I was born male but have had a very strong urge to participate as a female since early childhood. I am now using herbs to begin a wonderful transformation. I am feeling more comfortable as this occurs. My problem is I associate myself as a female but am attracted to females and not males. I don't know what that classifies me as. Heterosexual transgender, Lesbian, gay? I'm confused... :bang:
My problem is I associate myself as a female but am attracted to females and not males. Well you identify as female. Therefore, as far as you are concerned you are female. As female as any other female. So you are a female who likes females. What does that make you? (PS. Male (trans*) is used for FtM people btw!)
First off, if you're MtF (male to female), it would be the "Female (trans*)" tag. (Just to avoid any confusion. ) Secondly, I really wouldn't use herbs, rather just wait for the hormones from the endocrinologist. Lastly, you identify as female and like other females (exclusively), that makes you a lesbian. [If you really want a label for it.]
Thanks for the advice. I always wondered if I was lesbian. I've done some studying on herbal supplements that can raise the phytoestrogens and others that block testosterone. I've been using them for about a month and a half and already have a size B cup. I've also altered my diet to include mostly vegan with a soy base that has shown to raise estrogen in males and females. I've chosen this method because I've heard there are some rare side effects to using the synthesized estrogen that doctors prescribe. I am open to suggestions to my transformation. I am no longer happy with male genitelia.
Hi Lisa, First off, you are of course free to label yourself however you want. If you want to give it a shot, that includes "Female (trans*)" or even "Female" or "Woman" if you want You aren't going to "get in trouble" and there are no hoops you have to jump over if you want to be a woman here is all I am saying. And while I'm at it, welcome to EC! With "natural hrt". I could chew your ear off on this stuff (and have done that to people before ) but to be real brief, a lot of us try to do what you are trying to do. Myself included. The problem is, as long as you still have your male genetalia, nothing you do will make your body more female. Also, because literally everything you eat has an effect on your hormones, and you can't control t doses they give you in supplements, there is literally no benefit to herbals. The stuff you are doing with your diet can lower your cholesterol, your testosterone, and your body turning that testosterone into a form it can use, and can slightly increase your estrogen. Lowering your cholesterol also means lower sex hormones overall. But it won't feminize you. It will just slow down you becoming more masculine a little. Also plant estrogens or "phytoestrogens" aren't as effective as "real" estrogen. Plus they block estrogen receptors so your body can't use "real" estrogen as effectively. And again, diet affects you more than any safe amount of herbals. I know that was kind of a downer. You are in a frustrating position, but not an impossible one. If you have a conversation with your doctor, and explain how you feel about hormones, they may be able to help you. The trouble is that most doctors use hormones as a "trial period" because of the way they work. They give your body a chance to adjust so that it is not as much of a shock and your body feminizes better before its hormone makers are taken away. We all have much more successful transitions with HRT, that is why they do it at all. And for what it is worth, there are safer ways to take hormones today than there used to be. A doctor could help you more with that. The safer ways work more slowly but are just as effective. I'm doing one of those. However, a body will feminize naturally without artificial hormones after a special medical procedure. Some SRS surgeons will perform this for people that can't take hormones. In practice, any of our surgeries worldwide including this one (called orchiectomy) require what we call "walking papers", or a letter of recommendation from a qualified doctor or therapist. You will also need some of what's called "lived experience". What exactly that means is complicated, but something a doctor or therapist can help you with. "Full time" doesn't mean what it used to, and you won't have to put yourself in unsafe situations, but it is still a lot of work. The reason for the extra caution, is that hormones give us a kind of "trial period". The mental health effects of hormones happen very early on in transition. With this procedure, you not only don't have that, but if you went back, you would HAVE to be on artificial testosterone to survive. The body needs some sex hormones in it. So as you probably guessed, my advice to you is to talk to a doctor about all this. All I can do is make you aware of the options you would find if you searched the internet. If you want a list of therapists who can help you, I happen to have one here Therapists And if you want to see an example of the requirements you would have if you wanted to do a no hormone transition, Marci Bowers - MTF Orchiectomy A doctor though is probably going to at least get you to consider modern HRT, since it is much safer than it used to be (especially if you take it the way I am), and much safer for your body as far as giving it some softer "ramp up" time. Any time you have a trans question, you are probably going to get "talk to your doctor" from me. But I will always try to tell you why while I am doing it.
Thanks for the info, Just Jess. I'm VERY interested in transitioning right. Any suggestions on who to look up in my area? I don't know if I can travel any time soon to Colorado. I liked the links you gave. I have been using OTC supplementation because it was the least expensive. Thanks again!
