Ask a transsexual anything

[KichigaiNeko]

Guys ...(Zen and Daniel) I really think that this is the thread to talk about safety on our city streets. Go and make another thread and have your spurious arguments there hmm?

---

Having said that....

How "safe" do you feel (as a Transsexual) walking the streets at night? Is it an issue at all?

[Violet]

Violet, gender identity is psychological. If you believed you're a wolf, act like a wolf and live as a wolf and not a human, would that make you a wolf or a human? You may think that sounds stupid, it isn't. Google "feral human" and you will see there are unfortunate individuals who literally have a different "species identity" to their biological species. And what's more it's not unique to humans it can happen in nature.

Why would I not believe that? Ahhh, I remember an ex of mine claiming things like that, he used it as a justification for his actions. But I don't think that the condition of not psychologically being human doesn't exist.

I think it would make you a human-born wolf... just as an MtF transsexual is a male-born woman.

Interesting reply, I think you've failed to understand the issue. "Flatly Illegal?" Prostitution is legal in almost every single developed country, with the obvious exceptions of China and USA. And "even when those are all better, such illegality won't completely stop", seems to show your hesitation and resistance to allow a group of people that are readily discriminated against from joining in with your movement.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitution#Legal_status



Green: Prostitution legal and regulated
Blue: Prostitution (the exchange of sex for money) is legal, but organized activities such as brothels and pimping are illegal; prostitution is not regulated
Red: Prostitution illegal
Grey: No data

My movement? Hehe, I want T out of the GLB movement because it has no place in it, just as prostitution would have no place in it. I'd be more willing to tack prostitution onto a Fisherman's Association than I would to tack it onto sexual and gender identity (wtf does it have to do with either? NOTHING!).

---

Guys ...(Zen and Daniel) I really think that this is the thread to talk about safety on our city streets. Go and make another thread and have your spurious arguments there hmm?

Nah, let them keep their spat here

Having said that....

How "safe" do you feel (as a Transsexual) walking the streets at night? Is it an issue at all?

Safer than in the day, most I have to worry about at night is rapists on campus... but then, if I didn't pass at all: I'd be extremely worried about being seen. I'm just lucky enough that if I don't draw particular attention to myself: I'll be seen as just another random woman on her way to a destination.

[TaraJo]

Violet, gender identity is psychological. If you believed you're a wolf, act like a wolf and live as a wolf and not a human, would that make you a wolf or a human? You may think that sounds stupid, it isn't. Google "feral human" and you will see there are unfortunate individuals who literally have a different "species identity" to their biological species. And what's more it's not unique to humans it can happen in nature.

In general, I'm all for it.

If the great majority of research verified that it would cause people far less discomfort to the person who wants to be a wolf, and if we had done brain scans and found those people actually had a wolf brain in a human body and the person wasn't breaking any laws otherwise, I don't see why it's anyone else's business what they do.

How "safe" do you feel (as a Transsexual) walking the streets at night? Is it an issue at all?

Heh. My boyfriend and I have had some amount of disagreement about this one. Personally, I've never been one to let fear hold me back. Generally, at night, I stay pretty safe as long as I take a few basic precautions for my safety (like I try to stay in areas I know and that know are safe, I stay in well lit areas, I try to stay aware of my surroundings and things like that).

[catfish]

TaraJo brought this up with her link about the widow.
My questions are these regarding that subject.
Since chromosomes are what determines one's biological "gender", does having both sets limit you in any way? Can you legally be considered a woman. Does having both chromosomes prohibit you from competing in female sports. Can you get arrested for using the ladies room if someone complains?

On a personal note, please ignore if this offends you but I have to ask.
Would you say that your interpersonal relationships are more abusive than those people who you do not consider as in your circle of friends? (physical and emotional)
.

[Aractus]

Ok, I think I get it.

What you're saying is that because prostitutes work in a potentially dangerous industry they should not expect protection under the law.

Is that right?

You obviously skipped step 5 again.

[TaraJo]

For sports, I know the olympics will allow trans women to compete now. In fact, they went through that issue almost ten years ago.

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/news/story?id=1803423

Past that, it varies depending on the ruling of the individual sports group. I know the NCAA has had some issues there, recently, but I haven't paid enough attention to find out how things went. Anyway, since I'm not planning on participating in any sporting events (except maybe a Super Bowl party tomorrow), it's kinda a non-issue for me.

