The Sexual Relationships of Sexual-Minority Women Partnered with Trans Men: A Qualitative Study

This qualitative research study examined the experiences of sexual-minority women in romantic and sexual relationships with female-to-male transsexuals (N = 20) using grounded theory analysis. This article reports data on issues related to sexual desire and practice in the context of a partner’s transition, which participants said often compelled a process of renegotiating bodies and sexual connection. Participant reports on the influence of transition on the couple’s sex life were mixed. Many participants discussed changes in sex which were negatively affected in the course of transition by a lesbian sexual orientation and a personal trauma history, and positively affected by a more embodied partner and a partner with increased libido. More general changes to the nature of their sexual life are detailed, including a greater dependence on heteronormative gendered sexual scripts as transition began.