I (M24) have different preferences for PDA/affection than my girlfriend (F21), how can we work this out?
Hello all.
I (M24) and my girlfriend (F21) have been together this time for a few months, but we previously dated for 1.5 years previously. We love each other plenty, have good chemistry, and are generally good at talking things out when something upsets one of us.
I do need some advice about PDA's or affection in public in general. In private, the two of us kiss lightly, passionately, plus the whole range of affection. In public however, we are very different. I like to have a lot of physical PDA's, such as kissing, holding closely, hugs, while she staunchly prefers maybe handholding or headpats at the most. It's been a point of contention to where it was one of the reasons of the break up in the first place.
As someone who's love language is very physical, it can sometimes feel like the limited physical affection she prefers is too little to express how much she means to me - but I also know that she views what I do to be too much and, in her words, "suffocating."
Is there anyone else who is in this situation or in a similar one, and how did you and your partner reconcile these differences?
edit: Jesus Christ y'all r making it sound like I'm raping her... I am trying to learn how to manage my tendency to want to hug her a bit more in public...