your insight that the instructors' behavior in inappropriate. By not addressing it, they are essentially condoning that unhinged woman's bad behavior with me, who tried to gaslight me into feeling bad for having a natural emotional response to the workshop the way that I did. Her need to try to control me is also inappropriate.

And, had she led her weird phone call with more empathy and acknowledged the workshop's powerful emotional impact with something like, "Wasn't that workshop life changing and powerful?" and then express to me in a respectful way how my emotional response caught her off guard, or something less attacking then what she chose to do, which was to gaslight me and scream at me for being emotionally responsive and sharing that with the instructors and the class.

The big question is: Should I have kept my emotional response to myself, then? And stayed quiet? Am I responsible for taking care of EVERYONE'S feelings around me all the time? Was my emotional outburst inappropriate the last day of the workshop, b/c it made this nutjob classmate uncomfortable?

I cant believe your husband's class were policing their snack packaging usage? Talk about asinine behavior! You're correct. Class dynamics are so weird, esp. where adults are concerned.

@WovenGalaxy I'm so disappointed that these women just can't act like mature adults with me. I felt self conscious during class last night but I didn't emote a single bit and was very straight faced during the 2 hour class. I barely said a word.