When did you notice the arrival of the female perspective?

[Newgirl Dani]

Well here I am relaxing with my morning coffee and began to notice changes that had strayed from the realm of hints, into the 'what?' area.  It is now fairly clear that this change is not just some random mental wandering, but something entirely different.
     One aspect of a woman's nature that always seemed to elicit that 'Aren't you listening' kind of one way dialog, has jumped up and said 'I'm here'.  For me, this never seemed to fail in getting that internal thought response 'Damn!   How can she not be interested in this?' and leave to do some kind of guy thing, OR, ramble on for a considerable length of time while she read.
     Revelation.......alot of times that 'trigger' or reason that seems to make it neccessary for a response is emotionlly based rather than anything else.  Do not get me wrong though, like anything else there is an infinite variation, because a high number of women are intellectually motivated, far more than myself.  I just have a vague notion that many 'prefer' to stay on their natural emotional level.
     Now I'm sure that this is not new info for most guys, but here's where it changed for me, this morning was my first notice of depth that I'm actually 'experiencing' this.  Somewhere that hormonal railway guy swithed me from the hard tracks I was on, to some sort of soft and squishy ones that for me is a much more comfortable ride.    Dani

What will be interesting for me is to hear the variation in mtf, that maybe do not even understand this notion, all the way to my place on this spectrum, which I'm pretty sure was guided by such a high level of testosterone.

[suzifrommd]

As soon as I started going out presenting female, months before HRT, I started getting a female perspective. Shopping for clothes, for example, which I've always hated, was now fun. Being touched by a male, which before had seemed kind of icky, now wasn't so bad.

It took a year of hormones, before I really started noticing my moods changing, though.

[Ms Grace]

I feel that Ive had it for a long time. But then I had a stint in HRT for two years some 20 years ago so maybe that rattled something loose. After that I did a lot of self development so became pretty good at sorting out and experiencing my feelings, etc. When I started HRT this time it was straight into familiar territory.

[Jill F]

I have come to realize that it was really there all along.  It's just gone from fuzzy to crystal clear now that I'm running 100% on the right fuel.

[stephaniec]

I'd say from at least 4 years old

[awilliams1701]

Interesting I was under the impression it was supposed to happen within a week of HRT. It made me question my dosages because I don't really feel much different. Its interesting to see that this too is highly variable.

[DanielleA]

Apart from the physical changes, I didn't notice any changes to my interests and likes. I mean my emotional responses are more openly expressed than they used to be but that's it. I still love shopping for clothes ect. but hate shopping for groceries,  I avoid watching-reading sports and love to talk. These are all things I did before hrt. Perhaps it is because I became comfortable in my female role that I began exploring things that other women like . Which I was chastised for doing before transitioning.

[awilliams1701]

I've never felt comfortable in a male or female role. Maybe that's why it took me so long to come out to myself. Now that I'm out I feel more comfortable about feminine things than I ever have, but I'm not a super girly girl with pink and lace everywhere.

[23 Skidoo]

Shopping for clothes, for example, which I've always hated, was now fun.

I don't think this is a female perspective, this is a 'not having to buy clothes that make you hate how you look' perspective.

[judithlynn]

Hi this is another interesting conversation.
Recently I was at a social gathering and I was sitting down at a table and a guy  started to chat with me. He was sitting on my right. On my left there was a  young girl (aged 19) and her gender fluid girl/boy friend. Well the guy  started chatting with me  and  started telling me all about his work in manufacturing and quality in immense detail and how he related to the Directors and the workers and how he worked with the different engineers and machines. I tried to look interested, and ask sensible question, but it was completely boring to me (whereas as a man I probably really interested). Although I was only have listening, on my left side the youngsters and another post-op girl were having a long conversation about relationships and the male female divide and also about different types of make up approaches. At this stage after 20 mins of learning all about the manufacturing engineering processes, I politely said I was interested in the youngsters conversation and hoped the male didn't mind and turned and then was engrossed in this other conversation for over an hour. The 19 year old girl also commented on my make up  recognised the eye make up brand I was using (Tattoo cream eye shadow) and we then had a really interesting conversation about different make up. I told her about using Dior Mascara. I even talked about how her gender fluid boy/girl friend (Young 19 year old boy but wearing nail varnish and eye make up  looking very nice) should consider going on a low dose HRT and he was  worried about his male puberty issues. I was just that more interested in these women's type conversations. Mind you talking to the man, it was interesting for me I suppose that I was the one been talked to as previously as a male it would have me doing all the talking!
Judith

[Sabrina]

I first noticed when I stopped being ashamed of wearing ladies clothing in public. I don't really give a(n) (insert chosen expletive here) what anyone else says. I seem to get positive feedback from others. Also when I started being far more sociable than I used to be.

[allisonsteph]

I think I have always had a female perspective on life which caused great anguish because I socialized as a male. Once I realized that it is ok to have this perspective, the idea of transitioning became a realistic goal rather than an impossible dream.

[Newgirl Dani]

I don't think this is a female perspective, this is a 'not having to buy clothes that make you hate how you look' perspective.

