Intimate Partnership and the Gender Spectrum: An Analysis of Gender Exploration within Queer Relationships

For trans and gender diverse populations, whose psychological wellbeing is particularly impacted by romantic partnerships, the ability to navigate transition within relationships is essential. The concept of co-transition is a helpful tool to contextualize this process, yet clinical literature on how to best support diverse queer relationships experiencing co-transition is limited. This study utilized Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) through a combined lens of Relational Intersectionality and Queer Theory to better understand the experiences of partners who began their relationship as queer-identified and same-gender and later experienced gender transition within the relationship. Interviews were conducted with 5 participants regarding their individual and relational experiences of either their own or their partner’s transition, focusing on topics of identity affirmation, communication, relationship satisfaction and sexual satisfaction. Analysis revealed that elements of these themes occurred within the contexts of self, other, partnership and process, highlighting the transformational journeys of individual partners and the relational system. This research has implications for clinicians supporting couples or individuals through co-transition and encourages focusing on opportunities for mutual growth and exploration.

Keywords: transgender, nonbinary, queer, relationships, transition