Transitioning together: a narrative analysis of the support accessed by partners of trans people

ABSTRACT

Historically trans people have often wrongly been advised that the gender role transition process would result in the breakdown of their relationships, and couples have often been provided with little support through this process. This paper presents an in-depth narrative analysis of the accounts of six cisgender women who have been partnered with trans individuals. It focuses on the support that non-trans partners accessed while their partner progressed through their gender transition. Support was deemed important by all participants in relation to their aim of remaining together with their partners. In terms of whom they accessed support from, participants spoke about interactions with other people in similar situations, with professional therapists, with the Gender Identity Clinics (GICs), and with their partners. In regard to therapy, some reported that their partner's transition was a topic they did not need to discuss. Many reported they had to take an “educator” role in therapy, suggesting that more training for therapists is required. Those who attended GICs with their partner were ambivalent about whether they would have utilised support there if it had been available there, stating that locally situated support was preferable. The paper draws out the clinical implications in relation to these areas.

KEYWORDS:

• Transgender
• trans
• couple relationships
• cisgender
• partners
• support

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was undertaken as part of a Doctorate in Clincial Psychology, training that was funded by the National Health Service.

Notes on contributors

Jos Twist

Dr. Jos Twist is a newly qualified clinical psychologist who currently works at the Gender Identity Development Service for young people at the Tavistock and Portman National Health Service Foundation Trust.

Meg-John Barker

Dr. Meg-John Barker is a writer, therapist, and activist-academic specialising in sex, gender and relationships. Meg-John is a senior lecturer in psychology at the Open University and a UKCP accredited psychotherapist, and has over a decade of experience researching and publishing on these topics including the popular book Rewriting the Rules.

Pieter W. Nel

Dr. Pieter W. Nel is Programme Director and Reader in Clinical Psychology Training at the University of Hertfordshire and practices as a Consultant Clinical Psychologist. He has a broad interest in alternatives to more orthodox approaches to clinical psychology education and practice, including non-pathologising and relational models of working with people in psychological distress.

Nic Horley

Dr. Nic Horley is a clinical psychologist working in the NHS in London. Nic's clinical work and background is in personality disorder and complex mental health difficulties. Nic completed her doctoral research in the Narratives of people living with Gender Variance; gender and sexuality is an area of importance and passion for Nic.