Orlando Sentinel

Feminist worries about husband’s porn habit.

- Amy Dickinson You can write Amy Dickinson at askamy@tribune.com or by mail to: Ask Amy, Chicago Tribune, TT500, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611.

Dear Amy: I am a 40-year-old woman married to a 30-year-old man. He is sweet, intelligen­t, funny, passionate, hardworkin­g and kind.

When we were still dating, I became aware of his porn habit and interest in prostitute­s. I’ve never had an issue with nudity or porn that wasn’t abusive toward women. This is. I was shocked and disgusted. He told me that he had used prostitute­s in the past, but promised that this was history.

I couldn’t figure out how my wonderful, loving, tender husband was the same guy who thought it was OK to purchase a woman like a thing and demean women when talking with his friends.

I became insecure about my looks and age. I snooped a lot.

We both went into therapy and two years later, we are better than ever.

Then this week I learned that he has been engaging in “live” online pornograph­y on a site that is filled with jokes about domestic violence, images of oppression and scenarios about murdering women.

We had a huge fight. I got drunk (I rarely drink) and I pushed him multiple times, and kicked him.

We were both horrified by our behavior, and are very contrite and apologetic.

He promised me that he won’t participat­e in anymore websites that conflate sex and violence against women or that facilitate prostituti­on.

Otherwise, our life together is so good, that I am trying to figure out how to be a feminist and accept that my husband isn’t. He treats me with respect, but views sexual images of women that are vile and demeaning.

Can a man who is clearly aroused by prostitute­s and casually enjoys jokes about killing “b---hy” and “slutty” women be educated about sexual politics and learn not to participat­e in rape culture?

Can a woman who feels suspicious, angry and insecure learn to let go and just enjoy her otherwise wonderful marriage? — Betwixt

Dear Betwixt: The way you present this, your husband treats you beautifull­y, but you have witnessed his habit of using and degrading women he's not married to.

This is obviously the complete opposite of your stated core values. And so now you want to (somehow) educate him not to participat­e in rape culture.

But, why is it your job to teach your husband how NOT to degrade women? Shouldn’t he already know how not to degrade women?

Your duty is to take care of yourself, and in some respects, you don't seem to have done a very good job.

Ask yourself: how does being with your husband raise you up? Why in your mind does his decent treatment of you somehow balance his degrading treatment of others?

Your determinat­ion to stay with someone you snoop on, rage at, physically abuse and whose values you deplore says much more about your low opinion of yourself than about him.

You two should double down on the counseling; I hope you mutually agree to part.

Dear Amy: I plan to retire in two years. The problem is that I have started getting emails, phone calls (both at work and on my cellphone), as well as at least two inches of junk mail.

I have found this to be the biggest intrusion in my life in more than 60 years. I do not answer my phone anymore when I don't recognize the phone number, however, when they call me at work, I have to answer my phone.

The last call I got I asked them where they got my phone number from because I am on the Do Not Call Registry. They would not disclose where they had gotten my name.

Is this something I have to put up with for another two years?

So how do I get this to stop? — Frustrated Future Retiree

Dear Frustrated: In researchin­g your question, I found the informatio­n on the Federal Trade Commission's website quite comprehens­ive. Check consumer.ftc.gov and do a search for “unsolicite­d mail.” You will be pointed toward all of the credit reporting agencies, the national Do Not Call Registry, as well as the Direct Marketing Associatio­n's “Do not mail” list: dmachoice.org.

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