When I was growing up, meeting women was not something that was looked on favourably.

My mother was quite over bearing and she wanted the best for us. My brothers have since gotten married and my sister has too.

I have a good job and I have had a good social life but I only have male friends. We tend to go out to the cinema or somewhere to eat. They have all gotten married and I am the only one who remains single.

I always found it difficult talking to women. Even when I was a child I would get very shy around females and as a I grew up this shyness stayed with me.

Then in my twenties I started to put on some weight and became very conscious about people seeing my body and even when I go on holiday or swimming I am always keen to cover myself up.

I have a few female work colleagues I talk to, but this is all work related and I don’t dare ask anyone on a date. The fear of rejection is just so great.

Now I am 38 years-old and I have never been intimate with a woman. I have not even kissed a woman and I don’t think I ever will.

My friends once set me up with a prostitute but I never went through with it as there was too much pressure and I found it wrong.

I have been introduced to about 23 women in the past six years by my parents but each time I was rejected and this has made me more depressed and self-conscious.

I know people say that beauty comes from within but I think most of those people have not been in my situation.

My mother is so upset now as she gets older and I can see how disappointed she is that I never turned out to be the man like her other children.

My father was a traditional man and before he died he used to make comments about my manliness. This pains me a lot and I think about it all the time.

I do hope I meet someone but I don’t think I will.

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