OurPath Open Forum

This Open Forum is funded and administered by OurPath, Inc., (formerly the Straight Spouse Network). OurPath is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides support to Straight Partners and Partners of Trans People who have discovered that their partner is LGBT+. Your contribution, no matter how small, helps us provide our community with this space for discussion and connection.


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December 17, 2020 12:01 pm  #1


Amazing changes coming to SSN

Hi everyone,

Some of the posters who've been around for years may remember me. I used to be here all the time until Phoenix (your admin) asked me to apply to become the Executive Director. I did, and here I am nearly 2.5 years later, THRILLED with where the organization is going! Let me tell you a bit about what SSN is doing and where we're headed.

1.  We're currently working on an amazing new website, slated for roll-out in March of 2021. The new site will be powerful, friendly to handheld devices, and will be much easier to navigate. We'll have search functions, and a new layout that shows the newest blog posts (which there will be a LOT more of!), the most recent podcast, any new news articles, etc. We'll also have a much stronger SEO, which means that we'll be found and be able to help even more straight partners than ever.

2.  The Open Forum will be integrated with the new website. Which means that the Forum will also be friendly to hand-held devices!

3.  The org now has 19 staff members. Two years ago we had 5. Some of them are just now rolling on and being trained and gaining their footing. We used to be like a busy shop with 3 employees - one doing everything up front, one doing everything in the back, and one doing the books and keeping the lights on. Not anymore though - now we have actual departments and people dedicated to specific tasks. Which means that each person can concentrate on not only keeping their area running smoothly, but also on growth, new ideas, and collaboration with other team members. The team is AMAZING - they are kind, open-minded, respectful and hard-working. They are all straight spouses, and passionate about giving back to the organization that gave them so much.

4. We now have a Director of Research. This is a straight spouse who went looking for stats on how often mixed orientation marriages work, how long healing takes, etc., and found.... nothing. He has a strong background in research and writing peer-reviewed white papers. SSN will be embarking on doing our own ongoing research, which will then be peer-reviewed - hopefully by the American Psychological Association. We want to become the preeminent source of information about and for straight partners. This will allow us to reach even more people - especially the general public, which needs education about the unique journey and needs of straight partners.

5. In the not-so-far future, we hope to begin offering training courses for counselors who want education on how to help straight partners. Then we can list counselors who have this training so our straight partners have more choices for how to get good personal counseling.

The future is limitless! We envision a time where SSN offers virtual workshops and even getaways where straight partners can join together to process, heal and grow (along with having some fun)! We want to pull in more International volunteers to spread our services more fully to the rest of the world. There is so much to do!

YOU can help - in one of several ways:

A) Donate.  Right now we're having our year-end fundraiser through Dec. 31st. This year has been lean for all of us, and giving is consequently down as a result. The needs of straight partners is no less than it ever was though. As a matter of fact, we've had to get create in how we support them since the pandemic has prevented group gatherings. We have virtual meetings via Zoom, which of course is not free. Straight partners are in more crisis than ever from being holed up with their LGBT+ partner, straining their mental capacity to the breaking point. We're doing more than ever with less funds. We could really use the help! (((Donate)))

B) You can apply to become a volunteer Support Contact. We receive over 1,700 support requests a year for individual, personal help. Our Support Contacts are the trained individuals who reach out to support these straight partners in crisis. They listen, they offer compassion and understanding, and walk beside the straight partner in their journey. They are non-judgemental and neutral. They are also able to offer resources that are only available to individuals who have put in a support request and been fully vetted. This includes but is not limited to support group meetings (currently virtual). We keep all information private and confidential.

C) Join our team. Join the Board of Directors or the Staff to make a difference at the administrative level. Are you good with social media and can post some blasts several times a month? We can use you! Do you have prior fundraising or grant writing / management experience? We NEED you! Got a few extra hours per month and a desire to help? Come on over - we'll match your talents and passion to something that can help straight partners.

If you feel that you would benefit from personal, individual support, feel free to put in a support request.

Happy holidays!

Kel
 


You are not required to set yourself on fire to keep other people warm.
 

December 17, 2020 2:54 pm  #2


Re: Amazing changes coming to SSN

Thanks as always Kel.

Are donations tax deductible?


"For we walk by faith, not by sight .."  2Corinthians 5:7
 

December 17, 2020 3:04 pm  #3


Re: Amazing changes coming to SSN

Rob wrote:

Thanks as always Kel.

Are donations tax deductible?

Absolutely, SSN is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. 

