What Is Feminizing Hormone Therapy
Feminizing hormone therapy can also be called hormone replacement therapy . What this process does is in the name: it replaces the dominant hormones in your body with hormones that are generally more prevalent in your gender identity. For a male to female transition, this typically involves a medication to block the production of testosterone and estrogen to replace it.
Using A Credit Card To Pay For Transition
It is possible to use a credit card to pay for gender transition. However, you will need an acceptable credit history to get approved for a credit card in the first place. If you arent sure of your credit history, Experian offers free credit score and credit report checks. Its also unwise to use a credit card to make payments if you wont be able to afford your credit card bill at the end of the month. Credit cards tend to have very high interest rates compared to other forms of debt and companies tend to slap on wherever they can. If you do decide to use a credit card to pay for your gender transition, use is sparingly and pay off your entire balance as quickly as possible.
Transitioning Without Hrt As A Trans Woman
My name is Dunhill, Im originally from an island called Guam and moved to the U.S. in late 2009. Im currently living in Austin TX and Im a pansexual trans woman. My pronouns are she/her and, like most other trans people, I had to come out twice in my life. Once as bisexual because at that time, pansexual wasnt really a term that people used or knew, and then again as a trans woman at the end of 2016.I remember the day I realized I couldnt hide anymore and knew that I had to come out for the second time. It was the day Donald Trump was elected president in November 2016. Its weird, something about hearing that bit of news made me re-examine how I was living my life, I know that that day was life-altering for so many people around the country and it was for me as well, in more ways than one. I realized that I was trying to be what I had learned that society wanted me to be: A flamboyant gay man. But that just wasnt who I am or who I was meant to be.
#SupportDunhill I’m forever grateful for y’all’s support!
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Gender Transition Cost How Much Does Hormone Therapy And Gender Reassignment Surgery Cost
Gender transition is a process whereby transgender people undergo certain medical, social, and legal steps in order to transition into a gender other than the one that they were assigned at birth. Like many forms of medical treatment, however, gender transition for transgender people often costs money. This article will inform you about how much gender transition costs, how much certain transgender surgeries cost, and more.
Can I Get Mtf Breast Augmentation If I Have Never Been On Estrogen
MTF breast augmentation is an important step in the transition process for many trans women. However, is feminizing hormone therapyor more specifically, estrogenreally needed in order to undergo breast augmentation surgery?The short answer is no. However, there are a variety of factors to take into consideration when deciding whether to undergo MTF breast augmentation with or without estrogen hormone supplements.
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Why Transgender People Transition
Many transgender people are diagnosed with a condition called gender dysphoria, where they feel a level of discomfort ranging from mild to extreme with the physical characteristics or social roles of the gender that they were assigned at birth. A literature review by Cornell University looked at publications in medical journals from 1991 to 2017, and found overwhelming evidence that gender transition was an effective treatment for gender dysphoria.
Mtf Clothing And Beauty Tips
The way you look does not make you a woman or a man.
You can wear whatever you want when youre a woman. A lot of trans women, myself included, go full-throttle femme in the beginning of transitioning. After years of suppressing your femininity, the desire to celebrate it can be powerful. Thats why you see some early transitioners wearing spaghetti straps and leopard-print miniskirts in any and all situations. Thats coolwho the fuck cares where or when you want to wear spaghetti straps?
I looked exceptional when I was in my early stages of transition, often wearing enormous platform heels and lingerie around in public just because I couldI had a lot of pent-up femininity that wanted to express itself. Lots of people looked at me weirdly, but the public had always seen me as a freak anywayI was grateful to finally be accepting myself. It would have been fine to live in that lacy, foot-achey stage forever, but that was just one stop on my journey.
The physical changes I experienced because of HRT made it easier for me to make decisions about clothing that were more related to my personal style than my need to express my gender identity, because now my body expresses my gender identity. These days, I wear a contrast of oversized menswear and tiny thot clothes. The more feminine my body has become, the more comfortable I have been in wearing whatever the hell I feel like wearing.
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How Do I Live
You can take every trans pill and undergo every trans surgery known to man, but if youre not on good terms with yourself, treatment for gender dysphoria can only do so much. Transition made it easier for me to love myself because I wasnt so distracted by the weird situation of living as the wrong gender, but I needed to do a lot of work to accept myself for exactly who I am.
I will never be a cisgender woman. I dont even care that much about gendered labels. I care about feeling comfortable in my body. For me, body modification had a profoundly positive effect on my psychological and spiritual experience of life on this planet. What really matters is that we all find ways to love ourselves not in spite of being transgender, but because we are.
