Adult daughter annoyed by father’s playful pats

DEAR ABBY » I am 20-something years old, and my father still hits my behind sometimes. I feel it is inappropriate, but the last time I complained about it, several years ago, it didn’t go over well. It also didn’t stop his behavior. What else can I do?

Right now all I can do is try not to place myself in a position where my behind is exposed. Did people back in the day normally “playfully” hit their adult daughters’ behinds?

— Inappropriate

in Idaho

DEAR INAPPROPRIATE » No, they did not. Your daddy is acting like a dirty old man.

His behavior may seem “playful” to him, but to persist after you asked him not to is not only inappropriate but also somewhat creepy.

Tell him again that you don’t like it and it makes you uncomfortable, and if he persists, he will see far less of his daughter.

DEAR ABBY » My husband and I grew up in very conservative households. Since college and moving to a large city, we have become more liberal. We have friends of other races with whom we are very close, but both of our families frequently post inflammatory and offensive, racially biased comments on social media. Do we have a duty because of our beliefs and our friends to publicly object to their posts?

— Different Now in Texas

DEAR DIFFERENT » Because you have already discussed your differences privately with these relatives, feel free to post your reaction to the offensive posts. They won’t like you for it, and the rest of the tribe may gang up on you, but you and your husband will be able to look at yourselves in the mirror knowing you spoke aloud your truth.