Dear Prudence,
I went through a self-destructive period of about a year that involved drinking, smoking, and casual sex with multiple partners. I have since turned my life around with the help of a pastor, friends, and my parents. Before I made this transition, my younger brother was reading through my e-mail and saw a conversation with one of my partners that made our relationship clear. He informed not only my parents but everyone else in our family and his fiancee's family. I was supposed to be a bridesmaid in their wedding, but they kicked me out of the bridal party due to my moral repugnance. My brother, his now-wife, and their friends make constant references to my past. I have spoken with him about it, but he refuses to acknowledge that this is not a matter to be joked about or spread around. I tried enlisting my parents, but they feel we need to sort it out as we are adults. I am constantly filled with shame about my past transgressions when I am around my brother. What should I do?
—A Penitent Whore