A fear of intimacy is common in the general population, and perhaps even more pronounced among transgender people. I don't only mean physical intimacy, but emotional intimacy as well. Many things may contribute, including the initial fear of telling someone and risking rejection or "outing," the fear of losing appeal due to trans-specific medical and social issues that we might encounter and discuss, the later "imposter syndrome-esque" fear of getting close enough to someone for them to possibly "reveal" aspects of our personalities that are less feminine or masculine than the general image we portray, and thus being seen as "fake." Physical intimacy obviously opens up all sorts of risks for anyone, but for transgender people, there's are the added fears of "disappointing" someone, experiencing dysphoria at a point that causes a mood to be lost, being fetishized, or worst of all, feeling humiliated by the actions of our partners and/ or our own sexual preferences, or even that we have sexualities at all (particularly a problem for those with bottom dysphoria).
These are all real and legitimate fears that affect many of us differently and to differing degrees. However, they must ultimately be recognized and dealt with in order to have successful relationships IRL.
Just a few more thoughts...
