love these leaves.

[lukeboi]

Check out this Letter to Would-Be Transsexuals from the American Boyz site. A little hostile, yes, a little cynical, yes, but important considerations nonetheless. I guess this is what I meant in my Post-Trans post, about self-critique or self-inquiry. Of course there's problems with it, but just read it

Comments

[icarus_after]

goddamn, i love that letter. every single day i am more and more over this ftm-as-fad shit, and all these young, stupid kids who aren't even willing to take responsibility for their own knowledge base and think that transition is the coolest thing ever and the panacea to a problem they decide they had about ten minutes ago.

[joey_g]

I think "young stupid kids" is kinda rough. I bet some of those young kids may really be trans.

[icarus_after]

yeah, i know that there are young kids who are trans. but the anybody who thinks that being trans is "cool" or "fun" or wants to leap into transition with zero reflection on the process and its impact IS stupid. and every day i see more kids-- and by and large they do seem to be kids-- who show up with no knowledge base, and no desire for one, with a ridiculous idea about what transition means.

so, yeah, those kids ARE stupid and young.

which is not to say that all young people who consider or decide upon transition are wrong. but there HAS been a flood of late, and that concerns me.

[rowanhood]

Many people simply do not have the language to express how they've felt about their gender, until [blank] offers them the vocabulary to even talk about gender, or the idea that it is ok to question your gender, to feel dysphoric, and that many others do too. Do I think these people should RUSH into transition after having this revelation "ten minutes ago," no. But I don't think it is ok to feel we can deny them their identity just because their young and newly claiming this word, or because we've been "doing this" longer...

[joey_g]

I completely agree with you rowan. We may know how we feel, but not have the direction or words to express that desire. Plus, ONE cannot RUSH into transition, without following the standards of care. It is not right to deny anyone their feelings.

This is a very good article to view

http://ftmyouth.liquiding.com/whatisftm.htm

[lukeboi]

I agree with both of you, that its easy to pass judgement on people in an ageist manner, I mean, I've done it. But mad kids are getting more and more empowered and hopefully educated about this shit daily, so as much as I am a little unnerved, it also stands to reason that more younger kids would consider transition. Also, Joey you make a good point that even with the minimum SOC requirements, you're still delayed a while before starting irreversible T-injections. Although that few months is a drop in the bucket compared with the rest of your life, and maybe that proves not enough time for consideration for some people who end up later regretting transition.

[joey_g]

I would be so curious to hear the opinions of those who have medically transitioned and changed their minds. I hear people talking about it all the time, but I never see those people. I never get to hear what they have to say

[little_king]

"I would be so curious to hear the opinions of those who have medically transitioned and changed their minds. I hear people talking about it all the time, but I never see those people."

I have a friend who has transitioned back. After several years of T, chest surgery, etc. and it has definitely not been easy for her. There is also someone on LJ who after being on low-dose T and having surgery decided to live as female (I believe this person now i.d.'s as female, I hope I'm not wrong here). These people are out there, but as you can understand are not always standing up and telling their stories because they get slammed on all the time about their decisions.

[lukeboi]

Dude, you're doing your thing, and you're into it. I'm not trying to reprimand you for transitioning or anything.

Transitioning is not for everyone and should not be jumped into. Time and major therapy should be taken into consideration. But what is right for one person, may not be right for another
This is exactly my point, nothing more nothing less, I've never argued this, and you'd better believe I know this by heart.

As Ryan has pointed out below, there most certainly are people who have transitioned and regretted all or some of it. There are a few on livejournal, there is a website where the author tells the story of her transition and subsequent disappointment with that, and I know a handful of these people in real life, and their struggles are very real and I've been sure to keep that in my mind.

[joey_g]

I never took anything you said as an insult or a reprimand. I thought it was a very interesting post and I wanted to comment.

Thanks!

[rowanhood]

Actually, in places like NY and SF, it has become a lot easier to gain access to medical transitional care, with little question. They don't make you jump through hoops, or judge you to be "trans enough." If you are going in asking for care, after a brief physical and mental eval. (one session with gender therapist), you are cleared for hormones.

I personally never did traditional gender therapy.

There is an age limit. If you are under 22, you do need to enter the youth program (this is NY specific, I dunno about SF), where the 3 months of therapy is required...