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Many transgender people enjoy positive intimate relationships, however such relationships exist within a context of broader discrimination, specifically cisgenderism. The present study sought to investigate the relationships between demographic variables, significant other support, relationship satisfaction, resiliency, past relationship experiences and future relationship expectations, and gender-related discrimination amongst a convenience sample of transgender people living in the United States. 345 participants completed an online questionnaire designed by the authors assessing psychological distress, relationships with partners, and partner support. Findings suggest that participants had some difficulties in negotiating past relationships, though remained hopeful about future relationships. This was especially true for those who lived with animal companions and who reported higher levels of resiliency. Participants currently in relationships reported relatively high levels of significant other support (and this was especially true for participants in relationships with other transgender people), and such support was related to lower levels of psychological distress, though this was less true for older and/or agender participants. Participants were on average satisfied with their current relationships, though this was particularly true for participants with higher incomes. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of the findings for clinicians who work with transgender people and their partners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focused on the retrospective accounts of perceptions of parental acceptance/rejection regarding their LGB sexual identity, as well as present perceptions of satisfaction and acceptance in their adult intimate relationships. Participants (n = 147) reported perceiving parental responses to be very accepting towards their LGB sexual identity. They also rated their current adult relationships as ones in which they felt securely attached, accepted, and satisfied. Additionally, these LGB participants reported a notable relationship between their parents' high acceptance and current experience in adult romantic relationships. This study calls attention to the lifetime significance of accepting parents of LGB individuals' identities. Ways the current findings might enhance therapy with LGB families and parents of LGB children are offered at the conclusion of this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many researchers have focused on parents' responses to their child's sexual identity. Although this type of research has been conducted over the past 2 decades on the impact of coming out, there is not a consistently implemented theoretical orientation used across lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) literature for describing and understanding the implications of coming out. However, interpersonal acceptance-rejection theory (IPARTheory) can be used as a framework to describe the experiences of acceptance-rejection LGB people face after disclosure. Many of the constructs outlined in IPARTheory are present throughout the literature on LGB coming-out experiences, but a more thorough understanding of the implications of LGB parental acceptance-rejection across the life span is needed, especially as it affects psychological well-being and adult relationship development. Several aspects of IPARTheory that need to be developed further to encompass the ways LGB people experience parental acceptance-rejection are discussed. Further, suggestions are made to better measure the specific types of acceptance-rejection faced by LGB people when they come out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]