Marriage and the Transformation Process of Friendship Relations among Wives of Trans Men: The Reconfiguration of Friendship Networks

Fatemeh, Fatemeh; Fouladiyan, Majid; Heydariazm, Azam

doi:10.22034/jsi.2026.2094139.1839

Marriage and the Transformation Process of Friendship Relations among Wives of Trans Men: The Reconfiguration of Friendship Networks

Articles in Press

Authors

fatemeh fatemeh ¹

majid fouladiyan ²

azam heydariazm ³

¹ Master’s Student in Social Research, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Ferdowsi University of

² Associate Professor, Department of Social Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

³ Assistant Professor, Research Center for Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

10.22034/jsi.2026.2094139.1839

Abstract

Drawing on a qualitative approach and thematic analysis, this study examines the process of transformation in the friendship relations of 10 wives of trans men who were aware of their partners’ gender identity prior to marriage. The theoretical framework integrates Goffman’s concept of communicative stigma, Baumeister and Leary’s need-to-belong theory, Granovetter’s strong and weak ties theory, and Bourdieu’s concept of social capital. Findings indicate that informed friends respond to these marriages through three levels of reaction: disbelief, compassionate concern, and symbolic violence. In response to these reactions, women employ strategies of legitimation or strategic boundary-making. Ultimately, they reconfigure their friendship networks through weak ties with individuals unaware of their spouses’ identities and through experiential peer networks. This reconfiguration not only fulfills their need for belonging but also contributes to the reconstruction of social capital and the acquisition of alternative forms of symbolic recognition.

Keywords

Marriage

Gender Identity

Wives of Trans Men

Friendship Relations

Subjects