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Posts Tagged ‘testosterone’

Ask Matt: On Looking Male

Posted in Advice, Ask Matt, Information, Observations, tagged , , , , , on April 29, 2013 | 14 Comments »

Question MarkToday we have a couple of letter related to “male” appearance and expression. I now turn it over to the writers.

A reader writes: “I was looking back on an old post where you stated trans guys all ‘pass’ after x amount of time on testosterone.

“I have now been on T seven years. I have changed my documentation. I have a baritone voice. I still occasionally get read as female. This seems to occur more when I am in queer-friendly spaces, and if it happens where I can respond, I simply correct people and say, ‘It’s sir, actually’ or something similar.

“I think it’s important that trans men realize that sometimes you can do things ‘right’ (have a deep voice, act masculine, etc.) and your transition might still take a long, long time.”

It’s true. I have said in the past that, in general, trans guys will not be mistaken for female within a year or two of starting testosterone. And I think this is true for most trans guys – but there will always be exceptions. Transition is a process, not a product, and hormones are going to affect everyone differently.

Some people’s bodies just don’t process hormones in a “typical” or expected way. For some, the genetics just aren’t there for the physical changes that allow for complete assimilation as a “traditional” male (or female).

For me, I have had to accept the fact that I will be “ma’amed” at least 50 percent of the time on the telephone and at drive-thrus. I hate it, but I don’t think that it will ever change. I don’t have a super-deep voice, but it’s not the deepness that is the problem – it’s the inflection or modulation. My voice is all over the place – up, down, and very expressive.

That is a “female” trait in our culture. I’ve tried the monotone thing, but I have to concentrate too hard, and if I’m not thinking about it, I revert right back. So that’s my annoyance, but it is minor. (more…)

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Ask Matt: Trans Man Troubles

Posted in Advice, Ask Matt, Information, Observations, tagged , , , , on April 15, 2013 | 23 Comments »

Question MarkToday we have two letters from trans guys, one seeking social advice and another seeking medical advice. As always, reader thoughts, experiences, and advice are welcome and encouraged. Here we go:

A reader writes: “I’m a 32-year-old transguy who began transition two years ago. Prior to that, I lived as a lesbian for 15 years. Transition was a painful decision for me. There was no joy in it – it was a step I had to take because there was no other option. I feel more comfortable in my own skin than I ever thought possible – but, oh, what a price I have paid.

“I lost all of my lesbian friends in transition. In one fleeting moment, I lost my entire community. Once it became apparent that these fences would not/could not be mended, I began to seek new community. From my years of lesbian activism I thought getting involved with Trans activism would be a good way to meet like-minded Trans folks. But I’m have found (at least in my area) Trans* equals transwomen – transmen need not apply.

“I am allowed to volunteer my time to the cause, but there is a pervasive feeling that, at best, transmen are a novelty, and at worst, our experience is being dictated to us. The arguments that my lesbian friends used against me (you now have male privilege, blah blah blah) are the very same arguments being hurled at me from the trans feminine community.

“I find this very frustrating and isolating. I was socialized female. I lived as a gender non-conforming woman for three decades. In my heart of hearts, I don’t identify as a man but rather a transman. And yet my experiences are constantly being thrown away, as if being Trans could be distilled down into some sort of sick oppression Olympics.

“How do I find a place in this world where I fit in when everyone seems so hostile?”

This is a tough one. When I first transitioned over fifteen years ago, the trans community that I entered was also primarily trans women. Although I got no hostility there (the community here in Denver was actively trying to promote inclusion of trans men), I still didn’t quite “fit,” and I was the only guy at many functions.

That changed as time went on. More trans guys became visible and started interacting in the community. But there always seemed to be a separation, and I think that’s because trans men and trans women have very different experiences on many levels. (more…)

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Ask Matt: Reader Input Needed on Trans-Guy Questions

Posted in Ask Matt, Information, tagged , , , , , on March 11, 2013 | 18 Comments »

Question MarkI have received several questions from trans guys that I am unable to answer fully or at all. I’m hoping that readers can chime in, point to resources, and provide their own knowledge and experiences. Thanks so much and, as always, thanks for reading.

A reader writes: “I’m a 23-year-old trans guy who has been on hormones for four years, but I just had my name legally changed. With a note from my doctor, I was able to change my sex marker on my driver’s license. I know I have to change my Social Security information, as well as my birth certificate.

“That being said, my goal is to finally start college this fall! My question is more about financial aid. On the FAFSA form, it will ask me my sex. Do I still put down F because that is what my birth certificate says, or M so it matches my driver’s license? I also have to get a note from Selective Service about why I can’t sign up, or else I won’t qualify for financial aid at all. If you (or a wonderful reader) have any advice, I’d greatly appreciate it!”

