Yes, come here to ask questions about transgender stuff. I'm aware that there have been a couple of other threads like it, but they weren't labelled as Q&As, and they died. There are sometimes misunderstandings and the like surrounding transgender issues, and a lot of people simply don't know that much about us. So if anyone has any questions, ask them here. Be respectful, but feel free to ask any and all questions that you might have, including ones you might not feel comfortable asking in person. Trans people may also ask questions. And anyone who has an answer can answer, not just trans people. So, yeah, I hope this can be of help to someone.
No disrespect intended here, but everyone's experience is different, and trans men typically have a much different experience and different needs than trans women.
I was going to say the same. One person's experience with HRT might be vastly different than someone else's. Still, we do have both on the forum, so we'll get different views on the topic.
This breaks my heart. You're not a monster. And things will get better. (*hug*) I'll leave the Oestrogen story to a woman, but I'll tell you about my experiences on T. There are a number of different ways you can take T. Injectables, patches, gels, pills, and implants. I use a gel called Testogel. I rub it into my shoulders each day (or more likely, I forget to rub it into my shoulders each day). I have been on testosterone for *checks phone* 1 year, 63 days. I truly am sad enough to keep a timer of it. About two days after first taking it, I got seriously fucking hungry. That lasted a couple of weeks. Then, in no particular order, testosterone has these effects: -Increased body hair -Growth and darkening of facial hair -Increased muscle mass -Lowering of voice -Cessation of menses -Growth of clitoris into a micropenis -Increased sex drive -Increased acne (hopefully temporary, its just a teenager thing) -Shifting of body fat into male areas -Possible MPB (based on genetics) -Eventually, permanent infertility Anecdotally, I and other trans men have noticed: -Bodily fluids smell more male (seriously) -Laziness -Difficulty crying -Moodiness -Increased apetite -Change in cuticle shape -Probably loads more I've forgotten Most of the changes will be complete within two years, but some can carry on happening for up to ten years, including facial hair growth. Additionally, if the guy in question has not completed puberty (aka me), he can carry on growing, and may get bigger feet and hands as well. There was one particular one for me: My sexuality changed. I used to be asexual. T made me feel moody, happy, strong, angry, teenagerish (more so than usual), rebellious and free. But given that I was 17/18 (and still am) while it was happening, I don't know how much of that was relating to the hormones. Other people will probably have more insight into this one. Though I'm part of some non-heterosexual communities, I'm not out as trans there. Partly because I'm afraid of transphobia, and partly because I suck at sharing.
@Sully, For me (transgirl), HRT includes taking an anti-androgen (Sprionolactone 200mg/d) along with an estrogen (Estrofem 4mg/d). How do they make me feel? Moody, lolz. Sometimes I feel so much like myself and more alive and happy and internally content then I ever have, others I feel down in the dumps and dysphoric because in the words of Mumford and Sons I fear I'll "never be what is in my heart". Others I am a down right, crabby b*tch, and I pity the fool who comes in my cross hairs. Besides that, I am sooo tired these days, and my sleeping schedule has gotten all messed up. I nap in miday, am up all night, etc. I am also hungry. For reals, I am 130 some lbs and the other day I ate 4,300 calories. And woke up the next morning feeling like I was starving to death. The hungriness in no joke XD Physically, I have noticed (going to try not to gross you all out here) I am starting to pop out of my shirts a lot more lately (I've been on for 6 weeks, today). I have lumps under each nipple that have been increasing in size and sensitivity. They are also much larger and darker in appearance, and I dunno - rounder. I'm prolly at tanner II stage and if not, I am very near it. Other stuff, like body hair reduction, can't really say I've noticed that, but imma be honest, didn't really have any to start with, thankfully XD People have told me my face is getting "fuller" in my cheeks and jaw line, which is cool. You can see my album for pics on how I am progressing, physically. Other than that, I will say it just makes me very very happy to finally be on this path and finally be on my way to becoming the person I have felt like on the inside for as long as I have any recollection of ANYTHING.
I have. It sucks. I've had some people in the LGBT community tell me that I just am "faking being male" for attention. It really sucks..