Bingo!  Judithlynn is aslo really close to what I was attempting to get across.  I was not trying to get at how we think about outward things i.e. how we dress, how we fit in socially, how we view ourselves/ m, f, or mtf, body image etc..  What I mean is that almost imperceptable juncture where thinking patterns morph from analytical towards emotional due to hrt physically altering brain pathways 'and' brain chemistry.  Emotion and analytical being located in entirely different parts of the brain.  That moment in time when a person actually becomes aware when it is happening in real time.

The very last part of my original post was referring to the 'genetic aspect' of this topic, the ones for whom this pathway had been partially pre-formed at birth, and hrt was the tool for its completion.  People here I would be sure fall within this range in many varying degrees.   Dani

[emilyking]

FYI: I'm IS.

When I started on ERT, I noticed nothing changed for me, except more breast growth.
My body stayed the same, my moods stayed the same, how I acted and saw the world never changed. 
After some time, my scalp did stop being so greasy, and my belly hair did get even softer, and my skin did thin out.  But nothing else.
This really bugged me, but since I was still in the closet, and doing it illegally at the time, I couldn't talk to anyone.

When I finally came out, my brother told me about XXY/Klinefelter's syndrome.  And at first it seemed to fit.  But my t levels where still high on low dose Spiro, which led me to Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (Partial to be precise.).

Anyway long story short, I've always been hormonally female, so I've always had the "female perspective", but I just really was oblivious.
Like in middle school, I started noticing girls clothing.  Or in highschool, when I looked at a female, I always noticed their hair, and wondered if I could wear what they do.  I never understood what guys meant by saying a girl was "hot".  I was always the person who could turn off the TV to listen to someone.

[mac1]

I first felt that I should be female when I was around 8 years old. However, due to circumstances, I have always been trapped in male mode.

[ImagineKate]

I've heard about the mental changes on HRT but I don't really know if I've experienced a change so to speak. The only one I experienced is being calm and the dysphoria voice shutting up which has put a smile on my face and a spring in my step. But I've always been emotional and I cry a lot. I've also always had female perspective on a lot of things, including dating, relationships and parenting. I could never ask a girl out and when one showed interest in me I played hard to get!

Clothes shopping used to be boring with shopping for boring guy clothes but I like shopping for women's clothes and I can spend hours doing it. I always looked at girls and wondered what it would be like to wear what they were wearing. Dysphoria it was but also I was looking at styles.

I always could have a conversation with women much better than with men. I talk primarily about life, news events and parenting but I can't bring myself to talk about sports. Especially things like fantasy football, sooooo boring to me. When I was single I would talk about relationships and future plans, getting married and having a family. Also when I talk about parenting, I really don't talk with dads. I talk with moms.

But I do have a guy perspective on some things though. That's good to have I think.

[Allyda]

I'm also IS and have really always been female for as long as I can remember. It was only through and due to very unfortunate circumstances involving my overbearing bullheaded adopted father who forced me as a child to dress as a boy. I wasn't much good at pretending to be male tho and as a result have had it pretty miserable for the most part for most of my life. Thankfully now I'm finally me inside and out,and the last thing that I've waited oh so long for, my SRS will soon correct my birth defect between my legs so I can be made whole. This will be the best spring of my entire life!

Happy Holidays!
Ally

[katrinaw]

As long as I could consciously remember... I remember at 5 or 6 wanting that thing between my legs gone, always playing the feminine/submissive roles as a kid... crying nightly that my parents had not birthed me as a girl...
However because of times then I learnt how to portray the male role, hating it, the situation, god, parents and everyone around me... but I had to conform or die, I did not want the latter, so my lifelong agony and spells of almost coming out happened... apparently I hid it well, including last 10 ~ 12 years of HRT (lost count)... dunno how I have hidden and got away with boobs and shaped eyebrows... but here I am out of time... I have to go FT and come out to all very soon.

I still cry nightly, always have and will at the potential loss of everything I love today... strength and purpose will see me through...

Sorry about my rambling, I love how I feel and look a lot of the time... but at that crunch point..

But hey I do still love life and these threads, they sort of test and ground me... Thanks Girls 

Lots of Love Katy

[awilliams1701]

The calm you mention is what I was hoping for the most. 2nd was ED, and 3rd was breasts. Well my breasts are growing as I can feel them, but they are still flat. I got ED almost immediately. If I got any calm its been super mild and I find that a little disappointing.

I've heard about the mental changes on HRT but I don't really know if I've experienced a change so to speak. The only one I experienced is being calm and the dysphoria voice shutting up which has put a smile on my face and a spring in my step. But I've always been emotional and I cry a lot. I've also always had female perspective on a lot of things, including dating, relationships and parenting. I could never ask a girl out and when one showed interest in me I played hard to get!

Clothes shopping used to be boring with shopping for boring guy clothes but I like shopping for women's clothes and I can spend hours doing it. I always looked at girls and wondered what it would be like to wear what they were wearing. Dysphoria it was but also I was looking at styles.

I always could have a conversation with women much better than with men. I talk primarily about life, news events and parenting but I can't bring myself to talk about sports. Especially things like fantasy football, sooooo boring to me. When I was single I would talk about relationships and future plans, getting married and having a family. Also when I talk about parenting, I really don't talk with dads. I talk with moms.

But I do have a guy perspective on some things though. That's good to have I think.