Based on the online research that I have done, it appears to me that you could have a problem with FAFSA if the name and/or sex that you list on your FAFSA application does not match the name and/or sex that the Social Security Administration has for you. This could delay your financial aid or cause your application to be rejected.

If you have not changed your name and sex with the Social Security Administration, then I would advise you to apply under the name and sex that the SSA has for you. This will also keep you from having to deal with the Selective Service problem, although Selective Service does have an exemption request form that you can download here (pdf document), and the exemption letter you receive will not say why you are exempt.

However, if you are applying to your school as male under your new name, which you likely are, then this can cause problems as well, because your school records won’t match your FAFSA application. I would suggest that you contact the financial aid office at the school and ask them how to proceed. That will out you at your new school, but because some of your paperwork does not match up anyway, your records will likely not all match up until you get everything squared away anyway.

I know that some readers have dealt with this, and some might even work in financial aid. Readers, what do you suggest? (more…)

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Ask Matt: Do Trans Men Die Young?

Posted in Advice, Ask Matt, Information, Observations, tagged , , , on February 14, 2013 | 6 Comments »

Question MarkWelcome to a special Thursday edition of Tranifesto, with more Ask Matt questions. I’m hoping to catch up on my backlog of questions, and, as always, I’m hoping that readers will supply their wisdom in the Comments section. Today’s questions are:

A reader writes: “I have a pretty scary question. I’m a trans man, and pretty early in everything, so I used to like looking accomplished trans men up online to have some celebrities to feel some sort of connection to.

“But then I noticed than trans men seem to die pretty young – at least the ones mentioned in ‘famous trans men’ lists all around. So many died before they were even fifty or sixty. And now I just saw another memorial post on Facebook for a guy who died, also before his 50th birthday.

“I know that it’s probably a coincidence, and that all the trans men who live long, happy lives are probably never heard of. But I just have this nagging fear inside that it might have something to do with medical conditions that aren’t being noticed because of bias in the medical system, or something to do with testosterone or … you get the picture.

“My doctor doesn’t know anything about anything, so now I ask you. Maybe you and your readers know something. Do you know if there is any kind of medical study of how trans men in general do medically after transitioning?”

The one thing I do know is that you will never get out of this life alive. I’m not trying to be snarky. You will die of something, and my philosophy has always been that I would rather die after having lived a full and authentic life than after having lived as someone I am not.

There are some health risks associated with testosterone, but for most people, these can be mitigated. From what I have read, trans men overall have the same life expectancy as non-trans men, which is slightly shorter than for women.

Some of the guys who you have read about have committed suicide. Lou Sullivan, a very famous trans man who is probably on many of those lists, died from complications related to AIDS. Robert Eads, another very well-known trans man, died from ovarian cancer. Both of these deaths were quite likely complicated by bias in the medical system.

Many of the guys you have probably read about would have died whether they transitioned or not. They might have had some overlooked or undiscovered health problem that would have killed them regardless. They might have developed a terminal illness that had nothing to do with testosterone. The only reason you know about them is because they were trans. (more…)

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Ask Matt: Male or Female – How Do I Decide?

Posted in Advice, Ask Matt, Information, Observations, tagged , , , , , on January 21, 2013 | 7 Comments »

Question MarkThe following two questions are actually quite different, but there was enough of a connection that I was able to pair them under the same headline. So to keep the Ask Matt questions from getting too backed up, that’s exactly what I did.

A reader writes: “I’m a mid-twenties FTM (four months on T) and a devout meathead. Now I KNOW you’re not a doctor, but I was hoping I could have some input regarding body fat during transitioning. At what point, if ever, are transmen able to use the male standards for body fat percentage? And is there a general point in time when body fat redistribution steadies? I’d appreciate any technical info or just personal accounts. Thanks!”

This is an interesting question, because I have wondered this myself on occasion and have never thought to ask my doctor. Although I no longer work out to any extent, when I look at Body Mass Index and Basal Metabolic Rate calculators online to try to figure out where I should be weight-wise or what a realistic calorie intake is, I always question whether I should enter “male” or “female.”

Testosterone has given me a little extra muscle mass, which is waning in my golden years, and I went through a period of time when I worked out frequently and added some more, or at least enhanced what I had. But even without a lot of muscle, it seems that T does have some influence over metabolism, and it definitely influences body-fat distribution, so it would seem to me that “male” would be an appropriate selection based on that.

However, I still have a “typical” female bone structure, and my forty-two years with minimal testosterone and a lot of estrogen had a strong influence on my body type and structure, and some of that no doubt remains. Based on that, do I choose “female” when trying to decide how many calories I should have or what my “healthy” weight should be?

