struggles with affection?
hello!
my partner of three years has felt gender dysphoria (on and off) since his late teens and it has recently spiked.
he has a very, well, stereotypical view on the way men should behave, specifically that they have to be the "stronger ones" in a relationship. he finds it quite hard to let me (f) hold him because of that; it’s difficult to me because i miss the intimacy and i also want to take care of him the way i used to do.
our sex life is nonexistent due to his perception of self and i don’t think that anything is helping to improve it, we’ve had many conversations about what would make him comfortable during it but the desire simply isn’t there (obviously, i don’t want to force it in any way).
have any of you had similar experiences in your relationships? if so, what helped to make the other person feel comfortable with your touch and ease the feeling that they absolutely do not have to be made of stone? is there anything i can even do?