 

December 17, 2020 9:26 pm  #4


Re: Amazing changes coming to SSN

Oh how wonderful Kel!  Your posts/work here were a life-saver to me!  Count on my donation too! 

 

December 21, 2020 4:35 pm  #5


Re: Amazing changes coming to SSN

I've donated twice this month and wish I could give more, because I can't thank the SSN enough for the support. I had no idea where to turn when I discovered my husband's secret back in August, and I'm so grateful that a quick google search lead me to the SSN. Keep up the good work! Hopefully in a couple of years I'll be in a better place emotionally and can volunteer to help others on this journey.

 

December 23, 2020 2:26 am  #6


Re: Amazing changes coming to SSN

Thanks to everyone who has posted. I hope to be able to personally interact with you all in the future. I’m here anytime you’d like to reach out: execdirector@straightspouse.org

K


You are not required to set yourself on fire to keep other people warm.
     Thread Starter
 

December 29, 2020 12:02 pm  #7


Re: Amazing changes coming to SSN

Will posts on the current forum disappear or migrate to the new site?

 

January 23, 2021 4:01 pm  #8


Re: Amazing changes coming to SSN

OutofHisCloset wrote:

Will posts on the current forum disappear or migrate to the new site?

Not sure yet. We're working on this now. It's our hope to be able to migrate a lot, if not all, of the posts. We're not sure how much time that would eat up though, and whether or not it's doable. We'll definitely let you know once we have answers.
 


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     Thread Starter
 

March 8, 2021 1:11 am  #9


Re: Amazing changes coming to SSN

Kel wrote:

4. We now have a Director of Research. This is a straight spouse who went looking for stats on how often mixed orientation marriages work, how long healing takes, etc., and found.... nothing. He has a strong background in research and writing peer-reviewed white papers. SSN will be embarking on doing our own ongoing research, which will then be peer-reviewed - hopefully by the American Psychological Association. We want to become the preeminent source of information about and for straight partners. This will allow us to reach even more people - especially the general public, which needs education about the unique journey and needs of straight partners.

I'm especially glad to hear this. In my experience, it seems like others denounce the straight spouse and his/her experience because evidence demonstrates the LGBTQ side only. I've felt unable to defend my view because no evidence other than others' shared anecdotes (which the average person tends to disregard as evidence) is available. I'd like to know more about the research that's planned.

You state straight spouses, but I think the research should ultimately be applied to mixed-orientation partners across the board, not just since they've been married. The impacts enter different categories when married, but I think the same dynamics can occur long, long before a marriage occurs. I've seen that several on this board have mentioned they met their ultimate husband/wife in their teens. There's no objective research on non-married partners either that I've come across, except rare mention of toxic gay men who've subverted/mocked feminist values. 
 

 

March 12, 2021 10:24 am  #10


Re: Amazing changes coming to SSN

Hi there,

We will need to start our research in a very focused manner so we can get really solid research answers. The first project we envision will be a survey that is open to all straight and non-trans partners - no matter their current relationship status. We intend to keep this survey open indefinitely, and to compile and report on statistics yearly. We intend for this study to be peer-reviewed by a well-known and reputable organization with some heft. Think American Psychological Association. This will not only lend credibility to the results, but will also catapult SSN into the spotlight as the authority on straight partner research. It will also bring awareness to the organization, which will result in more awareness of straight and non-trans partner issues.

The field is wide open right now for research on straight issues. We envision being able to report on different areas of our journey - financial, emotional, family relationships, children, faith, sexuality, lifestyle - the works.  We of course want great stats on where the relationship ended up, too. That's part of what makes the ongoing study so important. If we ask a straight partner who's new to the journey what their relationship status is, they may report that they intend to stay together, and they're succeeding in it. The question may be answered differently a year later, or three, or five, or ten. For couples who've remained successfully (by their standards) in their relationship, we'll want to know what that consists of, and what made the success possible. Did counseling help or hinder that? How did outside pressures affect the success of the relationship?

We also want to do research on the LGBT+ partners; when did they have the first inkling that they might not be straight? What factors made them decide to go into/stay in the closet? How long did they wrestle with coming out before they did so? What was involved in that decision? How did they expect their straight partner to receive this news? How actively involved have they remained with their children?

All of our research will have a 3-pronged mission: to help straight and non-trans partners understand their own journey better, to help the LGBT+ community better understand the impacts that coming out to their straight partner has on them, and to help the general public become more educated on the affects of an LGBT+ partner coming out to their straight or non-trans partner. Research will be critical to all of these goals.


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