Dear Suey,
My husband and I have an open relationship, and for most of
the years we've been married, I've had a sexual relationship
with my husband's best friend. He's a dear friend of the family,
my husband thoroughly approves, and we all three have been
incredibly happy together.
The question is, when to tell the kids? I don't think I've
tried to hide the affection I hold for our friend, but I always
go to his house for anything more than a hug or a peck on
the cheek. I don't think this is squeamishness; I also keep
the bedroom door locked when I'm making love with my husband.
Even so, the kids are getting to an age when they could understand
(12 and 14). There is no urgency in telling them; my husband
is definitely their father. Yet I feel as if I'm sneaking
around on my kids.
What do you think?
--Happy Mom
Dear Happy Mom, I didn't figure out my parents were
having sex until I was 22, preferring to ignore telltale signs
such as condoms in the nightstand and bolt locks on the bedroom
door. And you know what? I didn't want to know, details of
my own conception notwithstanding.
I'm telling you this so you realize my opinion may not be
worth much in this matter. However, since you're asking, I
recommend you wait until the kiddies are in college, of an
age when you need to shock them with stories of your own crazy
youth, just to squeeze a little respect out of them. In the
meantime, let your kids speculate in the privacy of their
own bedrooms.
--Suey
Dear Suey,
I am a young gay man who has gone and done the unthinkable--I
have fallen for a straight man. Yet the problem is a bit more
complicated. You see, this straight man is more outwardly
gay than I am. He is an impeccable dresser. His home-decorating
skills put Martha to shame. He swishes like a willow tree
in March. He even has the tendency to fall into a sexily telling
lisp. And if all these stereotypes (yes, I admit they are)
are not enough, he flirts with me incessantly. He lets normal
bodily contact linger a bit too long. He invariably asks about
my plans for the weekend each Friday. He makes a point of
commenting on how I look (usually in a favorable way). And
worst of all, he does not shy away from my very blatant attempts
at wooing him.
All of this has led me to believe that my hunches are correct
and he is simply waiting for the right man (me?) to show him
the glories of what he has been missing. The kicker, though,
is his upbringing. Having been raised by very religious parents
who evidently thought family fun time needed to include the
Bible, he has some very backwoods views on sexuality and morality.
Could it be that he has been brainwashed to suppress his very
obvious (and not just to me, mind you) sexual preference?
And how, if this is the case, do I help him "out" without
looking like a pushy homo?
--Not-So-Pushy Homo
Dear NSPH,
Hmm, could be tricky. How about trying this strategy: The
next time you catch him making passes at you, complimenting
you on your beautifully turned Structure turtleneck and the
way the color of your pants sets off your eyes, letting his
hands linger on your excellent delts and trapezius in a lowlit
room when you're all alone, you turn to him and say in the
most intimate and sexily hungry voice you can muster, "Don't.
I'm developing a crush on you, and I'm afraid the flirting
will jeopardize our friendship. Let's cool it for a while."
Now, you might ask how this scheme could possibly work.
Benefit 1: Sometimes, the cluelessly straight-identified
need to be gently reminded that play-gay flirting is not just
for show, and that, for some people, it can lead to a real
relationship. (It works the other way too--gay guys have been
known to accidentally break fag-hag hearts when practicing
their bedroom skills on galpals.)
Bennie 2: By being honest about your attraction to him in
a completely pressure-free way, you invite him to be more
honest with you about his own feelings at some future date.
You might be right--he might be gay, and having a hard time
being upfront with himself about it. If you give him the space
to come to you on his own terms, he might be more willing
to talk.
Of course, there's nothing wrong with drunkenly throwing
him to the hotel carpeting, either, once you're pretty sure
of his consent. Sexuality is stronger than religion, politics
and morality; I'm sure that if there is a way to get him out
of his clothes, you will find it. But if there isn't, then
let yourself off the hook.
--Suey
Previous
Columns:
|
5/5/99
|
|
-Crushed out on movie stars |
| 5/12/99 |
|
-My 22-year-old daughter is threatening to marry her
23-year-old boyfriend
-I met someone over the Internet - but I'm afraid she's
a stalker!
|
| 5/19/99 |
|
-How to buy a dildo |
| 5/26/99 |
|
-Do you think it's OK
to break up with a guy over sex?
-My boyfriend is homophobic and my best friend is a gay
man. |
| 6/2/99 |
|
-Should I
choose a relationship or the single life?
-How can I tell if I really love my girlfriend, or just
her money? |
| 6/9/99 |
|
-My boyfriend
feels like a pervert
-Should I jeopardize my relationship for sex with my ex? |
| 6/16/99 |
|
-dildos can
reaffirm your humanity
-where are all the straight men? |
| 6/23/99 |
|
-My wife wants an open marriage
-I can't stand my in-laws' cooking
|
| 6/30/99 |
|
-black man
seeks advice for courting an Asian lady
-tip from a queer customer |
|
|
|
-My lover is
a slob
-Breaking up is hard to do |
| 7/14/99 |
|
-Buying porn |
| 7/21/99 |
|
-After two years, my boyfriend and I don't have sex
enough
-I'm still in love with my ex, and she's getting married
|
| 7/28/99 |
|
-My girlfriend is obsessed with
telephone psychics.
