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I Think She Wants Out


Blackangel

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Even though she tells me otherwise, I can see in my wife's eyes that she wants out so she can find a "real man". I think the only reason she stays with me is because of my disability. She feels like she has to take care of me or something. I wish I didn't have to put her through this, and that I could give her what she wants. Sometimes I feel like I should de-transition and go back to being him. Give her what she needs. She needs a man. I don't want to lose her, so if I have to take the blow then fine. I just don't know where to go on this. I'll do whatever it takes to keep her and make her happy. Even if it means I'm miserable. She is more important. And if the only thing that could make her happy is leaving me, I wouldn't be here for long afterwards. I have always felt nothing but self loathing. But now with what I'm putting her through, it's multiplied exponentially. Sometimes, I think I should just CTB so she is free to find what she wants. I don't even know what to do anymore. I don't know where to turn. I would see a therapist, but there are no LGBTQ+ friendly therapists within 2 hours of me. I'm just empty. I feel numb. Soul less. Broken. Lost.

Where do I send my mind from here before it's as broken as my heart is?

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Well, BA, I have a couple of things to say:

1. It seems unlikely to me that she doesn’t want to break up for you. Take her at her word. Is she upset and concerned? Sure, pretty certainly. But I highly doubt you’re able to read her mind. 
That said I think you owe it to each other to have a heart-to-heart talk. You love her and it sounds like she very much loves you. Ask her sincerely what’s coming up for her these days. Listen, and ask more questions. Let her know that you’ve really heard her. She’ll love you even more. Don’t try to “fix” or “repair” her or her emotions. Just let her get them out into the open.

2. I personally know how the guilt and shame adds up to feeling like you’re better off gone. That would so terribly hurt her and I know you don’t want that so what do you do?

After listening to her (see #1 above) ask if she’ll listen to you. I’ll bet she will. Pour your heart out to her. Your shame, doubts, worries. Tell her how sad you are, that you feel miserable for hurting her. Go ahead and cry if you need to. 
You both have each other and need each other. There’re no guarantees but it sounds to me like you both love each other deeply and are terrified about “what might happen.”

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Dear Blackangel,

Am concerned that she changed very suddenly from being very supportive to not being accepting at all.

Are you aware of what happened that she suddenly changed her mind?

There are transgender "warmlines" and "hotlines" where you can talk this through, even though the volunteer operators are not professional counselors. Google "transgender hotlines" and "transgender warmlines."

There are books for the significant others of transgender people.

May I ask, is your wife speaking with a friend or family member that is hostile to transgender people?

Are you friends with other couples where one of the partners is transgender? Having friends with others like this may help her feel less isolated.

Having a disability and being transgender is a double whammy. My being disabled and my partner being transgender meant we weren't well accepted by the Lesbian community, but we became close to three other couples where the butch Lesbian was cisgender and the femme Lesbian was transgender. We gave each other a lot of support and socialized together.

Would like to invite our members who have experienced their partner who "suddenly changed their mind," or where one partner was transgender and disabled, and the other able-bodied, or the cisgender partner was disabled and the transgender partner was able-bodied.

Your friend,

Monica

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She is not more important than you BA. That's utter nonsense. You do realize that if you de-transitioned, it would not stop any gender issues, it would only make them worse. I know its hard to hear but sometimes relationships are not meant to be forever. And that's OK. You deserve to be happy and so does she. But that may mean you cannot be happy together.

I have a fantastic gender therapist who lives across the country from me and we meet via zoom meetings. If you are interested., I'll make an introduction. If it weren't for her, I don't know where I'd be now.

Hugs

Rachel

 

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Monica -
She didn't suddenly change her mind. She has always said she supports me, and still says that. But at the same time her eyes have told a different story. As for the hostility, that would be her parents. When I came out, they went from verbal abuse, to threats of physical attacks, as well as stealing from me. To them I have no worth or value. 
As for other couples, we know none. We're alone in a sea of intolerance and my life preserver is deflating while her life boat is sailing away.

RachelB-
I'll think on that. If you want to mention something and let me know what she thinks later, go for it. If not, that's fine too.

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I would like to point out there are several online options now with real therapists, so help can be available anywhere in the world with an interenet connection, regardless of location.  And if you don't already have them there are really cheap webcams and microphones out there now.  Here are a couple resource links for your consideration to help you consider the option to get help in your location.  The first link has contacts for 9 different service options, the second on is a basic overview of the option.  Also, they're a little hard to find, but there are support resources out there for the spouses, and by all means consider suggesting she try to find and join one to talk to other people in her position, just like this place is to you.  it's a great benefit.

https://www.verywellmind.com/best-online-therapy-4691206

https://www.talkspace.com/online-therapy/

Preface: take whatever I say as the spouse in this equation, and I speak from that point of view.  

There is no right or wrong here really.  I know it's not a popular viewpoint, but it's not always about love conquers all.  Just as transgender identities are fully real and need to be addressed as completely as possible for an authentic life, so too are sexual and romantic identities and some spouses can go along on the journey and are more fluid in their sexuality/romantic attachment needs than others and some can't and those needs for the spouses to live authentic lives matter also.  The process of how it all works out with either type is not as clean and simple as we would like(and I really wish sorting it out had been simple, it took years to sort things out for us and in some ways we're still dealing with it all but it lessens every year), it's a process of self-discovery and reflection for her as much as it's been for you. 

The only advice I can give you is talk openly to her, listen as openly as you can to what she says, and work on your choices for the future together.  It's the hardest thing to do, I know.  Consider not mentioning the hints of not lasting long without her to her to give her the room to sort out what she wants out of life and ask for the same room to sort out what you want out of life, I've been on the end of that part from first husband, including three actual suicide attempts and it just made things worse trying to work it all out, but DO talk to a therapist or a trusted freind/relative group and believe that no matter how this works out there WILL be life ahead, with joys and struggles, surprises and plans, and all the things that make life awesome whether you stay together or go your own ways.  There will always be things for you in this world, and while it's scary facing a potential huge change like that, those things are still in your future so don't give up!  

My best wishes to you both.  

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