For restrooms, like I said, I only use the women's room. I guess I could get into trouble, but it hasn't happened yet. Truth be told, I think it would cause more of a disturbance if I used the men's room at this point. I kinda have the advantage here, too: the great majority of people who are familiar enough with trans people to read me are going to be friendly enough to be ok with my using the women's room. Haters almost never seem to have good t-dar.

Other stuff that gets to me, I still have to shave my face. I really despise dragging a sharp piece of metal accross my face on a daily basis. I can't get pregnant and that's one that hurts me quite a bit sometimes, so I try not to think about it to much.

As for interpersonal relationships, they've gotten decidedly better since transitioning, mostly because any relationship I had before always seemed to be tainted with a touch of fear because I was that unstable. The friendships I have now feel more genuine, more real, more sincere. I feel like I can care about people now, but I couldn't before. I haven't had any abusers, though, in any of my relationships, simply because I'm way too outspoken to let someone get away with crap like that.

[catfish]

For sports, I know the olympics will allow trans women to compete now. In fact, they went through that issue almost ten years ago.

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/news/story?id=1803423

Past that, it varies depending on the ruling of the individual sports group. I know the NCAA has had some issues there, recently, but I haven't paid enough attention to find out how things went. Anyway, since I'm not planning on participating in any sporting events (except maybe a Super Bowl party tomorrow), it's kinda a non-issue for me.

For restrooms, like I said, I only use the women's room. I guess I could get into trouble, but it hasn't happened yet. Truth be told, I think it would cause more of a disturbance if I used the men's room at this point. I kinda have the advantage here, too: the great majority of people who are familiar enough with trans people to read me are going to be friendly enough to be ok with my using the women's room. Haters almost never seem to have good t-dar.

Other stuff that gets to me, I still have to shave my face. I really despise dragging a sharp piece of metal accross my face on a daily basis. I can't get pregnant and that's one that hurts me quite a bit sometimes, so I try not to think about it to much.

As for interpersonal relationships, they've gotten decidedly better since transitioning, mostly because any relationship I had before always seemed to be tainted with a touch of fear because I was that unstable. The friendships I have now feel more genuine, more real, more sincere. I feel like I can care about people now, but I couldn't before. I haven't had any abusers, though, in any of my relationships, simply because I'm way too outspoken to let someone get away with crap like that.

Thanks for the link. I saw they mentioned "legally recognised" so that answers my other question.
I personally have no issue with the bathroom thing, I've taken my daughter in the women's room before. If you gotta go, you gotta go.

Thanks also for answering that "personal" question too. I'd like to expand on that if you don't mind.

Mainly, its about the hormones. You said it got better since transitioning. Did you notice if it was somehow related to hormones or other meds? I.E. Did they get better before, during or after receiving treatment?

Could you tell me what you feared?

Also, does your dosage have to monitored and regulated or is it a set dose each time and can you take the wrong dose and throw your emotions out of whack?
.

---

Another question.

How much do the "treatments" cost. Meds, not surgery...

[TaraJo]

Thanks for the link. I saw they mentioned "legally recognised" so that answers my other question.

Actually, I did kinda forget to address that question.

Legal recogonition varies from organization to organization and even from state to state. There are some states that won't let you EVER change the gender marker on your ID and others that let you change it at the drop of a hat. Part of the legal fallout to the Nikki Araguz case that I mentioned is that trans people in Texas may NEVER 'fully' transition, at least not in a legal sense.

Mainly, its about the hormones. You said it got better since transitioning. Did you notice if it was somehow related to hormones or other meds? I.E. Did they get better before, during or after receiving treatment?

A little more of my history here.....

Remember when I told you that before, I was just so angry and violent and aggressive I couldn't really function normally? I spent most of my teen years in psych hospitals and while I was there, I had a doctor who's philosophy seemed to be 'if you do something I don't like, I'm gonna put you on another prescription.' By the time I left, I was on six or seven different prescriptions and I was basically a walking zombie. Thing was, I still had violent outbursts from time to time, I was just kinda 'out-of-it' between outbursts. Thing was, some of the medication had REALLY nast side effects. Respirdal was the worst; it acted on me like speed does on a normal person and it gave me bizarre neck spasms. When I told the doctor about this, he told me to wait and just get used to it. So, as of now, I really don't like the idea of psych medicine. But the reason that's relevant is because hormones have done what all those psych meds couldn't.

