Dear Prudence,
I’m a gay man in a big city. I don’t love the feel of condoms, but I understand that it’s a necessary evil in the post-AIDS universe, and I’ve always used protection. I’ve been with my current boyfriend for almost two years; I love him, and definitely see us together for the long haul. However, he’s completely adamant he will never want to stop using condoms. We’ve had a few fights about it—I get mad because I feel he doesn’t trust me, and he gets mad because he feels I’m trying to pressure him. Gay men internalize so many messages of doom about unsafe sex, so I understand his anxiety. At the same time, it’s hard to feel like it’s not a reflection on me. Would it be dumb to blow up an otherwise happy relationship over this?