Dear Bear, How in the world do I deal with my family’s disapproval surrounding me no longer having a relationship, through my own choice, with my terribly abusive dad? I am 23 years old. I have a mom and a younger sister. All three of…

Dear Bear, I have been seeing a man for about 7 months. I got out of a (5 year) long-term relationship about two months before I met this man. Many people view our relationship as a “rebound” relationship, and at first, I did too. But…

Dear Bear, I’ve been with this fellow for 2.5 years now. We both had been in long-term relationships prior to meeting (his was 11 years plus a kid, mine was five years plus a cross-country move). We adore each other, and have talked about moving…

Dear Bear, My fiancé and I recently got engaged after 4 years together. My fiancé has two sisters, let’s call them Suzie and Katie. Suzie is wonderful. I enjoy spending time with her, find her to be great company, and feel privileged to have her…

Dear Bear, I’m a PhD student, living with my dad and commuting to school about once a week. I was very lucky to get a scholarship that covers my tuition and living costs (so basically, it’s a job.) I’m really shy and have a congenital…

Dear Bear, Lately I have been wrestling over this question. I have been getting feedback from others: they say I am too easily and too often offended, and can’t take a joke. I do not agree with this assessment, but because I don’t want to…

Dear Bear, After a long string of unhealthy relationships, I suddenly find myself in something that feels deeply good with a woman who likes me as much as I like her. I also live with a lot of baggage. Persistent chronic mental illness, PTSD from…

Dear Bear, I’ve been with my partner for five years, and I want to spend many more together. We both hate capitalism. He grew up extremely poor and I grew up wealthy. I’m all about redistribution of wealth in all aspects of my life, and…

Dear Bear, Can I end relationships (platonic, romantic, sexual, all kinds) if the person treats me well personally, but holds political views that I believe are contrary to the goals of my activism? I hear a lot, “You should be friends with people who disagree…

Dear Bear: This may be a very silly question, but: how do I make peace being unattractive? A bit of context here: I’m a bisexual woman in my twenties. I’ve never been traditionally feminine, but nor am I butch in an interesting way. I am…

Dear Bear, I’m a good feminist. I know that at eight weeks of gestation a pregnancy does not yet mean a baby, and I absolutely would support a person’s right to choose abortion at that point (or at any point, really). But I was personally…

Dear Bear, Maybe this is too small a problem for your column, but here goes: I hate the holidays. It’s the gift-giving specifically that I hate so very much. Hates it we does. I don’t really like stuff. I try to have as little of…

Dear Bear, I am being told I don’t understand anything about forgiveness. And maybe I don’t. My partner of five years has decided to leave me and he says I need to forgive and move on. I say that easy for him to say. He’s…

Dear Bear, One of my closest friends began dating someone about a year ago, and even though I’ve really tried to embrace her, I strongly dislike her. It’s been a strain on our friendship from my perspective but he’s so blissed out on new relationship…

Dear Bear, I’m a pretty smart, capable guy, but I HATE doing things I’m not good at. A few months ago, we went to one of those “drink while everyone in the group does a painting” events, and it was torture: I’m not talented in…

Dear Bear I feel ridiculous writing to an advice column at my age but I am at my absolute wit’s end. You seem to be rather evenhanded and that’s what I need right now. My situation is that I have four children, and the two…