COLUMN: Dreaming of Double Dating
Dear Lindsay,
Since we’ve never met, I feel very comfortable coming to you for advice. Seeing your picture, I can imagine you don’t have many problems getting dates, so maybe you can help me.
I’m an identical twin, and I’ve always thought it would be ideal for my sister and I to date twins. Can you help me find some killer dates with any local twin boys? Or brothers? Or even boys that look somewhat similar?
Sincerely, Dreaming of Double Dating
Dear Dreaming of Double Dating,
I can tell you are an intelligent girl by that comment you made about my picture, so I should have no problem solving this dilemma. Oddly, I’m dealing with a problem not so different from the one you’ve just described to me. I too happen to be an identical twin. In fact, I also share your desire for some Oprah-worthy twin dating experiences.
These similarities are shocking…almost too shocking. Just one minute here. This can’t be a coincidence – you must be my twin. I should have been suspicious when the handwriting in this question looked a little too familiar. And even more suspicious when I found this letter placed neatly on my pillow.
I really should move on to another reader’s question – especially now that I know you were actually complimenting yourself with that first comment – but I won’t. Raising awareness on the issue of twin isolation from other twins is something that deserves to be mentioned for the benefit of everyone.
But this may be the one question that I don’t have the perfect answer for, since I am, in fact, a victim of the problem myself. You, Lexie, have done the only thing that can be done to help: You have broken the silence.
Twin isolation is a problem that affects one out of every four sets of twins, especially the rare form of identical siblings. We face trials that are not experienced by anyone else like frequently answering to someone else’s name, accidentally waving at your reflection thinking it’s the other and speaking entire sentences in unison with another person involuntarily.
Not to mention one of the most common, yet untreatable, side effects of having someone who looks exactly like you: Having most of the people you know think you are rude and stuck up every day when your twin walks past without acknowledging their presence. Burrrrn.
Though these issues are unavoidable, there are a number of ways they can be handled. A twin can either wallow in self-pity or embrace this unique birth defect. When twins join together in dating relationships with others that share similar conditions the healing process can begin.
That is why awareness on this issue must be raised, because with knowledge comes freedom. There must be others out there who have also mistakenly waved at their reflection in public and this is the way to unite them.
Note to readers: I have learned that there are occasionally rare occurrences when some readers don’t share my opinions. In my previous column-writing experience, I critiqued a particular hair-styling technique common in Utah. After this, I was greeted by e-mails containing vastly differing opinions from my own and also a wide variety of expletives. Obviously, the more bitter e-mails were from Utah hair offenders and their boyfriends, but I was still slightly shocked.
My advice to these select few readers is to either regard this as mere entertainment and move on or completely re-evaluate your view of the world so it coincides with mine. Your choice!
Lindsay Kite is a junior majoring in print journalism. Since we both know you could use her advice as soon as possible, contact lindsaykite@cc.usu.edu