I've run into some (trans) women that are of the opinion that the surgery is what makes someone a man or a woman, both gender and sex. Of course different opinions, I don't consider transphobia. People are free to believe I'm a talking and typing crepe suzette if they want to. But a tiny handful of these people then go a step further and decide that the things we experience as we transition - including identifying as members of our target gender and allowing ourselves a little more leeway in gender expression than we were allowed when we were closeted - and attack that. It almost never happens though. Usually people just have a hard time understanding. I think it's because the medical part of it is so new that's the biggest obstacle to understanding. But I mean, trans people have been around forever. We just have better options now. Hopefully in a couple weeks I'll be able to answer the HRT question
"Have you experienced Transphobia within Non-Heterosexual communities?" To be honest? I'm not very involved with LGBT community, offline. I dunno why, I'm just not the type of person for group meetings and stuff. What I have experienced from LGBT people online has been quite positive. Ohhh, wait. That's not totally true. There is one gay (or perhaps bi, he's not sure) guy I know who sorta was weird after I came out, and insists on calling me "gay" even after I told him I was trans, and using male pronouns (I never even TOLD him I was gay or identified myself that way, he just assumed cuz I was in full time, I guess you could say "boy mode" when I knew him, but still either on or waiting to start HRT the whole time). I sent him a picture of me the other day and he said I *looked* like a girl, but was like "there's still a penis", which was an annoying dysphoria trigger, for me. It's just like, umm, yeah, whatever, dude. I didn't respond and don't think we'll talk really, anymore.
I'll give my perspective on the long-term effects of HRT... I am quite a few years post-HRT and post-op. At first, it made me feel euphoric. My moods were all over the place too. I had a difficult time dealing with office politics because of it. After a while it leveled out. Fat moved around and I got pretty curvy, especially after GRS. I have a bigger butt and boobs than both of my cis sisters. I am a genetic mosaic/chimera and my oldest sister had some weird issues with her uterus and she was born with three kidneys, so nothing surprises me, our genetics are pretty screwed up. I did not need any surgery other than GRS and I completely blend in with cis women. I just look like a younger (and some would say prettier ) version of my sister. Twice I had to stop HRT and both times I had menopause like symptoms and lost my sex drive. Orgasms even before GRS were completely different. Much better and I always joked that if men knew how wonderful female orgasms were they'd all take estrogen. Can't think of much else. It's been a while but if I think of something I will add it. ---------- Post added 16th Jun 2013 at 09:20 PM ---------- Not at all, at least with gay and lesbian folk. I was with a cis lesbian for over 10 years and I fit in quite well with other lesbians. I'm also a fag-hag and I love my gay boys. I've never had an issue with a gay man. I have however run into all sorts of issues with other trans women. Lots of cattiness and drama. For this reason, I rarely associate with other trans women. One of my best friends is a trans man though.
To any trans who wants to answer: Do you have a fixation with a part of your body which you want changed? Or you want every feminine/masculine part changed? Could you live with a part of your body not changed or you desperately want it all changed? Not sure if I'm clear.
I was already fairly happy with my body, except one thing (give ya three guesses what that was!). For me, GRS wasn't an option. Everything else fell into place or was already OK. Had I not been happy with all that, it further surgery or other ways to change them would have been necessary.
Personally? If I woke up one day and had a penis, I'd be ecstatic. As it stands, I'll settle for keeping the vagina, since as far as my research has shown, the bottom surgery for FTM kinda sucks. So, I'd honestly settle for top surgery and looking like a guy. While I'd truthfully prefer everything to be changed, I'm someone that looks at things from all angles, and I've decided that I'd go as far as HRT and top surgery.
@Martjain, I want GRS reaaally bad, but I can wait on that, until I save money. What's bugging me now is not being able to afford laser hair removal for my face (I'm currently not working, soo). Like, it's really not bad, and it's mostly just on some areas of my neck (little to none on my upper lip or anywhere else on my actual face). It's pretty thin and pretty patchy and grows in pretty slow, and is totally invisible with a little makeup (and even without if I get close enough, sooo), but it's there and it causes dysphoria. I'm considering doing something in the coming months (when things start feminizing some more) that some have suggested that I really, REALLY don't want to do to bring in a little money. Not prostitution or anything thaaat nasty, but I may end up working as a camgirl for a bit, if I'm able (don't know if I *could* if I wanted to, though, so we will see)...I really hate that option, and I hope it doesn't make you all look at me badly, but if it WERE an option I would consider it, because fast food jobs will get me no place fast....I hate admitting that but I am trying to be honest.