ok i need advice by somebody i want to start hrt now but nt ready to come out exspecialy about being trans but every thing says i should do it closer to puberty for best results my question is would it be a big difference at 18 im 15 now turn 16 on july 16 any advice and quick question does anyone know if to start it i would have to cross dress for a year publicly i read it some where just want to know true or false i need someone to push me in the right dirrection:help:
My understanding is that the most recent version of the Standards of Care does not necessarily require Real Life Experience prior to starting hormone therapy. Rather, your therapist can tailor your course of treatment to your situation and needs. I did not read that document thoroughly, but it seems that they are trying to be clear that it is not necessary to life in your gender identity in order to "prove" it or something. Rather, patients are encouraged to begin transitioning their gender role and presentation immediately, during the period when the patient is being evaluated for eligibility for hormones and possible surgical treatments. This can help them reduce their dysphoria immediately. From what I could tell, there is not even a requirement for your number of sessions with a doctor before starting hormones anymore, much less a year of being monitored during RLE. Some therapists might encourage patients strongly to begin making changes in their social gender role prior to beginning other treatments, because in some cases, such changes are adequate to sufficiently reduce gender dysphoria so that hormonal treatments and surgeries are not required. Overall, many people consider it best to avoid body modifications that aren't necessary. If nothing else, lifelong hormonal treatment and surgeries are expensive, and if you don't end up needing them, it will safe you a lot of money. Additionally, making changes in your wardrobe and hairstyle, and other aspects of your gender presentation, can be started for free, immediately, without any medical supervision required. I think in the case of adolescents, they are likely to begin treatment with puberty suppressing hormones immediately, and wait a while on the feminizing or masculinizing hormones. Specialists in the field are aware of the difference it makes to stop puberty and the development of secondary sexual characteristics. It is different from the case with adults, where this development is already complete. But any hormonal or surgical treatment will require the consent of your parents. The big difference in how successful treatment will be between now and 18 depends on how far into puberty you are, not so much your age. A lot of the masculinizing that happens to your body during puberty isn't reversible just by hormones, but would require surgery, or even be completely irreversible and permanent. The treatment that is most important for you to get as an adolescent is the puberty blockers, to stop the development of adult male features. Hormone treatment to develop female features is less urgent. What is your family like? What would happen if you came out to your parents? (P.S. Dressing in the clothing of your true gender is not "cross-dressing." It's just expressing your true self.) ---------- Post added 10th Jun 2012 at 02:43 PM ---------- (The requirement of a Real Life Experience is, I believe, from a now-outdated version of the standards of care.)
