Not that I'd really consider going through with it, I've only played with the idea in my head every once and a while, but now that there's people I can talk to, I'd like to know. And just FYI I'm talking full transition, downstairs genitals too, not just breast implants. That is possible, right? I've read a little bit my knowledge is obviously limited.
Here's the United States version: You go to an informed consent clinic. You tell them being a dude sucks (it does). They inform you of risks, you say "whatever, this still sounds cool, sign me up!" They write you a prescription for estradiol and spironolactone. You take the pills every day, twice a day. Estradiol owns and is the best thing ever. Spironolactone sucks and you hate it because you pee all the time. But then your breasts grow, and that's awesome, so maybe it's okay in the end. Your sexuality changes in ways that are really cool. People misgender you all the time even though you have very obvious breasts that people think are fake or something. Sometimes you forget to take your spironolactone because you don't know if you took it or not, and since it's a diuretic you don't wanna double dose it by accident, so you just kinda skip a dose I guess. Eventually you get tired of spironolactone and decide to get an orchiectomy. Then you just take estrogen. And that's cool. Maybe you take some progesterone too, and then your breasts get even bigger, which is cool if you want that. You also go and do laser and/or electrolysis hair removal treatments that hurt like a motherfkkkkk but it's worth because then you don't have all the bodyhair and stuff. (And I think it's actually required on the genitals prior to vaginoplasty, but I could be wrong.) Eventually, you have vaginoplasty, which is where you Get Reconfigured. Notice here, the important thing is you were a woman the entire time.
Transition is a process that's not just surgeries. Transwomen go through a lot. Usually people have this misconception that transpeople just go through some sort of surgery and all is done. No, the process lasts years and you will have to take hormones for the rest of your life. Also we don't "change gender". We are what we say we are. I am not a transwoman so there could be some misconceptions of my own here... At first in my country you will have to convince the doctors that you are a woman and practically live as a woman even if you don't "pass". It's usually not fun. Not at all. It can be dangerous or at least socially difficult. Hormone replacement therapy is like a second puberty when it starts. It brings physical and mental changes. Women will start growing breasts, their skin softens, body hair gets thinner, balding doesn't usually happen anymore and more hair can grow, they loose muscle mass, fat goes to new places and their faces start looking bit different. There are also emotional changes. It takes years for hormones to do everything they can do. Then there is voice training to make the voice sound more feminine. It can be slow and frustrating. Usually they go through laser hair removal. I have heard it's really painful. I can only imagine. Not everybody gets surgeries. Facial feminization surgery (FFS) is often done. They reshape the bones of the face, make a new hairline and just shape it to look more feminine. Some get breast implants but transwomen do grow natural breasts too! The results from surgeries to genitals are usually very good I have heard. There are videos on youtube that explain it in detail. But it is a big operation. I don't know if it's multiple operations or just one. Not everyone goes through it but their transition is "full" when they themselves consider it "full". Transpeople also usually change their name and gender marker legally. Changing the gender marker is a bit different process everywhere. In some countries it's impossible and some places demand you to have sex reassignment surgery. In here you basically have to be infertile (I am considered infertile because I have been on hormones for so long) and we have this "real life experience" that usually lasts for a year. I was on hormones for over 1,5 years before I managed to get it changed. I also had to "fight" to get hormones for over 2 years. I know a girl who has waited over 5 years... During that time you need to convince them by basically living an unofficial real life experience on your own. Man, those times were just brutal. It really messes up with your head. I still can't believe sometimes that I actually made it. Damn. After writing this and thinking about it deeper than ever before I must wonder why women always tend to have it harder if you talk about physical stuff. This is also a bit deppressing to talk about. Transitioning is hard in so many levels.
