Finding A Soul Mate

One of the things that I hear from other trans-people a lot is how hard it is to find a partner, it is like the deck is stacked against us. Sure there are some out there that do find partners but from what I have seen there are not many of us who do. A recent study bears out that fact,

Transgender Relationships May be Undermined By Stigma
By J Baulkman, UniversityHerald Reporter
August 12, 2014

Transgender relationships are undermined by social and economic marginalization, according to a recent study.
While looking at the impact of discrimination, poverty and stigma on the mental health and relationship quality of transgender women and their male romantic partners, researchers from Brown University in Rhode Island found that stigma not only takes a psychological toll on each person individually but also appears to undermine them as a couple.
"To our knowledge this is the first study that looks at both partners experiences of discrimination and how that influences their own individual reports of depression as well as their relationship quality," Kristi Gamarel, lead researcher of the study, said in a statement.

Well for one thing the partner has to get used to the marginalization that we face every day, the microagression and the looks that we constantly have to put with. They also have to face the stigma of being with a trans-person, the ostracism from society.

The article goes on to recommend to clinicians that they treat the couple not just the individual.

"Couples-based interventions and treatment approaches to help transgender women and their male partners cope with minority stressors are warranted to improve the health and well-being of both partners," they concluded.

Their partners have to also adjust to being a member of the trans-community; because many of their partner’s friends will be trans-people. Going out to restaurants, movies and other public places with not only their partner but also their partner’s trans-friends is a hard adjustment to make.