I don’t know, and I hope someone out there with medical or health and fitness training can tell us. I would be inclined to say that, given your age, the fact that you are a muscle guy, and the fact that T, combined with working out, is going to greatly influence your muscle mass over time, you should probably be able to use “male” standards after six months to a year on T. (more…)

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Ask Matt: Why Am I Bigender?

Posted in Advice, Ask Matt, Information, Observations, tagged , , , , on January 7, 2013 | 20 Comments »

Question MarkA reader writes: “I’m a 32-year-old female who is a bigender transgender. I got my testosterone checked and it’s 43. The doctor said that 45 and up would be kinda high, and I’m very close to that.

“Can this be why I’m bigender? I heard that most transgenders (transgender people) have high or near-high testosterone or estrogen. Thanks.”

The short answer is that I don’t know why you are bigender – but I obviously have more to say!

My understanding of the term bigender is that it refers to a person who manifests both masculine and feminine gender identities and who sometimes identifies as a man, sometimes identifies as a woman, or perhaps identifies as both simultaneously. I believe that this term can also refer to people who have multiple gender identities that are not necessarily restricted to traditional masculinity and femininity or to traditional representations of “man” and “woman.”

I’m sure that there are individual variations on this, and because I’m don’t identify as bigender, I might  not be expressing this correctly, so I hope bigender people will correct or add to this definition. There is also information and individual stories, as well as communication and interaction opportunities, at Bigender.net.

I’m not sure what you mean by “bigender transgender,” but it’s possible that you mean that you have a bigender identity that leans heavily toward the masculine on a hypothetical masculine/feminine spectrum or towards “manhood” on a hypothetical man/woman spectrum. (more…)

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Ask Matt: Hormone Roundup

Posted in Advice, Ask Matt, Information, Observations, tagged , , , , on November 19, 2012 | 4 Comments »

Question MarkI have recently gotten several questions about hormones, so I decided to put them together in a (slightly long) post. I’m hoping that my readers can pitch in with their thoughts. So here goes:

A reader writes: “I heard once that those who are mentally ill will never be approved by any doctor to have any sort of sexual reassignment surgery. I’m also assuming this includes prescriptions for testosterone. This is of interest to me as I am bipolar, so, in my understanding, this means I will never be able to have surgeries if I wanted to.

“This leads me to my next question. Without the benefits of surgeries and T I have already come to the conclusion that I will never pass as a man, nor, more than likely, be fully accepted into the FTM community, since, from what I’ve seen, it is heavily based around those experiences of surgeries and T treatments. So, where does that leave me?

“I’ve already begun on the journey from one world to another, only to find that my way is partially blocked off. Will I have to be content with being considered androgynous, or worse yet, some hastily thrown together mishmash of sexes where, as one friend just recently told me, ‘I can still tell you’re a girl’?”

This is interesting, because I have not heard that if you have a mental health diagnosis, you will never be approved for transition under any circumstances. Currently, Gender Identity Disorder (the diagnosis that many doctors require in order to prescribe hormones or perform transition surgery) is a mental health diagnosis. So, at least theoretically, you must have a mental health diagnosis to transition.

However, there are probably certain diagnoses that might delay or preclude a therapist’s approval for transition. I don’t know if bipolar disorder is one of those diagnoses, but I would imagine that it might depend on the severity of the problem. So the first thing I would ask is if you have discussed this with a therapist. If you have not, and you are interested in the possibility of medical transition, then that’s your first step. (more…)

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Ask Matt Briefs: Short Questions, Short Answers

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , on November 12, 2012 | 4 Comments »

Question MarkThe Ask Matts are accumulating again, so we have a column of briefs, more substantial than what is in my own.

A reader writes: “I am transitioning and I have decided that I don’t want testosterone treatment simply because I do not desire facial hair or chest hair. I am planning on having top surgery, but not bottom surgery. Is there a place for trans guys who aren’t going full-board male? I’ve heard of non-ops, but what about not taking T? I will be attending my first support group soon, and I am so nervous and so excited at the same time.”

There is definitely a place for trans guys who are not taking hormones, not having surgery, or both. One of the “problems” with medical transition is that there is a certain path that has been put out there as a “blueprint” or a “map,” and the expectation is that everyone will follow this path. The reality is that not everyone does, and only you can determine what constitutes “transition” and “done” for you.

Another (unfortunate) reality is that, in some cases, you will not be taken seriously, not only by non-trans people, but by some trans people as well. Depending on the community, there can be hierarchies, where those who are using hormones and have had surgery are at the top of the hierarchy and consider themselves to be “more trans” or “more legitimate” than those who are not using hormones or have not had surgery. This doesn’t occur everywhere, but it can happen, and it can happen even in support groups.

