Sexual Orientation Confusion Among Spouses of Transvestites and Transsexuals Following Disclosure of Spouse's Gender Dysphoria

Abstract

Wives of transsexuals and transvestites typically experience surprise, shock and confusion upon discovery of the husband's gender dysphoria. This pheonomenological study of four women (two wives of transvestites and two wives of transsexuals) was developed to explore the extent, if any, of sexual orientation confusion experienced by the nontranssexual spouse. The hypothesis that sexual orientation confusion in the wives followed disclosure of the husband's crossgendered behavior was confirmed among wives of the transvestites. However, this was not true of the wives of the transsexuals.