Healing an Invisible Minority

How the Straight Spouse Network Has Become the Prime Source of Support for Those in Mixed-Orientation Marriages

Bibliographic Data

ID19524025
AuthorsAmity Pierce Buxton (corresponding author)
Year2006
Volume2
Issue3-4
Pages49-69
Publication date2006-12-20
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of GLBT Family Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1550-428X • E-ISSN: 1550-4298
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1300/j461v02n03_04
OpenAlexW363686861
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited7

Up to two million gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons have been in a mixed-orientation marriage as have an unknown number of transgender people. Not all partners come out while married. When they do, their heterosexual spouses and children are affected. Straight spouses face complex issues related to sexuality, marriage, parenting, identity, integrity, and belief systems. Children cope according to their age and developmental stage. Since most of the attention is focused on the GLBT persons, their partners are generally overlooked. The Straight Spouse Network (SSN) provides peer support and research-based information to help them cope, heal, and grow in strength, integrity, and understanding, thereby becoming models for their children. Many become advocates for social justice. Counseling by trained therapists knowledgeable about mixed-orientation marriages can assist them and their families to resolve their issues more effectively

Developmental psychology · Gender identity · Human sexuality · Lesbian · Psychoanalysis · Sexual orientation · Sociology · Spouse · Transgender · Gender Studies · LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy · Psychology · Social Psychology

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