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Support » Anyone stay friends with ex? » August 15, 2022 1:30 pm

Frogtail
Replies: 16

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I found that trying to be close "friends" just prolonged my heartbreak and anger. It took me a long time to let go completely, and in retrospect I can see that it would've been better for me if I had made a clean break sooner. But, of course, you can't stop loving someone instantly just because you want to.  And love can make us do stuff that's not good for us.  People who want to stay "just friends" are trying to minimize their guilt.  It's not your responsibility to let them use you to fix their own feelings.

Support » I now have a 50% conversion rate » August 15, 2022 1:13 pm

Frogtail
Replies: 3

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My first love decided he was gay and in love with my brother.  My 2nd love switched genders mid-marriage..  You didn't cause it, you can't cure it, and you can't control it.  No amount of talking is going to fix it.  My heart goes out to you.  It sucks when you have a life-altering problem that you can't talk to other people about.  You can always talk to us here.  

Support » Where to start? » June 25, 2022 3:04 pm

Frogtail
Replies: 8

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BrokeninVA, My heart goes out to you.  I've been there. Your feelings are totally normal: anger, sadness, shame and embarrassment..  I, too, could not be married to another woman.  As far as I'm concerned, changing genders mid-marriage is a total deal-breaker.  These days they should add a little something extra to the wedding vows:  I vow to retain my original style of genitalia until death.  Starting my life over seemed impossibly hard at the time, but it was the right choice for me, even though I loved him with all my heart.  I'm shocked that your husband assumed you'd stay with him while he selfishly destroyed the person you loved and replaced him with someone completely different.  He has absolutely no clue what he's doing to the people he loves.

General Discussion » Trying to decide » June 18, 2021 9:41 am

Frogtail
Replies: 7

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He sounds gay.  It's not your fault that he doesn't want to have sex with you.  I remember living with a husband with slimy soft skin and breasts, and being tormented by lust for hard, hairy men.  You deserve better.  When I left my husband, I was still in love with him, and I felt like I was ripping out my heart with my own hands.  Looking back, I should have done it sooner.  That's always the way it is with me when I make major life-altering decisions -- when I look and see that I should have done it a year ago, I know it's time.
 

General Discussion » One trans widow's perspective, 30 years later » May 29, 2021 3:38 pm

Frogtail
Replies: 9

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clintonia,  Thank you so much for recommending The Madness of Crowds.  I found it extremely thought-provoking and agree with many of its points.  Love the part about autogynephilia!  I didn't know there was a word for that.  Even my ex-husband was horrified that they're skipping a lot of the safeguards they used to have before people had irreversible surgery.

General Discussion » One trans widow's perspective, 30 years later » March 18, 2021 2:47 pm

Frogtail
Replies: 9

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It’s been 30 years since my first marriage died when my husband decided he’d rather be a woman.   When I read about married men transitioning to become women, my first thought is, what a selfish decision.  Changing gender, is a choice, as opposed to sexual orientation, which is fixed and can’t be changed.  My heart goes out to all the spouses whose hearts are broken and lives thrown into chaos.  When I lost my husband to his decision to change genders, I felt as if he had killed himself. If being a woman is your husband’s “authentic self,” why does he seem, to the person who knows him best, as artificial as a purple foil Christmas tree?    I understand the overwhelming power of compulsion.  But to my mind, agreeing to marry someone automatically implies that you will retain your original style of genitalia.  There’s always a sacrifice involved when a married person changes gender; the question is, which spouse’s happiness will be sacrificed?   I’ve recovered from my first spouse’s change, and I have a good life and a good husband who plans on keeping his penis.  But transgender persons are increasingly in the media, and it’s now politically correct to fully support them in their quest to be new people.  I believe that all increased awareness can do for a straight spouse is to reduce the “ick” factor when we relate our experiences.   I also believe increased awareness encourages more people to take their compulsions to the next level.  I wish I knew of a way to increase public awareness of the human collateral damage involved, but that’s so un-PC.  

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