Emily Yoffe Photograph by Teresa Castracane.
Emily Yoffe, aka Dear Prudence, is on Washingtonpost.com weekly to chat live with readers. An edited?transcript of the chat is below. (Sign up here?to get Dear Prudence delivered to your inbox each week. Read Prudie?s?Slate columns?here. Send questions to Prudence at prudence@slate.com.)
Emily Yoffe: Good afternoon. Wishing all of you a great 2013, and a bearable New Year's Eve (my least favorite holiday!)
Q. Social Network Relationship Entanglement: A few months ago I joined an online group of like-minded people where we often discuss personal relationship problems. I have found that griping about my husband to anonymous people online is a lot better than venting my frustrations at him. Lately my husband has also been really good at changing some of the behaviors that have always driven me up the wall, and now I know why. While using his laptop, I happened to notice him logged in as one of the members of my group! He created a fake persona and has seen every gripe I ever typed about him! I haven't confronted him on this, and to be honest it has been a convenient way to indirectly communicate my frustrations to him. So should I tell him I know who he is, quit the group, or just let this be?
A: I'm sure my husband would love me to follow your lead and post my complaints online instead of expressing them directly to him. Then he'd follow your husband's example of not discussing any of this with me. Where he'd differ is the part where he logs on and reads my nagging, then dedicates himself to meeting my standards of the perfect husband. Your situation sounds like a variation of that dreadful Pina Colada song. But I'd find your version more believable if it turned out your husband was remaking himself to please you in order to divert you from exploring the fact that most of his time online is spent looking for kinky sex partners. It's also possible that you haven't paid enough attention to the male poster on this site who complains that his hypercontrolling witch of a wife doesn't even appreciate when he makes the changes she wants. I suggest that, to get back to face-to-face communication, you tell your online audience that your husband has undergone a remarkable transformation and you're so moved by this that you're going to let him know how much his efforts have meant to you. Then do so, in person, including letting your husband know you know he's a member of your rant group.
Q. Old Mother: I am 40 years old and eight months pregnant. It is my first child after spending most of my life thinking I won't have any. I am happy to report it has been a generally comfortable pregnancy and my baby and I are healthy. The only discomfort I must endure on a regular basis is comments from various family members, friends, co-workers, and even total strangers. I've had so many people ask me if I've had IVF, or people assuming IVF and asking what the process was like. Although the baby was conceived the old-fashioned way I do not feel comfortable discussing my fertility with others. Had I actually gone through fertility treatments, it would have been something intensely personal and not something I'd announce to the world. Either way, I certainly don't feel like explaining to strangers, "Oh no, I actually became impregnated by having unprotected intercourse with my fertile husband." Many people ask me if there is anything wrong with my baby, or become offended and outraged I didn't terminate. My boss yesterday even remarked, "I don't know how you justify to yourself having a baby at your age," after ranting about a friend's daughter who was born with Down's syndrome after her mother gave birth at a later age. I'm sick and tired of justifying my pregnancy to others. How can I politely steer myself away from these questions?
A: Wow, you know a lot of dreadful people. I, too, had a baby at 40 (the regular way, not that anybody asked me) and I can't recall one person saying anything but how happy they were for me. Fortunately, in a few weeks the pregnancy questions and remarks will end, and you will have a beautiful baby. For now, just smile beatifically in a way only pregnant women can, and say in response to these idiot remarks, "Thank you for your good wishes." If after the birth this crowd keeps up their nasty commentary, stick with the non sequiturs and say, "Yes, I have blessed with a wonderful child, now please excuse me."
Q. I Don't Want Mother-in-Law's Money for Our Wedding: When we got engaged, my boyfriend and I agreed we didn't want anyone to pay for our wedding. Partly because I think, as a self-sufficient adult, I should pay for my own event?and secondly, because I know how people can be as soon as money is involved. He and I have both turned down his mother's offers to pay for various things multiple times. She keeps insisting and has firmly told us she will pay. No surprise?she's added 10 of her friends to our guest list. When my boyfriend asked who they were?a hint?she replied, "My friends." I'm not inviting any of my mother's friends, and this is a very small event?about 70 people without her friends. Frankly, I don't want people I barely know at my wedding, or my mother-in-law's money. Is there a kind way to settle this with someone who's absurdly headstrong? I imagine she will just put the money in a card anyway and be offended if we don't invite her friends, as she will still have ?paid? for some of the wedding.
A: Another in-law question, another time for the son to step up. No hints with this woman. Your fianc? should say, "Mom, we know our wedding is a big deal for you and you would like your friends there. But we are having a small ceremony we are paying for ourselves and we can't expand the guest list. But after we're married and back from the honeymoon, we would love to have a party at your house where we see your friends and celebrate." Then the subject is closed. Both of you learning to stand up to an "absurdly headstrong" woman will make the next several decades more pleasant.
Q. Relationships, and Coming Out: An ex from several years ago, now a good friend, recently came out to me as a transgender person. He has not undergone any of the transition, but has confided in me that he has always thought he was female, including when we were together. I am supportive of my friend. During our relationship, we planned on getting married and having children. We broke up due to an unrelated reason, and grew up a lot. We have recently talked about our relationship. I love him very much, but I am afraid of what may happen if we were to reconcile. I now have my own child, and I want to be married and have more subsequent biological children. What do I do?
A: If I understand, the question you're asking me is if you should pursue a romantic relationship with your male ex who is becoming a female ex. If he's going to make a transition, even if he doesn?t choose surgery right away, surely he's going to be on enough female hormones to render him infertile. You want more children, so that makes this a nonstarter. Unless you are bisexual, I don't understand how you will find yourself attracted to a transgendered lover who is now female. You can remain dear friends, but even if you "love" your ex, the time for an intimate relationship has passed.
Q. Boyfriend With Terrible Manners: My lovely boyfriend?cute, smart, warm, loving, devoted?has about the worst manners, especially at the table, that I have ever encountered in my life. He doesn't know how to hold a fork, he wraps his left arm protectively around his food and hovers his upper body over it, he uses his left hand to help food onto his fork or spoon, he slurps soup and spaghetti loudly and sloppily. I've tried to bring it up in lighthearted way, especially in the context of meeting my parents, and he doesn't get it. I do not want to insult someone I love, and by proxy his parents, but I couldn't in a million years bring him to a dinner party, a nice restaurant, a family gathering, basically anywhere outside of the confines of my apartment. The one time we had a full meal out people did stare and I've steered us into drinks or a movie rather than dinner ever since. I'm not just embarrassed, I'm also concerned for his reputation in his line of work and in his peer group. When he eats, he looks and behaves like he's at a Renaissance Fair. How do I address this with the man I love without hurting his feelings?
Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=975fc74350c0879ffdb820485a127331
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