Welcome to the Straight Spouse Network
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The Straight Spouse Network (SSN) is an international organization that provides personal, confidential support and information to heterosexual spouses/partners, current or former, of gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender mates and mixed-orientation couples for constructively resolving coming-out problems. SSN also offers research-based information about spouse, couple, and family issues and resources to other family members, professionals, community organizations, and the public. SSN is the only support network of its kind in the world.
As outreach, the network offers information about spouse and family issues, mixed orientation marriages and spouse resources to professionals, community organizations and the media.
To find out about support groups or individual contacts near you, please visit this page to request information!
A new study is being conducted on mixed orientation marriages, which are defined as a marriage where one individual experiences same sex attraction and the other does not. The purpose of the study is to understand the characteristics of these marriages and the experiences of individuals in them. Participants can be currently in a mixed orientation marriage or have been previously. If you or someone you know fits this description and would like to share your experience, participants are needed! The survey can be accessed online by going to www.mixedorientationstudy.com. The study is completely anonymous and confidential; however, participants are given the option of sharing limited contact information in order participate in future follow-up studies, if desired. Your participation would be greatly appreciated!
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Become a SSN Ambassador -- Visit our Ambassador page for more details!
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Paths and PitfallsRead about the typical stages of working through common issues that heterosexual spouses/partners face when their spouses/partners come out as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender in this adaptation from the article Paths and Pitfalls, How Heterosexual Spouses Cope When Their Husbands or Wives Come Out. by Amity Pierce Buxton |
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SSN is staffed by some part time paid personnel, but mostly by volunteers who do the heart of our work: support and education. All services are free but they cost SSN for these newly hired staff members, supplies, and postage. (Office space, phone, and computer costs are donated.) Because of the increasing number of spouses, these costs far exceed the money that comes in from donations.
If you want to keep our services available for spouses worldwide and expand SSN programs to meet the growing needs, then please think about donating right now -- or pledging a monthly contribution. Just a dollar a week ($52 a year) from just fifty individuals would cover one edition of the four-page News & Notes! Please visit this page for more details about how you can make a difference!
We are very happy to be able to accept the Visa, Mastercard and American Express through the "Give Direct" Service.
Click Here to visit our Donation Page!
NOTE: Help from SSN is free. You don't have to contribute to get help. If however, you'd like to help us keep our volunteer services alive and well, then please do consider contributing.
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Help out the Straight Spouse Network by shopping at Amazon.com, SSN will receive a percentage of your total purchase price if you follow one of this link and make a purchase.
Gentle Reminder: ANYTHING (books, electronic equipment, games, etc. ) purchased from Amazon via this web page gives SSN a small commission that helps us continue our free services to spouses, partners, and mixed-orientation couples through nine Internet lists, 72 support groups in the US and 7 other countries, and one-on-one contacts in every US state and 11 countries.
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You can also support the Straight Spouse Network by Shopping through Igive.com. Over 575 merchants offer a donation % of your sale. Click the banner below for more details!
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ABOUT THE SSN LOGO - The SSN logo was designed from petroglyphs of the Anasazi in the southwestern United States by Jeanne Paradise, trauma therapist, Boston,MA. They symbolize the three-fold mission of the Straight Spouse Network: reaching out, healing and building bridges.
The Straight Spouse Network is "family" with the Family Equality Council, Parents, Family, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), and Children of Gays and Lesbians Everywhere (COLAGE).