Role of psycho-social factors in intimate partner change among male to female transgenders

Pages: 985-991
Basil Kuriakose and Mareena Susan Wesley (Department of Psychology, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bangalore, Karnataka)

In order to achieve a good relationship and to be socially acceptable, transgenders may undergo sex reassignment surgery. It helps them to find a partner and to start a relationship. But transgenders experience severe difficulties in taking decisions regarding maintenance and termination of intimate relationships; the partner changing practice in transgenders tend to create negative attitudes about them. The purpose of this study was to know the psychosocial and physiological factors influencing transgender’s emotions, identity, care and intimacy. The study also aims to understand the underlying factors which might influence the partner changing practice among Male to female transgenders. A sample of ten transgenders who had undergone sex reassignment surgery and have changed their biological gender from male to female was selected from three states of South India through a snowball sampling method. Obtained data were analyzed using thematic analysis method. Results indicate that the psychosocial experiences of the transgenders fall mainly into 8 themes namely hope, ideal partner, inequity, insight, exploitation, frustration, the effect of supremacy and coping strategies; it also points out that transgenders experience discrimination in various fields of social life and it affects their psychological well-being negatively. This study helps to give a voice to the transgender’s experiences and expectations and to change the society’s attitude towards the transgenders.