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October 16, 2023 1:17 am  #11


Re: how to figure it out

Lecreitia,
How are you doing?  Feel free to post if you need support.  Open Form does have a section called Support Contacts where you may call or receive an email from someone that has been exactly in your situation.  There is also in person support groups in your state, and since Covid there are also Zoom meetings.  My experience I did attend one support group in 2019, but it was difficult as there are only two locations in the Metro, it was a distance to drive and our winters can be brutal.  Another drawback for me was that I was the only one with a trans partner and although some tactics were similar, I didn’t feel they could quite understand.
As shocking, perplexing and unbelievable as this “news’ is to you..it is hard to keep it bottled up inside, I felt shame, although it wasn’t my shame.  Also it is a secret as they don’t want it revealed yet.  If you have one trustworthy confidant that you can trust to express your emotions, it helps.  I had my sister and I communicated with her via email and via phone only when he wasn’t home.  I also deleted all of my emails. Since my sister worked and lived a distance, we had occasional sister’s weekend for talks.  Getting away gives one clarity and relief if there is drama.  I  never went to a counselor, although I did leave a short online message, per her site to leave an online message for services, I simply asked if she dealt with LGBTQ issues and didn’t receive a response .  
It seems like this whole transition process is a waiting game to see what changes will evolve and how it will affect us. Because we don’t really know how and what.  
Also consider..How has your marriage been the last 25 yrs. How has he treated you…any abuse, lies, betrayal, infidelity, gaslighting, disrespect.  Is he loving, attentive and respectful?  What are his actions because those speak louder than words.  That will give you an idea on whether you may or may not continue the relationship. 
His journey will also become your journey.  He will change and so will you, you will need to adapt your sexuality and possibly your role.  I have read about women that have stayed with their husbands and still love them. That seems rare.   He may want to cling to you for ‘cover’, support.  And some seem to want to discover those green pastures and newfound sexuality with men, women or trans.  
It didn’t work out for me although reluctantly I tried. 

 

October 16, 2023 2:10 pm  #12


Re: how to figure it out

First time here , my husband hasn't want to touch me for a hilr I'm really an attractive woman that other people looks at me but my husband never gives compliments
Or want to have sex with me I am the one aways initiating it and he struggles to do or touch me , if I touch his privates he is like dont touch me !
With his best friend though they have a relationship like you can tell they doing stuff, he defens him for everything I can not talk over his friend , I am the one had yo apologized but if his friend does something mean to me he doesn't tell him anything, and they are always on the phone 24/7 weekends online and then we do something going out bar trips or home time weeknd he is always around, recently because I started having issues with all of that not getting attention and he never doing anything me I started thinking he was cheating , he said he is not with any woman , so he started getting mad when I asked why always doing overtime after 5 days of 12 hrs each day of work he still offering next day yo go to work other 2 days or whenever not be here   i dont believe he is at work and I had asked him to call me from there or show me around if he is there he never done it and puts excuses not to do it but then he isike i have yo trust him and thats it,  , 18 years is being like that, I'm had wear lingerie and he had refused me, so I have to take therapy and asked yo stop so much with the texting with his friend and reduced see him.much and start doing things together alone without him , since then he hasn't been the same and all he does is saying has to work overtime and not being home,  he has come with bruises around d his arm and knees, he always gets upset if I asked about it or why can't he be with me sexually I have asked him if he is ni or whats happening he always saying he is not gay and against gay buy he acts up like one or bi in this case , now he lost wight and looks good , because i help always care about him, now he just calling it off saying that we are not good with each other and I really beg him not live me but he is not changing his mind , i just found now that people at his work knows he likes man and I get now this is why he never wanted me  to go around his work place I was not allowed pretty much , and about his friend I think he has being the double life with him and they had a relationship all this time , and I was just a cover up for his family, and he doesn't care breaking up with me saying that now our son is old , I don't have any proof or cut him cheating with his friend but the way how is being with him and makes sense . I haven't been a bad person i have done everything for him and even like that he has not been able to touch me sometimes I have been open trying everything he wanted on bed , but he still leaving me ! I just need the advice on how can I tell him that I know I was just a cover up cause he won't never admitt he is bi . He wants to keep the house and being selfish ! But beside all that it just he doesn't admitted ! He liked anal sex but he hasn't done with me long time now and worse just having sex,  we had here and there sometimes  but always quick like a hustle for him ! All he says is not the way how he is anymore and doesn't feel like having sex .