People experience dysphoria in many different ways and to different degrees, but feeling stress and discomfort are common, says Dr. Goodman, explaining that many patients suffer from depression and anxiety as a result of gender dysphoria. I sure did! However, transition can help alleviate those symptoms. I still live with depression and anxiety, but its much more manageable today.
A Timeline: When Do You Want To Reach Certain Goals
A transition is actually a lot of small milestones. As you set out, its helpful to set some goals for when you want to reach those points, and how long you want to take to get there. Some people want to move as quickly as possible, while others may have larger life events theyd like to plan around. There is no right answer, just the process that works for you.
Some key milestones in my own transition
- Learning the basics: 3-4 months
- Hair and makeup took about 2 months
- Clothes took 2 months
All total, my transition took about 2 years. In the first year, I focused on the core skills and the people closest to me. In year 2, I focused on my extended personal and professional network. By that point, I was a passable woman, which helped me to move beyond some of the doubt and uncertainty that comes with the early transition phases.
I hope this helps you have a big picture view of what a transition can require. As the old saying goes, the devil is in the details, but youll never make progress unless you take the first step and start your own journey.
Best of luck and let me know how its going in the comments.
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Information Accuracy And Risks Of Hrt
Its a fact that some transsexuals chooseusually because its the only option available to themto self-prescribe hormones and/or androgen-blocking drugs. This article compares recommendations from medical and non-medical sources, and explains conditions that could result from HRT, whether therapy is medically monitored or not. This information is not provided or intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or care.
I am not a medical professional. Please also note that the glossary at the end of this article is just that: a glossary, and not a dictionary. The descriptions of the terms in the glossary are meant to help you interpret their use in this article only, and are not comprehensive definitions.
OTCH
To My Surprise I Found That As My Body Began To Change On Hormones So Did My Sexual Orientation
In March of 2015, I made the huge step to go on hormones and start the process of transitioning from male-to-female through the use of Hormone Replacement Therapy, otherwise known as HRT. I was excited, but there were more than a few surprises in store for me as the months went on, a few of which I decided to share.
1. My Sexual Orientation Flipped
In March, if I had to describe my orientation, I would have said I was almost completely attracted to women, with slight wiggle room for the occasional crush on a dude. To my surprise, I found that as my body began to change on hormones, so did my sexual orientation. I was more and more attracted to men, progressing from more physically attracted to women, but more psychologically attracted to men, to finally where I am now, which is almost completely physically and psychologically attracted to men, with slight wiggle room for the occasional crush on a girl. I read up on this phenomenon, and it’s not uncommon among those who undergo transition, but I wouldn’t have minded someone letting me in on the fact this could happen!
2. My Libido Diminished Dramatically
3. My Experience of Arousal Transformed
4. Skin Sensitivity
5. Stretch Marks
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How To Legally Change Your Gender And Name
Lots of trans people change their name and their legal gender marker. Sometimes, that name change happens a few timesI went through, like, three names before I chose Diana. So: Take your time. Ask people to be patient with you if youre out, but not sure what name you want to choose. Sometimes you dont know if youre going to be into a name before people use itand you dont even need to change your name if you dont want to.
Changing your name and legal gender ID marker is easier in some states than others. The National Center for Transgender Equality has a superb search engine to figure out what your local laws are around document alteration. It can be a bit expensive to change your name, but that also varies by state. The Name Change Project by the Transgender Legal Defense and Equality Fund provides free legal aid to do name changes for clients who can’t afford it, and they help people in multiple US cities.
On your own, youll need to go to court and petition for a change of name. That sounds pretty intense, but it can be easier than it might seem. The court will then give you a legal order of name change, which you can present to places like the DMV to make them update your ID. These documents can be incredibly empowering as you move forward in your life, as theyre legal evidence that your identity is recognized by the state.
Ask people to be patient with you if youre out, but not sure what name you want to choose.
How Much Does Transgender Surgery Cost
For many transgender people, surgeries are an important part of gender transition that are used in addition to or in lieu of hormone therapy. Although certain surgical procedures are often highlighted in media coverage of transgender people, the reality is that there are many transgender surgeries available, and deciding which ones are right for you and your transition is a personal matter. Below, we will cover some of the more popular transgender surgeries, and how much they cost without help from your insurance provider. With any surgical procedure, make sure that you research your surgeon to find out their qualifications and the prices they charge.
