Hi, Carolyn: My boyfriend used to be married to Mandy, with whom he has two children. He had a serious affair with Jennifer and left Mandy to be with her. Their mutual friends and Mandys family rallied around Mandy, of course. Ultimately the relationship with Jennifer didnt work out.
A few months after he broke up with Jennifer, he and I got together and I am also named Jennifer.
It is clear to me that many of the people I am introduced to as his girlfriend think I am THAT Jennifer. It is stressful and exhausting and leads to constant uncomfortable situations. People are frosty or outright nasty to me.