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I’m a 31-year-old female in a five-year relationship with a 28-year-old man with whom I have lived for the past three years. For the first couple of years, he brought up marriage frequently and how much he wanted us to build a life together. It freaked me out a little early on because I wasn’t there yet, but I could still definitely see myself marrying him one day. Then this talk cooled, and life marched on. The most “life building” we’ve done is getting a cat together. Fast forward to last year, and his younger brother gets married. Then my sister gets engaged, followed shortly by my brother. I’m super happy for…

My fiancé and I are getting married and he (plus our future children) will be taking my name. His parents are so upset over this that they are not coming to our wedding. We had a pretty good relationship with them before this and I am honestly shocked at the reaction. What do I do? — What’s In A Name?

I have been dating my boyfriend for seven months now and things are going well. I am 24 and he is 28. However, I have not yet met his parents and I’m starting to wonder why. First, they do not live in the same state. Mine do, and we have gotten together with them a few times. During the few times he has seen his parents while we have been dating, he has told me that they have told him that they want to meet me and to bring me to their house for a weekend some time. He seems excited in the moment, but it never comes to fruition. He makes…

I am a lesbian, and my live-in mom refuses to accept that I’m gay or accept my girlfriend, unless we’re “just friends,” due to her religious beliefs. She tells me that it’s an abomination and that I will go to hell for this. I also believe in God and obviously don’t want that fate, but I want to be with my girlfriend, “Amelia.” I feel obligated to take care of my mother. Amelia and I have known each other for almost three years, and my mom moved in with me a few months after we met. Amelia and I started as FWB only in May of this year, but in the past…

My boyfriend was romantically involved with his ex-girlfriend for ten years, but their marriage was for a green card which enabled him to stay in the country and later become a UK resident. There was no ceremony and not many people know of the marriage, so I’m confident this is true. They separated four and a half years ago and she now lives in her home country. My partner says he views the marriage as nothing more than a piece of paper but has stayed married because he would like to return the favour in case she ever wants to return to the UK, which he feels is the right thing to…

When I was 28 years old, I came out as transgender, male to female. My coming out was forced to happen before I felt ready because my dad’s girlfriend had seen me on the street dressed as the “other” gender and told my dad about it against my will. After that, my dad texted me saying I was a disgusting freak and that I should stay away from him and “his family.” In the ensuing three years I have often begged him to just let me visit him again and for him to accept me. He relented on some level, but our relationship hasn’t warmed back up again to what it used…