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December 9, 2019 1:39 pm  #1


I need advice on a situation that is probably familiar to everyone

Hello all,
I'm a 40M and my wife is a 37F and we've been married for 16 years and have 2 kids.  About 18 months ago she started crying and told me that she "likes girls".  I took this to mean that she was Bi, and we agreed to allow her to explore that side of herself (very very stupid on my part, but I thought I was allowing the love of my life to understand herself).  So she kind of putzed around for about 14 months, going on a few dates with women she'd met online (all with my blessing), but never got into anything super serious.  She had confirmed that she liked woman at least, but hadn't really found anyone she liked.  I sort of assumed things were petering out until July of this year.

In July she went to a roller-derby convention and met another woman there who was "just like her".  She was married and had 2 kids and played roller derby.  They had other things in common as well that I won't go into here.  She had sex with this woman and seemed like she fell super hard for her.  When she got back she told me all about it, and that she'd arranged 4 other meet-ups with this woman (she lived in a different state).  She'd dated women before but this seemed very different.  She was talking with her non-stop and seemed super hesitant to touch me.  I'm fairly observant about this so I asked her about it, and she said she thinks she might be a lesbian and that things were very different with this other woman than they were with me.

Okay, so now I'm worried, I asked her to cancel future trips with this girl and she refused.  She ended up going on this trip with her and came back and things got worse.  I'll skip all of the in between steps, but she ended up going on 3 more trips, each time she came back more and more infatuated with her.  After the final trip she decided she was 100% gay and that she wanted a divorce.  Well I saw it coming and had been fighting it the whole time, so I finally gave in.  We told the kids and she moved out (this was a month ago).

At some point after moving out she broke-up with this woman (so she tells me).  2 weeks ago my little brother got married and I was his best man.  I hadn't told him anything, so to not make a big distraction from his wedding I brought her up there as my date (both of our kids and me were in the wedding, she was not).  We ended up sleeping together and when we came back she decided she had made a huge mistake and wanted to come back home and work on things.

I'm certainly open to it, as I'm still not over her, but part of me is concerned that she's just lonely and wants her old life back.  There aren't really any sides, but everyone we know has come to me to express their support for me, and basically all of our friends have stopped talking to her.  All of her friends are lesbians who play roller derby, so I'm concerned if I take her back she'll end up falling in love with one of them at some point in the future.

This is a lot of rambling, I'm obviously still very messed up by this, but would appreciate any insights.

 

 

December 9, 2019 3:23 pm  #2


Re: I need advice on a situation that is probably familiar to everyone

Hi there,
I know things are a million times more complicated when children are involved, but this seems like an incredibly unhealthy relationship. I can't imagine how painful it must have been hearing about your wife having sex and falling in love with someone else. The selfishness of our non-straight spouses astounds me.
Your wife can't help being gay or bisexual, but she can control her behavior and how she treats you....And, after reading your story, it seems pretty clear to me that your wife has zero respect for you or your relationship. You are her safety net, and I strongly believe she will repeat this toss-and-return pattern as long as you allow it to happen. You deserve so much better than this. Your children deserve better than this, too. I hope you have someone to talk to about all of this: someone who has your interests and well-being in mind. 
It sucks, I know. Hang in there.
xo j
 

Last edited by Julian_Stone (December 9, 2019 3:23 pm)

 

December 9, 2019 4:10 pm  #3


Re: I need advice on a situation that is probably familiar to everyone

I think the question you have to ask yourself is "Can my wife fulfill my marriage needs both now and into the future?" Now that you know she is a lesbian, and that she is physically attracted to women in a way that she can never can be with you, is that enough for you? Is it enough for you that she came back for the time being? Do you trust her? Can you trust her that if she is at a roller derby she isn't looking longingly at the women there? Are you setting the best example to your kids of what a marriage relationship should look like?

For me, that last one was the kicker that did me in. I don't want my kids to look at my marriage as the example of what they should strive for in their lives. I don't want my kids to settle. I want them to have a loving partner who reciprocates their love in the same way and the same amount as they love them. If I settle and lower the bar, am I telling my kids that they somehow don't deserve to be happy?

 

December 9, 2019 4:21 pm  #4


Re: I need advice on a situation that is probably familiar to everyone

oh goodness.  I can appreciate how she might want it but you can't ever have your old life back anyway - yes this looks like tough yards ahead for her.  Is this your responsibility?  Can you even make it yours without totally undermining your responsibility to yourself?

so here's the 64 million dollar question - how do you feel about it? -  now that you know it is women she is attracted to do you really want to stay married? 

look I'm sorry but you know what I think?  why not say sorry no, now it is my turn to explore.

