I was interviewed not long ago by Amanda Waldroupe as she was writing a column for just|out of Portland (OR) about the way in which partners of trans people need support and get or don’t get it.
While numerous resources exist for transgendered people during their transition, there is a dearth, both in Portland and nationally, for their partners—who go through their own emotional and sexual travails during the experience.
Reid Vanderburgh, a local transgender therapist, says partners can have a tough time throughout the transition process, even if they support their partner.
As far as I know, it’s the first column I’ve ever read about support groups for us partners – but maybe I missed one. Thanks to Ms. Waldroupe not just for writing the column, but for quoting me accurately.
There is a trans partner support group that runs irregularly in Vancouver through Qmunity (the LGBT centre). I don’t know how it has been. I seem to recall that trans people were involved in it, which strikes me as not the best thing, but I was never there. My partner went once, but she’s not big on groups and didn’t find it helpful.