Woman with a PhD insists her 25-year-old date call her "Doctor Michelle" at all times: 'Is this normal when dating a Doctor?'

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A woman with coffee sits across from a man on a date

Person I started seeing still won't let me call her by her first name.

I (25 M) Started seeing someone, let's call her "Dr Michelle". I have liked her so far and we met at a bart we were both alone. We've been seeing each other at least a few times a week for the past month but on the first date she asked that I refer to her as
"Dr. Michelle" as opposed to just "Michelle". I thought it was kind of cool at first I- I know she worked hard for her degree and her job as a university professor is tough AF. However, (and please don't k I me for sounding like a toxic male), I feel like having to call her Dr. has created some
level of an imbalance before the relationship barely started. She explained that I could not not call her by her first name once we get married. I jokingly asked if I could at least start calling her by her first name once we get engaged and I think that joke upset her. Does anyone have any advice?? Is this normal when dating a Doctor? I don't want to come off like an a hole she's pretty bada and I like where things are going.
hujambo11 That's weird.
Badluckwithlove This sounds like an episode of Seinfeld where she wasn't allowed to call him by his first name but only by "maestro" cause he was a music conductor lol
alasmyshoe As a woman if I went on a date with a man who did this I'd never see them again. If I made friends with a woman who did this I'd be like.. we don't need to be friends. It's weird. SO
Imsosadsoveryverysad That's a formal title for professional situations, which is not a date.
A man and a woman sit across from each other on a date
lappa She's nuts, run
Jthemovienerd Establishing a power dynamic. Cut her out. This will not go well.
beezinmatrap This is like the biggest indicator that she could be a narcissist. As a woman, I'd never date a man like that.
Inaccessible_ I mean you can either tell her it bothers you or live with it. But this is wack a behavior.
BusyMathematician844 Idk sounds like she's power tripping with the Dr. thing. What is her degree in? What do her friends call her?
Full-Currency 5937 OP Yeah maybe, and her degree is in theology
Kittensnunicorns I have a Ph.D. After I got my degree I made my late husband call me Dr. Kittens for a few days because I was super excited. Friends of mine also called me Dr. Kitten for a few weeks after I got my degree. But it got old super fast and now I really
don't like it when people call me doctor. I only make people address me that way if they're being blatantly disrespectful in a professional contexts. In any other context, I would shudder to have people address me that formally and most people I know who have a Ph.D. feel the same way. So no. Not normal.
LostPop5185 Not normal. At all. Have another conversation with her. It creates a wall she may not realize - a wall the limits the level of intimacy you can have with her (emotional intimacy, that is) and if she's insistent try and find out if it's a way for her to create some kind of imbalance because that's what it is going.
People should be proud of their degrees but ultimately those really only matter in the professional sphere and you are in the personal so it shouldn't matter.
DarthJarJar242 I'm sorry, she's a PhD in theology and she's this entitled??? Brother the red flags are waving in your face with lights, sirens, and a whole marching band playing the jaws theme music. GTFO.
His_Goddess Love In a formal setting, wanting to carry that title, use it on paperwork etc. totally makes sense!! Working for a doctorate is hard!! In an informal relationship, intimate relationship, that's odd.

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