Is it possible for HRT to change sexual orientation?

[WorkerBeast]

Just curious, have you guys ( how have been on HRT) experienced a change in sexual preference? So, if you are a transguy that was interested in the ladies did you find your interest shift to the gents after taking T for a period of time?

[Nygeel]

Not exactly a change in sexual orientation, but more of a change in how I view my own sexuality. Initially it was "I am attracted to women" then I thought about gender, and that some of the people I found attractive didn't identify as women. After being on T for awhile, and having difficulty finding people now that are okay with me being trans...plus increased sex drive...plus zero sex equals somebody who doesn't care about the person's gender. Really, I gave up on caring because I decided that a person's gender was a much much much lower priority.

[aleon515]

I think switches in sexual orientation are known to happen. But the question is why? Perhaps the original sexual orientation is masked by the fact that the person is trans.

--Jay

[WorkerBeast]

Nygeel,
I can completely comprehend.


Jay,
Are you suggesting that it is possible that a pre-HRT guy can be straight(the Hu-hu likes the ladies) and after HRT be gay (the Hu-hu likes the gents) because pre-HRT guy has not fully realized himself emotionally and sexually (due to not experiencing the correct puberty)?

[mangoslayer]

i dont think it's as much changing as it is that guys dont want to be with a guy as a girl. Once they transition they can more freely express their sexuality of being a gay or bi man.

[Nygeel]

The other thing I've seen people do is let's say they're part of the LGBT community before transition, then after it's like they're no longer apart of that community, so they aren't straight after because they want that sense of community.

[FrancisAnn]

I'm MTF & for myself I sure felt more attracted to men when taking stronger doses of HRT. Maybe I just felt more normal since I was always attracted to men to begin with. I do not think it makes any changes in one's given sexual orientation.

[aleon515]

Jay,
Are you suggesting that it is possible that a pre-HRT guy can be straight(the Hu-hu likes the ladies) and after HRT be gay (the Hu-hu likes the gents) because pre-HRT guy has not fully realized himself emotionally and sexually (due to not experiencing the correct puberty)?

I am suggesting that when a trans person switches orientation (which happens) we don't actually know if they *really* switch or if they gain recognition of an actual identity, so the answer might be "yes" to your question. But it could also be no. There are lots of factors besides puberty. We know that trans people sometimes are in denial or pushing down their actual identities (or don't know them).

I don't think it is HRT per se, but the whole process of transition.

--Jay

[Jack_M]

I'm not on T (yet) but I think since presenting as male I've found myself kinda questioning my sexuality.  Like right now I'm starting to think I might find myself being bi because while it was originally a turn off to imagine myself with another girl, I'm starting to kinda question it and I wonder if that was only an aversion when I was female. It doesn't have the same effect on me, now I think I might actually quite like it, but I know I am definitely still attracted to males so I can't say if HRT changes you but I think there may be a part of the transitioning process alone, regardless of hormones that can change your views on the issue.

[Cindy]

If I can make an observation. I think we may suppress our identities and feelings to protect ourselves in society. I was never Gay and even though when I was a guy I often got attention from Gay guys for some reason I always rejected it.


Now my sex preference is very clear, I like guys.
Just to make life complicated I have a couple of Gay friends and I'm not attracted (sexually) to them at all, nor they to me.

So my thoughts are as we grow into our new life and get used to our new experiences then we accept our feelings as part of us and not something to suppress or run away from.

[dean1229]

That's weird but i was thinking about it today. I am a FTM and i am gay. I have never been attracted to girls in a sexual way. But today i was thinking that it might change after i go on T. Well seriously - who will be attracted to me after i go on T? Girls and probably gay guys. So i won't have much choice cos gay guys want GUYS and even if i go on T i won't have the parts they are after. So i might as well turn to girls. I think i would look much better after taking T cos i am very tall and with the help of T i might turn into an attractive guy.

[geek]

So i might as well turn to girls.

