I'm a 24-year-old virgin and it's negatively impacted my ability to date for the past four years.
I'm finishing university, have a great job lined up, have a good personality and am a caring and loving young man. I dated in high school and my longest relationship has been 18 months, but I just haven't felt ready to have full sexual intercourse until I reached the age of 22.
However, I now have difficulty getting close to women who aren't virgins (which means all who are at, or near, my age) out of fear of how they may react to my still being a virgin.
I usually lie about it, then back off the relationship whenever it gets physical out of fear that my lie will be exposed.

- Truth or Consequences

Stop lying. And stop putting yourself under pressure to perform like a pro at the first stirring of physical interest.
Instead, date with the intent of finding someone with whom you feel an emotional connection and build up mutual ease and trust.
Then, be upfront that you're a virgin because you didn't want to play around and have casual sexual liaisons, until you felt you'd reached some maturity. Say that now, with this person, you're ready to share intimacy.
If you take some time getting to know someone, with both of you opening up about personal information, you'll already sense whether this is a sensitive, caring woman who'll be accepting of your innocence.
My bet is that there are plenty of women who'd appreciate that you haven't been a player, and you'll find someone who wants to share your fresh experience of sex.

I was in a same-sex relationship for five years, which ended recently with my ex and I saying we'd remain friends.
She said I was her best friend, and always invited me to her place for dinner and made me feel like I was a part of her family. We told each other everything about our lives, and ended up getting along much better as friends.
But she's suddenly decided she doesn't want any contact with me because she believes, wrongly, that I had a relationship with someone whom she deeply cared for.
I'm unsure how she concluded this.
She's now said that I treated our friendship like dirt, was deceptive towards her and she'll never trust me again. She refuses to believe that nothing happened between me and this other woman. She's emailed me saying that she no longer wants any communication with me.
I miss my best friend terribly. How can I get her to understand that nothing happened and that I still care for her?

- Pushed Away

Write your ex a letter, starting with an apology, even though "nothing happened." Tell her you're sorry that the wrong impression was conveyed, and you want her to know how much her friendship means to you.
If any contact or communication did occur between you and this other person, say so, but repeat that there was no "relationship."
Also, if you have any clue who might be exaggerating this situation to her, mention this so she, too, can see where it's coming from.
If she refuses to budge, be aware that some people feel a need to make a complete break from a past relationship and create dramas to do so. This may be the case here and, if so, move on.

I've been dating this lady who's 56, retired, and one-year separated, for five months.
I'm 69, and would like a more committed relationship, but she has reservations.
She's had a 20-year crush on a married prior supervisor, involving several one-night stands; the last was two years ago.
She wants to leave the door open to see where this crush takes her.
I've said she should clean up her head so we can get on with our lives.
I'm unsure what direction I should take as I don't want to break off all contact with her.

- Frustrated

Head for the hills. The lady is unavailable for a full relationship with you, and will only hurt you when her Fantasy Lover hooks her again.
I suspect that'll happen the minute it appears he could lose the ego-boost she provides.
She needs to break away on her own - only then can you two move forward.