 

December 9, 2019 4:31 pm  #5


Re: I need advice on a situation that is probably familiar to everyone

Thanks for the replies.  I've never thought she was 100% lesbian, but I guess none of us ever did?  But even while she was falling in love with this other woman we'd still have sex and I would still make her orgasm.  I don't know much about it, but I feel like if she was 100% lesbian she wouldn't be able to do that? (I don't think I could do that with another man, no matter what). 

I went with her to couples-counseling last week and she told her therapist (and me) that she made the biggest mistakes in her life, and all she wants is to have me back.  She said she realized she can't live without me.  She even parroted back to me a lot of the same arguments that I made to her when trying to convince her to stay (I'm not proud of it, but I was literally begging her to stay before I finally was convinced and let her go).

I think the main issue I'm having is I don't want to take her back and resent her forever.  If I take her back I want it to be on 100% equal footing, and not having her feel like she "owes me" or anything.  I'm not sure I can get to that point with her again because of this.  I'll always wonder which of her lesbian roller-derby friends she'll leave me for next?
 

     Thread Starter
 

December 9, 2019 4:34 pm  #6


Re: I need advice on a situation that is probably familiar to everyone

Editing because you replied when I wrote this.

I’m sorry this is happening to you. You are kind and thoughtful to respect your wife’s exploration of her sexuality. Societal expectations of heterosexuality are hard to bear if your true orientation is something else.

The choice is yours to wait it out or not. Questions of will she or won’t she would make me nervous as well. It may not happen to you but have read on this board that people wanting to stay in a hetero marriage want to act on same-sex attractions with their spouse’s permission. I am not an open marriage type of gal. I would never want this. Would you be ok with one?

I had a different dilemma where my late ex-husband would not admit to same-sex attraction despite evidence to the contrary. We went to couples therapy & he manipulated the therapist into blaming me for our marriage woes. I think my ex had undiagnosed Antisocial Personality Disorder or Narcissistic Personality Disorder. I made the decision to leave. I am very happy I did.

I wish the best for you & your family.

Last edited by MJM017 (December 9, 2019 4:58 pm)


No - It's not too late. It's not hopeless. Even there, there's something I can do. I just have to find the will. Ikiru (1952), film directed by Akira Kurosawa 
 

December 9, 2019 5:17 pm  #7


Re: I need advice on a situation that is probably familiar to everyone

 
  There's a term for women who are willing to do what you are contemplating: doormat.  And if you act like a doormat, you'll get treated like one-even if you're a man.  Look at the sequence, and what she did, and what you did: She told you she liked girls, you told her to explore.  She did; she fell in love with a woman.  She told you she was setting up dates with her lover; you told her not to; she did it anyway.  She wanted a divorce; you didn't, but you gave in.  Then when her hot and heavy affair had run its course, you asked her to your brother's wedding as your partner, and now, she wants back in.  
    You're not a person she loves and respects, you're her soft place to land, her fall back position, her consolation prize, her "I"ll settle for that for the time being" guy.  What she really wants is not you, it's to suffer no consequences for the choices she made, and she's betting she can get you to let her back in.  Because the trust is gone, and you're waiting for the other shoe to drop (another affair), life in that marriage is never going to be comfortable for you. 

 

December 9, 2019 7:16 pm  #8


Re: I need advice on a situation that is probably familiar to everyone

I think if you're looking for 100% lesbian then you're looking for the sort of lesbian who just can't do it with a man - she'd rather punch him out.

My ex knew he was gay, but he fooled both my mum and me.  Towards the end of her life my mum started to see it and she said to me the problem is that he would neither accept me nor let me go.

you are straight, 100% in - and that is what you need, you know that don't you.  she is not straight or 100% in, she is on the SSA spectrum and just had a passionate affair.  

I'm not surprised she wants you back, but is it in the same way you want her back, is it for loving you or it is just for her own reasons.  

My ex was pretending, he was like an actor in real life.  shocking really.




 

 

December 9, 2019 9:38 pm  #9


Re: I need advice on a situation that is probably familiar to everyone

If you can swing it, I would recommend individual counseling for you both before making any big decisions. Your needs are important, too! There may be some free or low-cost resources available for your wife (especially if you're in/near a city). I agree with others that trust will always be an issue — and, in the end, you'll have to decide if you're willing to live your one precious life waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Best of luck to you in the days ahead. Post here any time you need an empathetic ear. We've all lived through some version of this — and truly feel your pain.
xo j

 

December 10, 2019 11:33 am  #10


Re: I need advice on a situation that is probably familiar to everyone

Julian_Stone wrote:

Hi there,

Your wife can't help being gay or bisexual, but she can control her behavior and how she treats you.
xo j
 

Ten Thousand Times, this. 

 

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