Lived Experience Forum

[Former-Member]

One of the things that I find frustrating about social media is that in real life, you don't have the option of ignoring what people say.

Sometimes you are going to have to have difficult conversations with people, and you cannot ignore it every single time, or block them so you never have to respond to them, because you never have to see them again. That's not very brave!

I am a guy, and a couple of weeks ago, I asked a guy at my work to stop talking to me in a suggestive way. I didn't explain why. I am bisexual, or at least I think I am. His behaviour suggested to me that he's attracted to me. Again, I didn't say that, I just asked him to stop.

He didn't reply. At work soon after, he didn't apologise and move on, he looked upset and tried to avoid me.

Well, last night, I told him that I am bisexual, and that he was confusing me. I asked him whether he was attracted to me. 

"I just want to know. It's hard not knowing.

I promise, it's OK."

I was as polite as I could be, trying to have an adult conversation with this guy about how his behaviour was affecting me, but lo and behold, he didn't reply. Seriously, what the hell?

[TideisTurning]

That sounds tough @Former-Member. In my experience, a lot of people shy away from difficult conversations because they find them confronting and scary. It's a daunting prospect to open yourself up and be vulnerable like that- the fact that you've done that and tried to open up the dialogue is a real credit to your strength. It can be hard though when the other person doesn't come to the party so to speak or shies away from it as it sounds this other person has. I hope you're able to keep asserting and maintaining boundaries for yourself even if you're not yet able to have the open dialogue around the issue that you'd like.