I encourage you to go to your support group and get the lay of the land. It’s normal to be incredibly nervous before your first support group. It’s okay not to talk or share a lot, but it’s also okay to tell them whatever you want them to know about you. If the group is accepting of everyone, you will soon know it. If the group tries to tell you that you are “doing transition wrong” or delegitimizes you in any way, find another group. (more…)

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Ask Matt Potpourri: Short Questions with Short Answers

Posted in Commentary, Observations, Advice, Information, Ask Matt, tagged , , , , , , , , on September 24, 2012 | 2 Comments »

Question MarkI have several Ask Matt short questions, from voter laws to pronouns to sex drive, that have relatively short answers, so I am putting them together in an Ask Matt Potpourri, and am hoping that readers can help out as well. So here we go:

A reader writes: “I am coming out late in my life. I am 65. I am on phytoestrogens. I am an avid shopper for feminine clothes and such. I am totally happy, but money is a big issue. Any suggestions you could give me would be a big help.”

I turn to my trans women readers for some shopping suggestions, but I always recommend thrift stores, such as Goodwill or ARC, for clothing needs, particularly in the early stages of transition. Money is often tight for trans people, and many of these second-hand stores have fantastic clothes as bargain prices. They also have sale days or senior discount days, where prices are reduced even more.

And even if money was no object, I would still recommend thrift stores for both men and women just beginning transition. Hormones change the shape of the body, redistributing fat and increasing or decreasing muscle mass, so it’s almost counterproductive to spend a lot of money on a new wardrobe when you don’t know what your body will look like in a year or two. That great dress, shirt, or pair of jeans that fits now might not in a few months. Your tastes might also change as you move through your transition. So don’t make a major investment up front, and go where the bargains are.

A reader writes: “I’m a teen FTM and I’ve recently switched to male pronouns (my friends and family on board, of course). Although whenever someone is talking about me with ‘he’ and such, I often forget that they’re talking about me at all! I’m so used to ‘she’ that I haven’t really connected with ‘he’ yet, even though I want to. Is that a normal feeling for a new trans person? If so, how do I get used to my new pronouns?”

I think this is very normal, because “she” is all you’ve ever known. When I started transition, I sometimes even referred to myself as “she,” and I often turned my head when people said “Jennifer,” even though they were talking about someone else. I also turned around when people said “Ma’am,” even though I knew they weren’t talking to me. That one actually took a couple of years to go away entirely.

As a teenager, your brain is still developing, which is actually a positive thing for you, because it might make it easier to form those associations with regard to your new pronouns. But it’s still going to take time. The more you hear them, the more familiar they will become, and the more they will seem like you. You will “grow into” them.

Be patient. The brain is extremely adaptable, but it also needs time to adjust. Give yourself at least a few months, and soon you won’t even acknowledge female pronouns, because they won’t seem like “you” anymore. (more…)

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Ask Matt: Physical, Emotional, and Cognitive Changes from Testosterone

Posted in Ask Matt, Information, Observations, tagged , , , , on September 6, 2012 | 7 Comments »

Question MarkReader #1 writes: “How long does this second puberty last? I have been on T for two years. I have good facial hair growth, I am recognized as male 100 percent of the time, my voice has stopped getting deeper, and I think I am done with changes in my nether regions. My body fat has shifted from my hips to my now Buddha belly. My hairline has considerably shifted farther back on my forehead. I now have hair on my upper back and shoulders – so when is puberty over? Are there any other changes to look forward to?”

Reader #2 writes: “I’ve been looking around, but I can’t find much information on how testosterone affects emotions and cognition and thoughts. I’ve heard that it becomes easier to visualize 3-d objects and rotate mental images of things. What are emotions like and how are they different from before? I know this may be difficult to articulate, but any information you can give will be greatly appreciated. Also, if you know of any good articles someone else might have written on the subject, would you please link them?”

Since these topics are somewhat related (and since Ask Matts are slightly backed up), I thought I would deal with both of them at the same time, as well as give readers a chance to chime in with their varied experiences.

What I have always heard about testosterone – and what is still my understanding – is that while the type and rate of physical changes obviously vary from person to person, the most dramatic physical changes happen within the first two years, with the possibility of additional changes occurring over the next three.

However, my own experience demonstrates that this is not always true. Although my hairline receded slightly over the course of the first few years, I thought I was home free with regard to male pattern baldness. I figured that I didn’t have the gene, because I still had a thick head of hair – until eight years out. Suddenly, hair was everywhere but on my head – on my towel, on my pillow, in the sink. Genetics finally kicked in.

So although I’m not aware of any changes that might happen other than the ones you describe (these sound like the standard changes that most people expect), it’s possible that those changes that have already happened will continue to “expand.” You could lose more hair on your head. You could gain more hair on your back. Your Buddha belly could become more bountiful. You could get a little more facial hair (and, of course, it will probably eventually turn grey). (more…)

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