Supportive social relationships are vital for health and well-being as they serve to ameliorate stress and therefore reduce the likelihood of suffering from disease across the life course. This social support could be more essential for transgender people, who experience unique social stress due to their marginalized status. The current study compared and contrasted the experiential accounts of transgender people, their relational partners and gender service providers using a thematic phenomenological methodology across a series of focus groups and interviews. In total, there were 17 participants across three focus groups (eight transgender people, six relational partners, and three service providers) and nine participants in the interviews (three transgender people, three relational partners and three service providers). Four overarching themes were identified: (1) Coming out and identity management, (2) Reciprocal support in relationships, (3) Social transition and gender identity affirmation, (4) Experiences in the LGBTQ+ community. Issues of stigma, identity, and support were present throughout all the themes. Receiving gender identity affirmation from supportive relational partners was essential for transgender people, while external support was highlighted as something relational partners needed (but did not often seek). This research has implications for understanding how transgender people and their relational partners support one another when facing stress and stigma.

中文翻译：

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跨性别者在整个转型过程中社会关系中的污名、认同和支持：多视角的定性分析

支持性的社会关系对于健康和福祉至关重要，因为它们有助于缓解压力，从而减少在整个生命过程中患疾病的可能性。这种社会支持对于变性人来说可能更为重要，因为他们的边缘化地位使他们承受着独特的社会压力。目前的研究使用主题现象学方法，通过一系列焦点小组和访谈，比较和对比了跨性别者、他们的关系伙伴和性别服务提供者的经历。总共有 17 名参与者来自三个焦点小组（8 名跨性别者、6 名关系伙伴和 3 名服务提供者）和 9 名参与者（3 名跨性别者、3 名关系伙伴和 3 名服务提供者）。确定了四个总体主题：(1) 出柜和身份管理，(2) 关系中的互惠支持，(3) 社会转型和性别认同确认，(4) LGBTQ+ 社区的经验。耻辱感、身份认同和支持等问题贯穿所有主题。从支持性关系伙伴那里获得性别认同肯定对跨性别者来说至关重要，而外部支持被强调为关系伙伴需要（但并不经常寻求）的东西。这项研究对于理解变性人及其关系伙伴在面临压力和耻辱时如何相互支持具有重要意义。耻辱感、身份认同和支持等问题贯穿所有主题。从支持性关系伙伴那里获得性别认同肯定对跨性别者来说至关重要，而外部支持被强调为关系伙伴需要（但并不经常寻求）的东西。这项研究对于理解变性人及其关系伙伴在面临压力和耻辱时如何相互支持具有重要意义。耻辱感、身份认同和支持等问题贯穿所有主题。从支持性关系伙伴那里获得性别认同肯定对跨性别者来说至关重要，而外部支持被强调为关系伙伴需要（但并不经常寻求）的东西。这项研究对于理解变性人及其关系伙伴在面临压力和耻辱时如何相互支持具有重要意义。