https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8248-5555
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Abstract
This qualitative study explores the effects of being in a relationship with a transgender or non-binary (TGNB) person on an individual’s sexual and/or gender identity. To this aim, the responses of 107 partners of TGNB individuals to the following open-ended question were collected: “What effect, if any, has having a relationship with a transgender person had on your gender and/or sexual identity?.” Through thematic analysis, 4 overarching themes emerged from the participants’ responses: 1) No reason to change; 2) Exploration and changes; 3) New perspective; and 4) Negative effects and confusion. Overall, this study suggests that being in a relationship with a TGNB person may prompt a reflection on the concept of sexual and gender identity, and an exploration of one’s own identity, which is usually experienced as positive, but may also be a source of distress for the individual and/or the couple. Also, in many other cases, the relationship has been observed to have no effect on the partner’s identity, due to a number of reasons. These findings constitute a relevant addition to the understanding of couple’s dynamics in trans-including couples.
Data availability
The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author, [A.A.]. The data are not publicly available because they might contain information that could compromise the privacy of research participants.
Conflicts of interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Funding
The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.
Notes
1 Transgender is an umbrella term, which refers to any person whose gender identity differs from the gender they were assigned at birth (Bilodeau & Renn, Citation2005; Siboni et al., Citation2022; Tate et al., Citation2014): this term includes both those who identify within a binary gender (trans man and trans woman), and people (often referred to by the umbrella term non-binary) whose identities do not align exclusively with binary categories. Non-binary people may identify consistently with two or more genders, have a fluid gender identity, identify with a third gender, with no gender at all, or have an identity entirely outside of the concept of gender (Butler, Citation2012; Factor & Rothblum, Citation2008; Galupo et al., Citation2018; Galupo, Pulice-Farrow, & Ramirez, Citation2017; Harrison et al., Citation2012; Richards et al., Citation2016; Siboni et al., Citation2022).
2 The other data collected in the same data collection focused on sexuality and intimacy with a TGNB person from the partner’s perspective. Full details are available in the published paper: Siboni, L., Rucco, D., Prunas, A., & Anzani, A. (2022). “We Faced Every Change Together”. Couple’s Intimacy and Sexuality Experiences from the Perspectives of Transgender and Non-Binary Individuals’ Partners. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 48(1), 23–46.