Treating Gender Dysphoria?

There has always been a "middle" sex. Wherever the guy from the movie The Piano came from, i read an article about their middle natives back then. So it's nothing new.

But when i told my first t's that i felt like a neuter, back in the early 70's, they were like, "no you dont!" So they barely recognized it back then. Altho trans operations were pretty well know. But the university med ctr dr made me pull my pants down before she would sign my request for a marriage license, 1975. Ive asked around and apparently thats not usual. Dude, i was just doing my own thing. I coulda done without freakin menstrual periods though.

But i am intrigued by the autism link. You may have seen my posts about how i get almost physically ill just reading about someone not locking their car door. My dear dad drummed it into me that hard, is all i can figure. Like, people are racist (or not) because theyve had racism severely taught to them (or not).

So maybe those of us on the autism spectrum just didnt accept the gender message, for whatever reasons. Lack of relevance - this has NOTHING to do with train schedules! (to use a classic trope).

Clothes isn't the best tell, for sure. Plenty of cisgender women like men's clothes for different reasons, like you say. There's men who are drag queens but not trans.

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Before I was "diagnosed" with gender dysphoria (to gain access to HRT), I was asked a lot of questions. It's like gender is who you "are" not just discomfort with gender roles. I think I asked the (cisgender) psychiatrist how she'd feel if she woke up as a man.

I respectfully disagree.

Some of us only know we're trans later in life. We might not have had the language to voice that even to ourselves...or was way too busy in survival mode / enduring abuse for a very long time to even begin to consider gender.

A good portion of my trans acquaintances and friends, and myself are like that. It's only recently that we can look back, because so much of our sense of self was non-existent or buried.

Gender psychiatrists in my part of the world often ask about abuse histories and other stuff just to rule out "identity confusion". Not that having an abuse history means people aren't trans, but we have to be able to articulate how we realised later in life, and the various signs as we grew up, and so on.

Of course, there's folks who know from a young age though.



or even known

I wonder how much of it has to do with the way people with ASD think?

There definitely seems to a biological component to gender identity (at least for me). I cannot fully explain this to myself and anyone else. Maybe it is how I think, that I am drawn to things a lot more than people. Maybe it has to do with androgen exposure while in utero. My personality traits, interests and cognitive style seem to have contributed to me gender identity. I just feel male in a female body and the stress it is causing me is getting worse with age.

I have no history of CSA or any other major trauma history that could possibly explain this. I'm sexually attracted to women, but I don't think my gender identity has anything to do with shame around that. It was present long before puberty.

I doubt I will ever know why I feel this way.

I don't think clothing reveals gender identity, either.

Men's clothes tend to be simple in design and modest. Everything I wear is plain and covers me. Wearing clothing that emphasizes my female body has always bothered me. I also don't like bright colors, prints, frills and certain fabrics against my skin.

Clothing is about comfort and hiding my feminine features.

It's 4:05 am. I can't sleep.

I have a question about treating gender dysphoria with HRT. Will the resulting virilization intensify the dysphoria? E.g., breasts. Is it worth it?

I've lived in this body, because I had no choice for 44 years. It hasn't been easy but I got by. But can I live another 44 years like this? I don't know. If I do, I am certain that I will regret it. That answers my question.

I only heard about HRT in 2016 for FTM. Before that I thought it was impossible for a lady to pursue this.

Wait, I’m a little confused, how do you identify gender-wise and what are you hoping for in terms of changes from hormones?

Do you mean will you dislike having breasts (or dislike having them more than you already do) if you start testosterone?

If you feel dysphoric about having breasts… you can have top surgery. If you live in the GTA this is all covered by OHIP.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Favorite Jeans Wait, I’m a little confused, how do you identify gender-wise and what are you hoping for in terms of changes from hormones? Do you mean will you dislike having breasts (or dislike having them more than you already do) if you start testosterone? If you feel dysphoric about having breasts… you can have top surgery. If you live in the GTA this is all covered by OHIP.

I'm worried once the hormones cause changes my dislike for my female body parts will intensify. I know surgery is available to fix the problem but it is the period between that terrifies me.

I live in Ottawa (not the GTA) where healthcare access is questionable.