- I'd rather be with my cat than my girlfriend
|
| 8/4/99 |
|
-I started seeing a guy who's an 'emotional dud'
-I'm 50-plus and want to get back into dating, love
and sex.
|
| 8/11/99 |
|
-I'm 19, but
I only like older women
-When should I meet my online pal? |
| 8/18/99 |
|
-I haven't been attracted to anyone lately
-My girlfriend changed her mind when I was gone for
two weeks.
|
| 8/25/99 |
|
-My boyfriend believes it was love at first sight,
and I don't.
-My boyfriend claims I don't take care of my appearance
any more.
|
| 9/1/99 |
|
-Do I really want my first time to be as "Girlfriend
No. 71"?
-Is this your real name?
|
| 9/8/99 |
|
-My girlfriend likes to wear thong underwear, and wants
me to as well.
-Is it that bad to be romantically dormant all my life?
|
| 9/15/99 |
|
-Cold sores ruined my relationship
-Suey's relationship track record.
|
| 9/22/99 |
|
-My boyfriend doesn't like my
artwork.
-My girlfriend drives like a maniac. |
| 9/29/99 |
|
-I can't
reach orgasm with my girlfriend.
-Break-up avoidance strategies. |
| 10/6/99 |
|
-How to date with the teenage
children living at home.
-My best friend ran off with my crush. |
| 10/13/99 |
|
-I've
never had an orgasm. Do you have any suggestions for me?
-What should I do with my argumentative boyfriend? |
| 10/20/99 |
|
-How should I discuss my spanking
fantsies with my wife?
-Are Portland women 'cold'? |
| 10/27/99 |
|
-My wife wants to have sex with
another man
-Impotence. That's the problem. |
| 11/03/99 |
|
-Why does every woman of quality
have a boyfriend?
-I am in love with three men. |
| 11/10/99 |
|
-A friend of mine has eyes for
a guy she's working with
-I have tons of male friends, but no boyfriends |
| 11/17/99 |
|
-I'm a frustrated 16-year-old
male
-My boyfriend of two years is terribly jealous of an ex-boyfriend.
|
| 11/24/99 |
|
-Does penis size matter?
-My marriage is falling apart |
| 12/01/99 |
|
-I'm in love with my best friend
-How do women in porn films get their crotches so hairless? |
| 12/08/99 |
|
-My long-distance partner wants
to be non-monogamous
-My partner is a workaholic |
| 12/15/99 |
|
-I
love my partner, but want to have sex with other women
-I'm in a good relationship, but my girlfriend's not interested
in sex
-I've been dating someone new, but I'm not sure if he's
millenium-worthy |
| 12/22/99 |
|
-What's your opinion
on dating coworkers?
-I love my girlfriend, but she won't marry me |
| 12/28/99 |
|
-Should I get back
together with my child's father?
- On the cheating scale, how bad are online sex chats? |
| 1/5/00 |
|
-My
phone chat line 'friend' turns out to be my co-worker's
fiancée |
| 1/12/00 |
|
-I think I'm addicted
to sex
-My boyfriend is a cross-dresser |
| 1/19/00 |
|
-Is it true that men like girls?
-My job and my man are not compatible
|
| 1/26/00 |
|
-Is web sex cheating?
-Dealing with self-consciousness |
| 2/2/00 |
|
-It's
Desperate Hunky Man Week! |
| 2/9/00 |
|
-Is making out
with a drunk friend a bad idea? |
| 2/16/00 |
|
-Is my boyfriend still fantasizing about a threesome?
-Tips for a virgin on what makes a woman quiver.
|
| 2/23/00 |
|
-What do I say to people who ask why I've never been
married?
-What's the proper etiquette for dating through the
personals?
|
| 3/01/00 |
|
-My
boyfriend believes that men are not required to reciprocate
sexually.
-How can I make up for missing Valentine's Day? |
| 3/08/00 |
|
-What
should I do with my once-cheating boyfriend?.
-Exclusively online romances have their advantages? |
| 3/15/00 |
|
-I
love performing oral sex, but hate eating the hair.
-My girlfriend doesn't enjoy sex, she's just a cuddler. |
| 3/22/00 |
|
-My
girlfriend is dating a married man.
-I just got out of a long-term relationship, do I want
another right now? |
| 4/12/00 |
|
-I
would like to try stripping, but I've some things to overcome
-I met a booth stripper, during her show and now I'm in
love. |
| 4/19/00 |
|
-My
ex-girlfriend still entertains ideas of us reconciling.
I'm ignoble.
-How can I prolong my happy time? |
| 4/26/00 |
|
-My
guy's so sexually pedestrian
-Our daughter is bitter at us for breaking off her affair
with an older man |
| 5/03/00 |
|
-I'm
an ex-porn performer and I know nothing of lovemaking,
only fucking
-I'm tired of being the guy friend. |
| 5/10/00 |
|
-Suey
hears from the virgins |
| 5/17/00 |
|
-What
do you think about Ross Jeffries' Speed Seduction seminar
and other programs that promise to teach a guy how to
get women in bed? |
| 5/24/00 |
|
-I've
recently started paling around (and more) with a married
guy; now it's getting weird. |
| 5/31/00 |
|
-Without
a ring how is a guy to know if a woman's available?
