Transgenderism is often discussed in terms of personal identity — a person expressing themselves, becoming their true self, connecting their outer persona to an internal feeling, etc. — but what about those around them? What happens when a woman’s heterosexual partner decides he is, in fact, a woman? How does this impact the relationship?

In this episode, I speak with a woman who saw and experienced this firsthand. In a relationship with her husband for 14 years, Shannon Thrace’s life went into turmoil when her husband decided he was, in fact, a transwoman. She describes the extreme changes to his personality as well as the painful impacts on their relationship and on her life.

Shannon is a grad student, writer, and IT professional. She is currently writing a memoir, tentatively titled, 18 Months, about her marriage to and divorce from a transgender person.

I spoke with her over the phone from her home in the Midwest.