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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Carolyn Hax: Girlfriend’s head tilt shows disrespect

Washington Post

Dear Carolyn: I have someone wonderful in my life. We’ve been living together for almost three years and she wants to get married. Things are great but from time to time I wonder if she’s just a little on the bossy side. She’s two years older than I am, well-traveled and very focused.

She’s got a really high-pressure job. I am an artist who works from home. I take care of most of the household stuff to lighten her load. I hope this doesn’t sound like I am venting because we have a great relationship. This is not me complaining that she holds the remote because things like that are small and not important to me.

My real concern is that whenever I drop subtle hints that she might be acting just a little bit pushy, she doesn’t say a word and just bends her head as if I’ve disappointed her somehow and gives me this look that suggests I am crazy. The topic doesn’t seem to ever get off the ground.

This situation has played out several times, and I usually choose not to push it. I am probably concerned about nothing and these are issues that all busy couples face. – Concerned About Nothing?

Try brushing this off any harder and you might sprain yourself.

What she earns, doing what, how old she is, where she has traveled, and what these say about her behaviors (innate or acquired) make for a nice little red-herring parade.

It’s not even what you want to talk about that matters; it’s that you can talk about it with her. Apparently all you’ve done to this point is hint – subtly at that! – so her cocked head could be saying not that you’re crazy, but instead that you’re speaking a language she doesn’t understand.

So, clearly state what you mean: “When you X, I feel Y.” Or, “I’m not comfortable with X. I’d like to do/talk about doing Y instead.”Actual feelings, actual truth, actual words.

When you can speak up – when you feel confident she will hear you out, respect your needs and not punish you for challenging her – then actual wonderful becomes a possibility, too.