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12-16_f_b_h1_f2

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Marriage


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A little background: I'm a Pakistani girl and in my culture and community everyone just HAVE to be married off. If they're not then something is said to be 'wrong' with them. Lets just say the treatment is cruel. Sure the black sheep treatment is way more intense on a girl than on a guy, but it's there.

I have a sister older than me by 2 years. Ever since she reached the marriage-age my mother, her friends and our extended family are all talking about her upcoming nuptials. Oh congrats are not in order yet. For now mom is looking for potential husbands. Occasionally some families come over to visit and my sister dresses up and makes an appearance. The usual. I hope she gets married or else people will start nagging mom and my sister, wondering why she isn't, gossiping and spreading vicious rumors, as is usual in Pakistani families. My sister is a lovely person and I hope the very best for her. Everyone else can shove their comments up their ass.

Now the problem: Fast forward two years and copy paste all that here, except replace sister with Me. My mother's ultimate mission in life is to have her daughters married off as soon as possible so she can 'unburden' herself. Unfortunately for her, I'm gay and I have no intention of getting married. My inevitable -for her - marriage is brought up every alternate day. I'm ignoring it for now, but not for much longer. God. The pressure is horrible. And I know for certain that this is going to get ugly. What can I do till then? Can I soften the blow somehow, Set boundaries? What??



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  • 17-24_f_w_h2_f1

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    Edel
    Advice

    I agree with what Arrows said. The best way is to keep yourself busy. I have a friend who isn't married (straight, reason is different) but she's working on making a good life for herself and you gotta respect her for that. My mother does and I think that if we, women, do so then we'll be respected too. And, not to mention, independence means you can live apart from your parents if you want to.

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  • 12-16_f_b_h1_f2

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    Huma
    Comment

    Thanks guys for responding. Keeping myself busy, now that's a good idea. And I can work hard, earn enough and move out too, if need be. Easier said, but it can be done! I do feel bad for my mother who hopes dearly that I get married and it's sad that she'll never know the one I love. That said, I'm not going to come out to my family. I don't feel like they need to know about this. They really, really don't. If they were the accepting kind then it would have been different. But they're not and I doubt I'll ever be in the mood to face their hate.

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  • 12-16_m_b_h3_f4

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    kuwaitilove
    Advice

    My suggestion is to succeed in your personal life, enough until you would have earned your independence in a way. She might not worry too much about who will take care of you if you prove to her sooner than later than you can take very good care of yourself. I've been in the same position and this is my only way out of it. I know it will keep our parents unhappy, as if they failed us or something but that would be their problem now would it? They will just have to accept that.

    • 12-16_f_b_h1_f2

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      Huma
      Comment

      But then again, if I'm independent enough then they will have no choice but to accept that I'll be living my life, my way and there is nothing that can be done about that.

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    • 17-24_f_w_h3_f2

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      Awktopus
      Advice

      Exactly. So I don't think you should worry or think too much about your mother desperately wanting to marry you off but just like kuwaitilove said, focus on proving that you can make it on your own instead.

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  • 17-24_f_b_h1_f2

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    skyflake
    Advice

    if you respect your family more than you respect yourself it will be very hard for you to be happy or to work your way to independence / success. you need to focus on your own future and forget about what everyone else keeps expecting from you.

    • 12-16_f_b_h1_f2

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      Huma
      Comment

      Going a different way from everybody else's is hard and I accept that. I am working on being as independent as I can be but I'm so worried. It's not realistic for me to expect people to somehow go with the whole 'I'm happy alone' argument. They'll wonder whether I have a guy on the side, and what about when someone whispers the L word into my mother's ear?

      I really need a game plan that will allow my mother to come out as unscathed as possible after everything blows up.

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    • 25-34_m_w_h4_f4

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      Samir82
      Advice

      Don't think up a game plan, it's her issue to deal with, not yours. Be close to her and avoid this topic at all costs. It is a manageable problem to have.

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  • 12-16_f_b_h1_f2

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    Huma
    Experience

    Hello Arrows,
    I hope you find happiness in your chosen path. In my case I can't even consider the possibility of marrying a man- it just feels so wrong! I know I'd be miserable and it will be so unfair to the guy too. Some part of me wishes that I was straight and able to marry a man and all. Life would be easier. I know for a fact that if I even try to be someone I'm not, I end up being miserable.

    But then a much bigger part of me hopes I'll find my place, somewhere where I can be me and be happy. Also, marriage doesn't suit me. Well, not the kind that happens in Paki families. Marry, stay at home and take care of the kids, deal with the in-laws and the neverending family politics, get bored staying at home so start a boutique online (it's so in nowadays), keep cooking for the husband who returns home late from work every single day and social circles consist of aunties who talk about cooking, kids and the latest celebrity gossip. And did I mention the family politics?

    I don't want to offend anyone out there, really. But this is what I've seen, what I know of a married life of a Pakistani woman. Don't get me wrong, these women are great and they're happy too!

    I would be miserable with a man, I know, and add all that to it... I know how I would like to live my life and that isn't it.

    I like the way you think, Arrows, and I hope there are many other people who think the same way!

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    Anonymous
    Advice

    I think you've mentioned family politics, but I'm not sure :P Come on Paki, where's your Sharukh Khan roots. Sing, dance, be happy! Marriage is something you think about when you grow up, we're still young! Just watch the videoclip I posted on Arrow's topic. I promise it will make your day! :P

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  • 12-16_f_b_h1_f2

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    Huma
    Comment

    I guess, but knowing my mother she won't rest until I have a Mrs attached to my name.

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  • 17-24_f_w_h1_f1

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    إسراء
    Comment

    Many mothers say this and pressure their children into marriage far too quickly and what ends up happening? How many divorces and single motherhood and abusive bigoted husbands? It breaks apart families and ruins lives. We can just accept the fact that mothers will never be satisfied no matter what we do! It's no use convincing ourselves otherwise or feigning "responsibilities" that aren't really there.

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  • 25-34_m_w_h1_f4

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    6a3miya
    Comment

    i dont think you will ever have to worry about your family hating you, maybe they will be disappointed and fight you but not hate

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  • 17-24_f_w_h1_f1

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    Artemis
    Comment

    Your are speaking my tongue! I am the only girl, and my mother is actually putting all the pressure on me. However, I found a way to keep things cool for a while, I just told her that I am not responsible enough to take care of a home, husband, and children ! I often tell her that if I get married now, I'll end up divorced cuz I love my job and it's consuming all my day, how can I manage to do both? This actually did the trick, she doesn't expect me to get married until am 30 or something. =D

    But then again, she comes every now and then with all the talk about how much she wanna see her grand children, and how she wanna see me happy with a man taking care of me. I just go with the flow like " Okay mom, someday you will.." and change the subject.

    I feel sorry for her really, cuz I know that this is something she's desperately willing to witness. Anyway I'm planing to leave the country within couple of years, this would ease things for sure, cuz in my situation, it's a lot easier getting out of the country than living in my own !! =D

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