I went on estrogen almost four months ago. I don’t really pay attention to it much –I had to check to see if that was even right. As someone who is on HRT I think there is a serious gap in the discussion.
Part of that has to do with the trans narrative. I used to follow a bunch of people on instagram that would just post tracking pictures of their transition. They wouldn’t talk about how they were feeling or what they were doing, & I eventually got bored of the monotony and unfollowed them all. A side by side picture of a trans guy seven years before transition is crafted to be a spectacle. “Wow, you changed /so/ much” some trans people I know live to hear those words. The strangest thing to me was they wouldn’t talk about any of their bodily changes, just how their appearance had changed.
This juxtaposes my experience completely. My primary reason for HRT isn’t to show off how my weird body changed shape –How do I put this? I take estrogen like I take vitamins. Vitamins are meant to 1.) Give you the nutrients you need for that day & 2.) Longitudinally change you, make you ‘healthier’ in the long run. I don’t want to be a spectacle. I don’t want to fly under the radar. I want to be the person that I am, & estrogen helps me do that.
(((whoever came up with the category “keeping it real” is my personal hero. All of my posts will be tagged as such)))
I think when people share on social media websites they do so as a form of empowerment most of the times due to the fact that society as a whole is not very open to trans people. I do understand how it can be kind of tedious and frustrating when those are the majority of posts you come across…because its as normal to you as taking vitamins..it’s nothing “spectacular” (for lack of better word) to be talking about. (Although I think it is, I think it’s super brave to put yourself out there like that)
I really liked your post. It opens up a good discussion.
Whatever empowers you is best for you. Different people are empowered by different things.
But I think I see what you’re getting at (and please feel free to correct me if I’m wrong). Only talking about the appearance changing and not discussing bodily changes makes it seem like one seeks to be accepted by society.
But society should learn to accept trans people for who they are. Society shouldn’t expect trans people to look a certain way.
Discussing bodily changes are important because they happen within you. And its an important part of the experience as well.
If I misinterpreted anything, I’m really sorry.
Thank you for your post.
I think that your post really opens up topic that is very much undermined. Reading this made me realize that I am also guilty of not thinking about the bigger picture when it comes to a transsexual life style. Yes, the physical transformation is a large and important part of the whole thing, but how this transformation make one feel internally is also equally as important. Thank you for bringing this topic into the light for people who have failed, including myself, to see that the internal effects of hormone therapy are just as important and changing as the physical part is. This is really important for people to think and be aware about.
I think I really needed to read your post. I am actually going to be starting HRT within the next two weeks or so and I often see what you are seeing as well. I would be lying if I said that seeking out physical changes did not at least play a factor in my decision to start taking testosterone. Namely to shift into a more comfortable alignment with my physical body. But I see what you’re saying and I feel like that resonates with me in that (low dose) testosterone would also be to align with my self in other ways, emotionally and mentally. On the flip side I am kind of worried about the effects HRT may have on me in these ways because 1.) I don’t think it’s something that is talked about enough because people, including doctors can get caught up in only considering the physical changes and 2.) As with physical changes, emotional and mental response to HRT each person will have a different reaction and I don’t know what that’ll look like for me.
Another thing that I don’t see a lot in people tracking their physical changes on HRT is a semi-general absence of people who don’t want to necessarily achieve standard, often times hyper, binary physical appearances . With the images that float around in mainstream feeds, that’s what many people envision when they think HRT, but many people don’t realize that trans binary and nonbinary people may not be seeking to move from strictly whats seen as a typical male appearance to a typical female appearance or vice versa. It’s really not what all trans people want despite popular belief and not achieving this binary look doesn’t make anyone less valid in their trans identity like some people and mainstream representation would encourage us to believe.