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Gender Reassignment Surgery Cost
The term bottom surgery is used to refer to genital surgery, or gender confirming surgery, for transgender people. Although it is popularized in the media as the most important surgery that a transgender person can get, there are many people who consider their transitions complete without bottom surgery.
Male to Female Surgery
According to individuals that we spoke to who had sought out these procedures, MtF bottom surgery can cost between $10,000 or $30,000. Once again, this depends heavily on the surgeon that you choose and the exact procedures that they perform.
Female to Male Surgery
Bottom surgery for FtM people is often more expensive, as the surgical procedure is more involved. It may cost between $20,000 and $50,000 depending on the surgeon you see and the techniques used.
Fortunately, although many medically necessary surgical procedures as a part of transition are not covered by insurance, bottom surgery is receiving more and more coverage as insurance companies partner with specific surgeons.
What Is An Mtf Timeline
Those that are going through a sex change male to female have something called an mtf timeline that they go through. There is a process to the steps once you begin taking mtf hormones. Within the first one to three months, you will begin to notice decreased libido. This is one of the first signs you will notice on your male to female journey. Between the next three to six months on your gender transition, the next part of your mtf timeline is body fat redistribution. Youll begin to notice your muscle mass will decrease, your skin will begin softening and natural breast enlargement will begin. Although there are many stages of boob growth through the mtf transition, this is where it will begin. This is the part of the mtf timeline where those going through the male to female transition will notice the most extreme difference.
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How To Order Hormones Online
Some people in our community choose to take hormones without going to a doctor:
- to save money
- to keep it out of their medical record
- to keep others from knowing
It is safer to take hormones under a doctors care.
This section is written for adults. If you are not an adult, see how to get hormones as a transgender minor.
Some people order hormones online from foreign pharmacies. This can be a choice for those who do not want others to know about their hormone use.
- Buying and importing prescription drugs without a prescription is probably against the law where you live.
- Because it is against the law, you might lose the money you paid:
- No drugs sent
- Drugs taken by police at the border
If you wish to take that risk, here is how to do it.
Paying For Gender Transition
With all of these costs, paying for gender transition isnt easy. Especially since transgender people are four times more likely to have a make less than $10,000 a year than the average person in the United States. Minorities in general may be more likely to work in jobs that only pay minimum wage. If youre struggling to figure out how you can pay for your transition, here are some things to consider:
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What Kinds Of Male To Female Surgery Can Be Part Of A Transition
Surgery is really cool to me. Its also super serious and definitely not something I can advise you on. Only you, slash you and a therapist and/or medical professional, can determine if you should have surgery. Society has sensationalized trans people for a long time, fixating on whatever surgeries we may have hadand thats fucked up. Dont let cis people control your narrative. If surgery is part of your story, thats just fine. If it isnt, thats fine, too.
For trans women who are interested in surgery, there are lots of procedures a person may opt to undergo. Cisgender people tend to think about vaginoplasty a lot, but in my experience, this is one of the less common procedures. Obviously, people do undergo it, and according to that study, this may be linked to the fact that many private and public health insurance providers now pay for it. Personally, I spend more time talking to my girlfriends about face work and breast augmentation than getting a vaginabut to each her own.
Some people want facial feminization surgery . Essentially, FFS is any surgery or combination of surgeries on the face that are performed in an effort to make your head look like it never went through testosterone-induced puberty. At puberty, testosterone transforms otherwise androgynous faces with secondary-sex characteristics typical to men, like how it causes bone growth at the orbitals around your eyes, and often creates a ridge there, which is one of the most gender-specific facial bones.
Gender Affirmation: Do I Need Surgery
There is no one-size-fits-all approach for the gender affirmation process.Perhaps you dont want to undergo surgery right now because its tooexpensive or your family is not on board. Maybe you dont see surgery asbeing a part of your transition process at all.
Gender affirmation is an individualized journey. Doing your own research and talking to experts will help you decide which options are best for you.
Devin OBrien-Coon, former medical director of Johns Hopkins Center for Transgender Health , stresses that while surgery can be a part of the transition process for many, its not for everyone. Each patient needs to consider their personal goals and decide whether surgical options will improve their quality of life and lessen their gender dysphoria, he adds.
Paula M. Neira , clinical director of the center, shares insights into the many choices available to patients who wish to use nonsurgical options to express their gender identity. Its very possible that surgery is not in the transition plan for someone in the gender affirmation process. There are several nonsurgical services that may help transgender patients achieve their transition goals.
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