Please tell me you're kidding

[GQBookworm]

That's weird but i was thinking about it today. I am a FTM and i am gay. I have never been attracted to girls in a sexual way. But today i was thinking that it might change after i go on T. Well seriously - who will be attracted to me after i go on T?

You'd be surprised.  A lot of "straight" guys are a lot more flexible than they appear at first sight.  Bi guys are perfect, really...

[Rowan Rue]

I hope you won't mind me adding my two cents as I'm going the opposite direction, but what I have found is that it's confirmed my orientation in a way.
I had always veiwed myself as being theoretically bi.  When I was living as a man I found other men attractive, but I wasn't attracted to them and I was always puzzled by this. 
What's more is that getting hit on by gay guys was even less of a turn on.
What I've come to realize since I started being seen as female is that what was turning me off was being seen as male. after that changed my attraction to men has risen to the same level as my attraction to women and where I would once have said I was a 80/20 split, I'm now dead on 50/50.

[Mesh]

Hey I'm not an expert on the topic, but I did hear about person(s) being attracted to the same gender per HRT, and and pos HRT. I wouldn't be surprised if it's just in genetics to be attracted to the same sex. I do believe it was Doc. Kinsey that said sexuality is fluent and changes slightly over time.    

[randomroads]

gay guys want GUYS and even if i go on T i won't have the parts they are after.

As a gay man I find this offensive. While there are many sex addicts and jack donkeys out there that are only into someone because of their sex organs many more people are NOT and that has nothing to do with orientation.

I accept the fact that I may become more open and eventually identify as bisexual, but I can't ever picture myself wanting to look at breasts and vaginas so I'm betting all of my chips on staying gay. Unless I manage to find a really awesome, outdoorsy, fun, hilarious, down to earth woman who is asexual and doesn't want me to touch her crotch.

[GentlemanRDP]

While it's difficult to actually 'prove' if HRT is responsible for a 'change' in sexual orientation, It's a common belief held by quite a few people. I do think that it seems to coincide enough to be more than just a coincidence. But for myself, I was confused even before HRT. Before I started testosterone, I was claiming to be a lesbian, but once I started T, I realized that it just didn't feel right, and began to identify as a gay transman. In my case, I believe that I became comfortable enough with who I was to eventually accept my own feelings. But it's hard to say.

[Natkat]

I don't really belive T can change your sexualety as in matter of gender.
I do admit I felt diffrent with my sexualety after T but that was more of a question on what could make me turn on and off and how often, fast and such things and not really on whatever I liked guys or girls.

going of a non-trans perspective I guess peoples "change" there sexualety on homonest cause they often have a great chance of experience with something new and hopefully more themself. I know alot of transpeople who transition and who used to be very insecure in there body start going out more and be more secure sexually to be woth people who opens up new posibilatys. Also as for the non-trans view I think about how I on my last school had one semester where pretty much everyone seamed straight but the second where it where almost all guys they all seams gay,bi og bi-curious, now when I see them again there there "usual self" I dont belive they changed there sexualety, I just belived they had a greater chance to explore it because at the second semester people where alot more openminded than at the first guess its the same with transpeople who transition.

[Nero]

I don't think it can really change orientation. But maybe if someone had a low sex drive prior to T, they're suddenly hornier and may find more things turn them on. Not that it wasn't always there, they just didn't think about it maybe if their sex drive was suppressed. Just an idea.
I've always been attracted to male and female bodies so no change on T.

And like someone mentioned, I wonder if some people are just into the same sex and/or the lifestyle/identity that comes along with that and that's more responsible for the change. I've heard of guys going from 'lesbian' to gay male after transition.

[Sly]

I know someone who was exclusively into women before starting T and is now in a relationship with a gay man.

For myself, before T I was barely interested in sex at all.  I mostly found men attractive and occasionally thought women were pretty and I might like to try being with one.  These days I'm all about the boys.