-I love my husband but recently we fight about everything.
I want to try marriage counselling but we're both skeptical.
|
| 6/7/00 |
|
-"I
want to know what love is"
-I'm attracted to unavailable men. Married, uncommunicative,
religious, sports-oriented or work-obsessed men seem to
be my specialty. |
| 6/14/00 |
|
-My
best friend, who's a straight male, initiated a sexual
encounter. Now our friendship is horribly strained, what's
a guy to do?
-What's the etiquette on roommates bringing home lovers
and all that? |
| 6/21/00 |
|
-
There's this girl.... and I want to talk to her.
-Why is it that all the men I meet only want to casually
date or have casual sex? |
| 6/28/00 |
|
-I'm
involved in a relationship that I'm afraid might shock
and alienate my family and friends, how to proceed? |
| 7/04/00 |
|
-
I met this wonderful girl... |
| 7/12/00 |
|
-I'm
a guy who doesn't like sex.
-I broke up with my boyfriend of three years, but now
I deeply regret it... |
| 7/19/00 |
|
-
Suey, what's with your lame gender cliches? |
| 7/26/00 |
|
-I
think I'm Straight-Curious (if there is such a thing)
-I've been off and on with my college boyfriend for over
12 years. We're having trouble moving to the next level.
|
| 8/2/00 |
|
- I'm 32, just divorce, and dating a guy who's 25.
Is there something wrong with what I'm doing??
- I am older and therefore wiser. Your readers are naive.
I'll help you set them straight.
|
| 8/9/00 |
|
-Just
when I had lost all hope in men, I met the most amazing
guy.
-I'm thinking about contacting a dominatrix. Any advice
on how to present myself? |
| 8/16/00 |
|
-My boyfriend is such a sweetheart when he's with me,
but when he's out with his guy friends, he turns into
a total pig.
-The world's biggest ass
|
| 8/23/00 |
|
-A year ago, I cheated on my boyfriend of three years
with another woman. How can I fix this? He is freaking
out.
-Oh Ms. Chow, in this case you're wrong |
| 8/30/00 |
|
-When do you tell someone you're dating that you have
hepatitis?
|
| 9/6/00 |
|
-Clueless fellow in deeply sordid situation
-I'm beginning to suspect a connection between chemical
dependency and emotional dependency, or maybe between
fitness and emotional independence.
-Is there any way to turn down a bridesmaid offer without
offending? |
| 9/13/00 |
|
-My wife doesn't want to have sex anymore
-I used to be in the sex service profession, should I
tell the man I'm about to marry? |
| 9/20/00 |
|
-I started playing out some of my fantasies with my lover
in the last year. Things have gotten complex.
- I explained that nail polish is only for girls, to which
my son insisted, "I'm a girl too!" |
| 9/27/00 |
|
-I'm dating my close friend's ex-husband
-Even though he is gonna dump me after having sex, I still
want go out with him. |
| 10/04/00 |
|
-Three straight guys agree: Hey, what's with the ladies?
|
| 10/11/00 |
|
-Are there side-effects to jerking off?
-I'm married, he's married, we're deeply in love with
each other and having an affair. And now he's asking me
to marry him. |
| 10/18/00 |
|
-I have recently gotten out of a yearlong relationship
with someone I considered my best friend...now, heartbroken.
|
| 10/25/00 |
|
-
I'm fascinated and infatuated with the parking valet boys
at Bluehour.
- I am wondering why I am finding it so difficult to meet
that special person. |
| 11/1/00 |
|
- I am unable to make my girlfriend orgasm through intercourse
or oral sex.
- The chronically ill have to realize that their life-and-death
medical tragedies aren't the only problems in the world!
What about the mental discomfort of the physically healthy?
|
| 11/8/00 |
|
-
This asshole stripper is giving me the run around
- I love my husband, but in the last few months, every
little thing about him drives me crazy. |
| 11/14/00 |
|
-I
am in love with a man who wants all the benefits of a
long-term, committed relationship without the commitment.
- I'm a 30-year-old gay man who has yet to be in a significant
relationship. |
| 11/21/00 |
|
-
My prom date and I encountered each other at a party after
not seeing each other for 14 years, one week after I suffered
a near-fatal accident.
-There aren't any men out there willing to settle down
with a simple country girl. I live and breathe country. |
| 11/28/00 |
|
-
Can you explain to me why women hate shy men?
- Why do men hate women? |
| 12/05/00 |
|
-
I accidentally came across a cache of porn on her computer,
mostly of nude women. Is my mother a lesbian?
-My father keeps a huge stash of porn on his computer.
|
| 12/12/00 |
|
-
I am 29 years old, female, and I just cannot orgasm from
penetration (intercourse).
- My impression of Portland is that it's an older crowd
that's mostly married. Is my impression correct? |
|