 

October 16, 2023 4:15 pm  #13


Re: how to figure it out

Newt,
Welcome to Our Path, the club that no one wanted to join.  Read the First Aid section.  Post as much as you need to.  Do you have a trusted relative or person that you can talk to, pastor etc?  Our Path has the Community Support section if you want to talk/email to a person that has been through exactly what you are going through. 
Don’t count on him admitting that he is gay, if he is gay..and it appears there are many red flags.. And don’t count on you having proof.  There are so many behaviors that are concerning..not wanting to touch you/have sex, him not wanting to be touched, inattentiveness to his wife and defensiveness with inquiring about your concerns.  He’already sounds like he’s checking out on the relationship. Told you re: calling it off, “we are not good for each other”, “it’s okay to break up as your son is older”.  
sounds like you have him figured out. He will not change no matter how good you are to him, wear sexy lingerie etc.  if this is not an acceptable way for you to live the rest of your life, you know the only way is out, and most likely you will need to make the move.  Contact a lawyer to find out your options so that if you decide to dissolve your marriage, you will have the knowledge and your ducks in a row.  Don’t tip your hand and tell him what you are gonna do, as he is already “selfish”;and wants the house.  He isn’t respectful and nice to you now, he won’t be fair then.  I would also be tested for STI’s and if you do have sex, wear a condom.
 

 

October 19, 2023 5:28 pm  #14


Re: how to figure it out

Newt,

Is is hurtful and demeaning isn't it. From what your wrote you can tell its not you and all him.   I would discretely meet with a lawyer and learn what your options are..    

We are worth so more than these spouses..  we are worth more than they can comprehend.     


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

October 24, 2023 9:13 pm  #15


Re: how to figure it out

Yeah, so I'm not being abused, and honestly, I'm not the sort who'd stick around for bullshit from a guy like I see that some of y'all have been subjected to. The hiding keys stuff is unbelievable. My husband has been unfailingly gentle and polite, and most of my complaints are about not putting dishes away and things of that sort. And of course this big big deal. But he told me when he was ready -- no surprise discoveries, he didn't even chicken out and write a letter or anything. But over the last quarter century it hasn't been all that great a marriage. Potentially it could be chalked up to his "need" to be a "her." Or something else. In any case, I'm scared about what the hormones might bring, scared that losing his dick might turn him into a dick, worried about the prospect of all these pointless surgeries (I think the same way about rhinoplasty and anything else that causes risk and changes the body for no good reason)....not sure how my greater community around me might take it and think of me (will they think badly of me if I stay? if I leave?) etc. I did find a zoom support group and we'll see how it goes. Thanks for pointing me to OutOfHisCloset and Norah's posts, because they had stuff that resonated with and validated my worries even though I'm fortunate that I'm not in an abuse situation. SMDH over what y'all have gone through. 

     Thread Starter
 

October 25, 2023 6:30 pm  #16


Re: how to figure it out

From my perspective you could either be not too bothered about the sexual aspect of your marriage so just trying to decide whether it's going to go more pear-shaped than you are prepared to tolerate or not.

Or you are like the rest of us here who went from believing we were married to a nice guy to realising that wasn't the truth - it is only with hindsight that I have put a lot of it together, including the keys - at the time I was simply unable to imagine he would be doing something like that but looking back I can see how odd it was the way they kept disappearing and then turning up somewhere I had already looked - at the time I doubted my own perceptions, including the underground sense I had that he was watching me search with a particular sort of interest.  Why not help me look rather than hover in the background watching?

Why hide how he really felt yet still get married to you?  It seems to me the timing of his reveal could be due to his wanting to do things he cannot hide from you.

 

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