DEAR DEIDRE: My boyfriend makes jokes about my gappy teeth and small breasts. He doesn’t realise how his comments hurt.
He’s 27 and I’m 24.
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I’ve always wanted bigger boobs. When I tried on prom dresses they would slide off me. It hit my self-confidence.
My teeth have a big gap at the front too and nothing was done about it as a child.
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When we go shopping, my boyfriend will say, “Do you want corn plasters? I thought you wanted a new bra”, or he’ll make jokes about his plasterer friend who could “sort out those gaps” in my teeth.
He’s lovely otherwise and he’s nice-looking but he hits on the things that I’d like to change about myself.
DEIDRE SAYS: You say he’s lovely but he’s actually not very kind.
People who make unkind remarks are often deflecting attention away from how they feel about themselves – but it’s not OK.
Find a moment to tell him that the comments he makes about you personally are really hurtful. He should love you as a person.
There are plenty of models and celebrities with gap teeth and smaller cup sizes, so don’t see these as negatives but attributes.
I’m sending you my support pack on Self Esteem which will help you learn to accept and learn to appreciate yourself.