Posted by overwhelmed45 April 3, 2019 8:33 am | #1 |
Hi,
I am new to the forum posting, discovered this network about 6 months ago. I am 45 years old and have been with my husband for 17 years, married for 7. When I was pregnant with our 13 year old, I found emails to some gay parties/vacations in his email, (originally by accident), felt lost then, like what??? I confronted him, and he told me that when he was in college he had been a dancer, (I knew that) but once I confronted him he admitted that he danced for men, it paid more money and it wasn't a big deal. All this time I had thought ok he was a dancer never thinking men. We had many issues in our marriage of trust mostly my doubts, due to many different things through the years. Me feeling like he if he loved me would say it, act it, he has never told me he loves me, just says "me too". I have just accepted this way of life for my children, but knew I deserved to be loved, and see a healthy loving relationship. So fast forward to 6 months ago, I asked to use his phone for real to look on the internet and I saw "tumbir" on a page. I didn't say anything at the time, and looked it up later when alone. I saw it is a app, to connect. I then went onto his page one night when he was in the shower and saw all of these gay porn sites that he liked, and his history. I was sick..... Confronted him with this, he denied it, and then a few weeks later after things were not good with us, he asked me what was wrong I told him "how could he lie to me", he finally admitted that yes he had been on those sites, but was not gay. He deleted his account and told me he wanted to work on the marriage but would NOT go to counseling. Then the holidays came, and I put on a front for my kids, got sick and ended up in the hospital. He was so caring, and good to me that it didn't come up again. Until March, I was again looking on his phone and saw a search for masturbation videos.... I just don't trust him, and he has been so good, nice, to me, acting as though all is great with us, of course we have only had sex 2 times since September, I just don't try and initiate it as I always had done, and he NEVER initiates. Please be kind when giving me some feedback, I just need others thoughts who have been through similar.
Posted by walkbymyself April 3, 2019 4:25 pm | #2 |
Hi, welcome, and I'm so sorry you find yourself having to deal with this.
You say he's being exceptionally caring since you confronted him. A lot of our gay spouses have done this -- "love-bombing" us because all of a sudden they feel insecure and threatened. I'll admit, I did enjoy it, even though I knew what was going on.
In my case, I found it unsatisfying and frustrating to try and get him to admit to me, something he himself just wasn't going to say. I'm in the process of divorce right now, and it's still frustrating to me that I'll try and get some kind of closure out of him -- and the lies and excuses he makes up are so off-the-charts absurd, I lose my lunch. As much as I want to have an honest conversation with him, I've come to realize it's a lost cause. He's lying to himself, which makes it impossible for him to do anything but lie to me.
I don't have any insight except to say this: start thinking for yourself what your boundaries are. Decide for yourself what discovery might be so upsetting to you that you can't continue the marriage. Many of us here have found ourselves setting limits that get incrementally pushed back, over and over. Reading your post, one of the (many) things you're struggling with is the fact that you might actually end up being the only grown-up in the room, and for a lot of us that's one of the hardest things. But as I said, try and think through what exactly your breaking point might be, just so you can live with yourself a little easier.
What sets off an alarm for me is when you say that he wants to work on the marriage but would NOT go to counseling. I think the reason men say this (my own husband included) is because they can manipulate you more easily when it's just the two of you, no third parties to take your side or call him out on his deceit.
Posted by Rob April 4, 2019 6:37 am | #3 |
Overwhelmed,
Welcome..
Lots of red flags including catching him red handed with an app that no married straight guy i know would have.
I'm 3 years out/away from this and if i looked back I had no signed of TGT except..i always had to initiate..and if i didn't ..she could go a month or more without anything.. I look back now and i dont think thats indicative of a normal straight married couple..
This is not your fault. Read the first aid thread and start building a support system. Know that you do not have to live like this forever.
A sincere ehug. (Virtual but sincere and authentic with no hidden apps or secrets)
Posted by overwhelmed45 April 4, 2019 7:39 am | #4 |
thank you for the virtual hug Rob! I appreciate you insight. My gut says this is not "normal" behavior, and I am sure most straight men would not be watching gay porn with a past dancing/stripping for men.