Dear Tiggy,
I’m a bi woman currently dating a man who I love. We’ve been together for two years and we’re talking about getting married. I don’t feel ready yet though because I never thought I’d marry a man. I always pictured myself marrying a woman. (I live in Canada where that’s possible.) Now that I’m dating a man so seriously, I’m having a couple of problems…
A) I find it harder to come out because there are even more assumptions that I’m straight.
B) People in the queer community think I’m straight until I bluntly tell them I’m bisexual. It’s annoying to have to educate even my own community.
C). I am having a really hard time meeting other bi or lesbian women. It seems most women my age are getting married and having children and don’t have time to join LGBTQ social groups. I deeply miss the company of other gay women.
D) The thought of “passing” as heterosexual for the rest of my life bugs the crap out of me, but how loudly must I declare my sexuality, and how often? I’m also afraid this problem will worsen if I marry my boyfriend.
E) I haven’t had many opportunities to date women. I feel isolated and like I’ve “failed” in my life’s mission because of this. At least if I’d done a bit of serious dating of other women (and this was NOT for lack of trying), I’d be able to say, “Well, I’ve done this and now I can decide if it’s okay for me to marry a man because I’ve had the opportunity to have good relationships with women, too.”
F) The support of my heteronormative relationship with my boyfriend is more comfortable than the difficulty of trying to play a male role and then forgetting that I need support too (which happens to me with women). But still I know I’m missing out on that side of myself, which I feel needs development
G) I feel like I need to “make up my mind” about whether or not I’m going to marry my boyfriend. I’m worried that doing nothing (my current strategy) will inevitably result in us getting closer and closer until I decide I love him so much I’m going to marry him. But then I will never have the opportunity to marry a woman, it will be done. But I don’t want to leave him either. But not leaving him leads to the path of marrying him if I take that forward to its logical conclusion. I’m sure you see the debate.
H) My boyfriend thinks being poly will solve all of this. He is A-OK with me dating women with or without his involvement. But I have had trouble finding poly women to date. I’m afraid I won’t find someone and then I’ll be in a relationship which is monogamous and heterosexual, which I won’t like.
I) Even if I find a woman to date while being married to my boyfriend, I’ll still be missing out on having a primary relationship with a woman and marrying a woman.
J) I would only tell close friends about my girlfriend, which would still leave me feeling the total lack of social recognition for my love of women, and for my relationship with any future girlfriend.
Why is our society so against polyamory? Because if it weren’t and everyone was accepting and awesome, I might not have this debate. Oh, and you’re awesome.
-Mary
I appreciate that you think I’m awesome and hope that you would continue to think so even if, say, hypothetically, I have to be harsh on you for your own good. (Wow, foreboding sucks. That opening sentence was like starting off with, “No offense but…” Probably I should have just said, “Brace yourself, Mary.”) Being awesome appears to come easily to some but, not unlike Bleeker in Juno, I try really hard, actually.
OK, brace yourself, Mary (yeah, now, see? That was better):
A.) & D.) Read this. BONUS: you are not alone! Not even a little!
B.) Yes, even queers can be heterosexist. It is annoying to have to school people. We all have a cross to bear.
C.) The Boston bi women’s community has found a lot of success in holding monthly potluck brunches. Folks come for various reasons but there are a fair amount of bi women in monogamous relationships with men who use the brunches as their queer female oasis. Contact the Boston Bisexual Women’s Network (BBWN) for tips on how you can replicate the model in your area.
E.) So as you’re figuring out how to fulfill your desires in an optimal manner, keep in mind that breaking it off with your boyfriend solely to pursue a relationship with a woman may result in no relationship at all, despite your best efforts.
F.) Please read what you wrote for “F” over and over until you realize that this is not a problem.
G.) “I’m worried [that we will get] closer and closer until I decide I love him so much I’m going to marry him.” I can’t imagine how you go on with this terrifying reality on the horizon. See above.
H.) Start a gratitude journal. This will develop your skills in identifying things that are not problems but, in contrast, super-fantastic, like landing a partner who is supportive of a poly lifestyle that will likely facilitate fulfilling certain desires.
I.) Perfect segue to introduce my favorite life lesson: Being an adult is about Shitty Choice A versus Shitty Choice B. Or, the Mary version: Pretty Excellent Choice A versus Still Really Good Choice B.
J.) This might be a real problem but if it is, it’s of your own making (because in this scenario, you’re choosing not to be out to all of “society”). Which means you can solve it whenever you want. Good attempt at having a problem, though.
Mary, you’re asking how you can have the whole smorgasbord of relationship experiences, even the ones that are mutually exclusive. You can’t. Life doesn’t often allow you the option of “all of the above.” And every choice you make will have cons to go with its pros.
My practical advice is to stick with what sounds like a terrific boyfriend. You love each other, he’s open to polyamory, and leaving him does not guarantee that you’ll find a fitting female partner. More to the point: does breaking up with a loving partner just to fulfill some personal gender scorecard sound stupid? Maybe because…it is?
© 2013 Tiggy Upland. Tiggy Upland reserves the right to use all submitted queries anonymously, in any medium.