Possibilities of partial transitioning?

[Guest rheanna]

Hello all!

I've been a MTF cross-dresser for a lot of years, but I'm just recently starting to think that it's maybe more complicated than that, and I'm beginning to feel that I might be transgender, to the point where I want to go about seeking medical treatment. Only thing is that I don't really feel any genital dysphoria - when I think about having a vulva and vagina, it's a really exciting thought, but I'm actually okay with my genitals just as they are too. I guess I'm definitely transgender in that I do want to have a more feminine body, but I guess what I'm not sure of is how far along I want to go in the process, or even what the possibilities are for partial transitioning. Are there folks here who have partially transitioned and are happy with where they are? Could you share some experiences or advice with a newly questioning girl?

Thank you so much

[Guest Ky_Ki]

There are ALOT of transwomen who have not had SRS and don't plan to for various reasons. Many, many of them are perfectly fine or neutral about their birth genitals and it by no means means you are a "lesser " form of transitioner or anything like that. SRS is not a requirement for transitioning nor really is anything in particular. It's just a word describing those who have chosen to either taken medical or social measures to relieve their dysphoria or who have chosen to live as the gender they feel most comfortable in or both. While I can't personally count myself among those who would be at all satisfied with keeping my "junk", you're in plenty of good company.

And I'll just quote the party line, since I know it's coming: You should probably see a therapist, especially a gender therapist, to figure out exactly what it is you want and to guide you on the journey. Which is probably repeated so often because it's probably good advice.

[Charlize]

Rehenna it is certainly possible to live as a woman without changing anything down below. HRT and surgery are fairly new procedures and there have been people living as the opposite gender to their birth gender for years. I am in that situation to some extent. While i am on HRT i have not had surgery below for other medical reasons and have been living as myself for over 2 years now. While this isn't the best perhaps, it is good enough for me and i've found some peace with myself. Best of luck and glad you joined us here at Laura's.

Hugs,

Charlize

[Guest]

Wherever you fall on the Trans* spectrum is irrelevant, Rheanna.

Your Peace and Happiness is what is important.

There are plenty of Trans* identified individuals who do not medically transition.

This is something each and every Trans* identified individual must decide on their own.

Sometimes with the help of a GT as Kira mentioned.

I wish you Peace and Happiness on your Journey.

Huggs,

Joann

[JJ]

With so much conditioning in life it can also be hard sometimes to know for certain where we will end up once we begin this journey. I did not feel specific body disphoria till I was well into transition. Or was not really aware of it perhaps. I had always felt that I was somehow not connected to my body. Would look at pics of me and try to relate to that being me personally. I am an artist and made the best I could of who I thought I had to be. Hair, nails, makeup and clothes. I went for less girly and more tailored elegance in clothes but still not masculine. Except when I was home at the end of a day or outdoors hiking and fishing-especially fishing which I did obsessively because I could be myself then.

As I allowed myself to finally face who I am and what it means - as I allowed myself to start to live outside what I am inside -the dysphoria emerged. Not a hatred of what I have -just a sense that it makes me uncomfortable and is out of place. Financial challenges and responsibilities have meant I can't have surgery for now. But I am no less a man and no less transitioned for that. My body has changed and is more male in shape etc than female except for chest and genitalia. Other men - and women - have physical abnormalities and that is how I see it. A birth defect I cannot afford to correct. You can transition and live with an anatomy that is outside the norm. And I am so much more myself and living as myself far more than I ever dreamed that I can accept it and still be happy.

We used to believe that genitalia defined gender simply because it lines up something like 98% of the time but now we know that they are not what determines what gender you are. It is far more complex than that. If it does not define my gender then I can learn to adapt if necessary. What I could no longer tolerate was living in the wrong gender. Surgery won't change that for me. Just make it more comfortable.

To me the important thing is to accept who you are and where you end up being on the spectrum-no matter where it is. Because there is no right or wrong place on the gender spectrum. Some are easier than others but all are valid and can be a good place to be when we accept ourselves and come to express who we really were born inside. You can't always anticipate how that is going to turn out till you have taken the journey and the years of conditioning and socialization fall away. Till feelings suppressed or channeled in other ways finally come through. And the results vary as much as we do as humans.

Johnny

[Guest aballofquestions]

i think everybody else pretty much hit the nail on the head. I for one think theyre all fun toys we've been given and at some level it doesnt matter which toys you were given

That said, I do understand the feeling of a disconnect too. Its up to the individual. When we say gender and sexuality are a spectrum we mean that, we dont mean that we're just adding a couple new confined boxes to the old boxes of male/female, straight/gay. No two males are exactly alike, no two transgendered people are exactly alike.

its whatever you want and what you feel comfortable with. And at the end of the day, your parts didnt determine who you were to begin with, and they dont have to now or in the future. If youre not comfortable with them, great, if you are, great. Just be you.

[Guest LizMarie]

Define partial transitioning? What do you mean by this?

If you intend to live as woman, surgery or not, to get your ids changed, etc., then you are transitioning, period. The details of that transition, will vary by person based on their own medical needs. Some seek various surgeries. Some don't. Some legally transition and some don't though that makes for a difficult life at times.

I think we need to understand what you are thinking because these are vague terms and without a definite plan of where you are and where you intend to go, we can't be very helpful.