After starting hormones, I'll admit, there was an adjustment period. My emotional state had changed big time and I could tell it was for the better, but it still took some getting used to. This is especially true because the rest of society got difficult to deal with while I was in a kind of in-between stage (I spent about six months couch surfing and penniless). During that time, I still lashed out but I lashed out at myself. I attempted suicide a couple of times, cried a lot and cut myself a lot.

Could you tell me what you feared?

Heh. I've never been that big on fear, so I can't say I had any real fears. This is especially true when it's either transition or suicide and anything you might fear about transition is quickly squashed because it's less scary than death.

Also, does your dosage have to monitored and regulated or is it a set dose each time and can you take the wrong dose and throw your emotions out of whack?

I take two medications associated with hormones. I take spironolactone to block testosterone and I take 100mg twice a day. I also take estrogen. I started out taking estrogen in pill form and I took 4mg twice a day. Now that I take injections I just get one shot every other week. As for the spiro, if I miss a dose here or there, it's no big problem. In fact, if money is especially tight, I'll intentionally lower my dosage just to stretch it out a little further. If there's a change, it's a long-term change, so I wouldn't even really notice it unless I had been low dosing myself for a few months. As for the shot, because of the nature of the shot, I notice a change in my emotional state from getting it. Just before, I'm kinda emotionally dulled and everything, but I get my shot and I'm all happy and giddy and silly again. My boyfriend has noticed that I'm much more cuddly right after my shot (he also noticed my genitals smell like pussy right after my shot).

And, yes, my medication is moniored. I could order them online without the prescription, but since my mail service sucks and it costs less to get them with the prescription, I just run with that. I know of two doctors in the Houston area I can go to for medication. One of them doesn't really do blood tests. He also charges a lot less for the appointment. I understand some of why he does this business like he does, though, and I'd consider sticking with him if I could work my school schedule around his schedule.

How much do the "treatments" cost. Meds, not surgery...

I don't even remember how much it costs right off the top of my head. I know my estrodial comes in 5ml vial and since I take 1ml biweekly, I get 5 shots per vial. The clinic I get my prescriptions has a pharmacy on their ground floor that has a deal seet up: they charge you a lot less to get a prescription filled if it was written by a doctor in the clinic. I can usually get a vial of estrogen and a months worth of spironolactone for about $50.

As for the doctor's appointments themselves, the clinic is sliding scale and since I'm poor, I pay a lot less for my appointments. It's just $75 to see the doctor and get blood tests done. Kinda a sweet deal.

[catfish]

Have you ever considered a diet that offered more of the estrogen type hormone? Perhaps more hormone-laden meat and meat by-products?
I am actually against all pharmaceuticals for myself, but I realise that your needs are not mine. There are plants that produce a hormone that is quite similar to estrogen.

And, do you have any type of illness like diabetes that you have to contend with also?

---

And this question is really personal,

You say that you're a MtF and your bf is a FtM.
Love is love, and it would have appeared that you 2 were "made" for each other. Could you have still loved him if you both stayed the gender you were born as?
.

[TaraJo]

Have you ever considered a diet that offered more of the estrogen type hormone? Perhaps more hormone-laden meat and meat by-products?
I am actually against all pharmaceuticals for myself, but I realise that your needs are not mine. There are plants that produce a hormone that is quite similar to estrogen.

If you're talking about phyto-estrogen, the body doesn't process that nearly as well as it does animal based estrogens. In fact, before I got started, I saw phytoestrogen pills at a WalMart and I was tempted to get them. Then I looked them up online and found out they don't really help much past a little relief of some of the symptoms of menopause.

I can't imagine meat having a high enough concentration of estrogen to have any significant effect on me. I know premarin is pretty close to a natural source of estrogen since it's made from pregnant horse urine (that's where it gets its name from), but I've also heard there are other risks that go up with premarin, most notably breast cancer.

And, do you have any type of illness like diabetes that you have to contend with also?

Not really, no.

You say that you're a MtF and your bf is a FtM.
Love is love, and it would have appeared that you 2 were "made" for each other. Could you have still loved him if you both stayed the gender you were born as?

When I think back to who I was before, how I felt before, how I acted before, I can't see me having a healthy relationship with anyone. And I just don't see him being attracted to me when I was all manly and stuff. He really likes girls and he's a breast guy, so without them, I'm far less attractive to him. But were I to go back and start living as a guy now? At this point, I think our bond is past the physical so that if I could manage to live as a guy and stay psychologically sound, we would probably stick together.

As for me with him, I can date either guys or girls just fine.