[Guest rheanna]

Thank you all for your kind and thoughtful replies

LizMarie, I guess I was thinking more about the physical aspects. I'm sorry my initial post was vague on that, and please forgive me, I am only very new to this so in some ways I'm still trying to make sense out of my thoughts too. I guess I was hoping to ask from people who knew what the practical ramifications might be of only undergoing some of the physical changes associated with physically transitioning. Since I've obviously never gone through any part of the process, I have little to no idea what kinds of social or legal consequences might be experienced. What kinds of judgment might I get from people if I tell them I'm not undergoing SRS, for instance? Are there legal problems that might be caused by not doing so? And how have people who have experienced those things dealt with them? I guess those are the kinds of things I'm wondering about.

[Guest]

Hi rheanna,

I am not an expert nor will I ever claim to be one.

I am not familiar with Australian law. However locally, we are still required to have GCS performed on us to change our Gender marker on our identifications. I would research this aspect, if you choose to transition without GCS. This Gender marker may be unimportant to you.

Being judged for not having GCS? Who is going to know? Certainly not the general public who walks down the street. The only people who will know, will be the people you disclose this information to. Besides ofcourse your GP/PHP/Family Doctor and possibly other caregivers.

For me, the challenging part to-date is to present as my identified gender as, unfortunately, society deems it appropriate. Then there is the social transitioning portion which I find far more challenging than the physical transition.

Huggs,

Joann

[Guest LizMarie]

Rheanna,

Not getting GCS can cause issues depending on which state you live in and which state you were born in. In particular there are many states that will not update your birth certificate without GCS. However, you can obtain a State Department passport with female gender without GCS fairly easily and a US passport is legally as binding as a birth certificate so there is no need to pursue the birth certificate if you do not wish to do so.

Some states can also be sticklers about changing driver's licenses and other state identifications without GCS but those are getting very few in number these days.

It sounds like you plan to live as a woman full time? That's still not clear to me so forgive me for asking yet again. If you do, and if you begin HRT, there will be physical changes. What changes you specifically will experience and how much are completely unknowable to us. Your genetics and various other factors will combine to produce anything from extreme to minor changes. Most of us experience relatively minor changes. Breast growth with a general rule of thumb of one size smaller than the females in your family, changes in fat deposits in the face resulting in changes to facial shape, and body changes, again mostly due to where the female body prefers to deposit fat versus the male body are all the most common changes.

You will also likely see changes in muscle mass, muscle density, and almost surely experience a decrease in physical strength. Your sense of smell may be heightened. Male body odor will very likely vanish. Your own pheromones may identify you as female to nearby males.

The social changes are more complex. Even having been something of a feminist before I transitioned, I've been shocked at the actual experience of living as a woman sometime. Getting "the eye" as some man evaluates you head to toe like a piece of meat to be bought or ignored is interesting, at first. Later it starts to get annoying to some degree. Having the same men who even knew you as male talk down to you (mansplaining) after you've transitioned can be either annoying or amusing, especially when you are their technical senior on staff.

I recommend you refer to the WPATH standards of care which will answer most of your questions in the general sense but in the specifics? Only you will know and only after you've been on HRT a while, because each of us reacts to HRT uniquely.

[Guest Ender]

GCS/ SRS is not required under Australian law to change one's gender marker on identifying documents, only certification by a physician that the person is or has transitioned in some way (presumably via HRT and/ or surgeries and definitely socially). For more details, see here: https://www.passports.gov.au/web/sexgenderapplicants.aspx#quest3

Before engaging in any medical transition, I suggest you peruse the resources on here as well: http://www.wpath.org/

Regarding this notion of "partial transition," that's a rubbish term that circles around the internet and which likely originates from the "trans enough" debates that are highly inflammatory. Surgery does not and cannot make someone a man or a woman, nor can HRT for that matter. If someone identifies as a man or woman and lives as such, then that is what they are. Don't let yourself be drawn down into the Tumblrverse Hell of what does or does not constitute gender identity.

[Guest Carla_Davis]

Hi rheanna,

Welcome to Laura’s Playground.

You have been given some very good advice previously on this topic.

You seem to be young, and it is not uncommon for youth to question their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

This PDF may be of some help to you

I Think I Might Be Transgender, Now What do I Do? (PDF)

http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=731&Itemid=177http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Story?id=3088298&page=1#.Ud8yuVXD_IU

Also,

Gendercentre.org.au may be beneficial to you.

http://www.gendercentre.org.au/ (Home Page)

I would recommend that you look into this

Gendercentre.org.au Counseling Services- (I would highly recommend this for you)

The Gender Centre's counselling service is available to all clients including residential clients, community clients, partners, family members and friends of people with gender issues at no cost.

http://gendercentre.org.au/services/counselling.htm

The topics include:

The issues covered in counselling may include (but are not limited to):

· cross-dressing;

· self-harm;

· suicide;

· alcohol & other drugs;

· depression;

· harassment;

· hormones;

· relationships;

· family;

· employment;

· discrimination;

· anxiety;

· sexual health;

· accommodation; and

· surgery options.

This link on Gendercentre may also answer some of your questions.

Documents of Identity Amending the Paper Trail for Transgender and Intersex People

http://gendercentre.org.au/resources/polare-archive/archived-articles/documents-of-identity.htm

I wish you well on your Journey, wherever it takes you.

The main concern is that you are Happy in life.

Finally, I have been on HRT since 2006, and I have not had GCS yet, and live very happy in my daily life.

I do plan on having GCS soon, but my Gender is determined by what is between my ears, and not what is between my legs.

I also tell people, they cannot see under my clothes, whether or not I have had surgery.

Hugs,

Carla