an unorthodox proposal?

[kristie]

Hi, I'm Kristie ... I am 46 years old and just now looking toward the goal of gender reassignment.  However, I don't know that this has ever been brought up before, but the truth is ... I really don't think I require HRT.  From what I've read and heard here, the effects of HRT for me would result in minimal changes to my body.  And here's why I discuss such an idea of skipping HRT:  I'm 5'7", 150 lbs, thick black hair, vibrant green eyes...I have slim shapely legs, nothing masculine about them, my ankles are so small i can meet my thumb and bird fingers around them...a size 9 in women's shoes...small wrists, small hands, wide hips, most of my adult life, even when thinner than now, fatty deposits in my breast area ... nice butt ... hardly any wrinkles ... without remotely trying to look feminine, I'm constantly mistaken for a woman, even wearing a baseball cap with two day's growth of beard, from clerks in stores and of course with my voice always mistaken for woman on the phone and in drive-thrus ... basically, all i need is a bit of hair removal, breast implants and a vagina ... the rest of me is by nature feminine.  The truth is, I am much more feminine in appearance than most of the girls i've seen on here who've been on HRT for some time.  Once I was in a suit and tie after a wedding, and a young girl came up to me at the reception and asked me if i was a man or a woman, and again, let me remind you, i was not even remotely trying to appear feminine, it's just the way I'm put together.  My proposal is this:  is it possible to simply have some hair removed, have breast implants, and have the surgery WITHOUT having HRT?  All I need are some boobs and a vagina, and i would have the complete body of a woman, without HRT.  I've always felt my estrogen levels or my hormones as a whole are probably more closely linked to a female than a male, I have very small testicles.  I just don't really need HRT, for me it's not necessary, my body is feminized on its own, always has been.  Why is HRT necessary, i don't think i could possibly "feel" more like a woman if I were on HRT, I already "feel" like a woman in the body I have, minus the genitals and addition of breast implants, which most TS, particularly those older like me, end up getting anyway.  Wish I had a pic, I'll have to work on that.  Anyway, all the things HRT could do for me at this point in my life, are already pretty much taken care of by my own nature.  If I'm habitually mistaken for a woman without a speck of make-up, wearing jeans, t-shirt and baseball cap, and not shaved in three days, and the clerk, male or female, looks at me several times and continues to refer to me as ma'am, what could HRT possibly do for me?  I appreciate any responses, and I'm sure they'll be some very interesting ones, perhaps some very "preachy" ones, so don't hold back, let it rip lol.  I always value you girls' input, suggestions and comments and additional questions for me.  Peace be with you all,  Kristie

[Kate]

I've always felt my estrogen levels or my hormones as a whole are probably more closely linked to a female than a male, I have very small testicles.

Me jealous? No, no never... damn girl... lol...

One quick note though: you might consider having your blood (and chromosomes) tested. It sounds like you could be intersexed, and if I remember, some of those conditions require hormones later in life to prevent bone loss.

[stephanie_craxford]

Nowhere does it state that a TS has to go through HRT to transition or that in fact be a part of transition.  In fact you are very fortunate if you don't need HRT.  Less risk for one thing, and the money saved there can be used else where if that was a concern.  You are really going to make some of the girls here jealous, thick black hair and a feminine body to boot

Chat later.

Steph

[Melissa]

you might consider having your blood (and chromosomes) tested. It sounds like you could be intersexed, and if I remember, some of those conditions require hormones later in life to prevent bone loss.

That was just about the same response I was going to give.  You should get tested for having an intersex condition.  It could be that you already have the hormones in your body.

Melissa

[Kate]

From the Standards of Care:

Can Surgery Be Provided Without Hormones and the Real-life Experience?
Individuals cannot receive genital surgery without meeting the eligibility criteria. Genital surgery is a treatment for a diagnosed gender identity disorder, and should undertaken only after careful evaluation. Genital surgery is not a right that must be granted upon request. The SOC provide for an individual approach for every patient; but this does not mean that the general guidelines, which specify treatment consisting of diagnostic evaluation, possible psychotherapy, hormones, and real life experience, can be ignored. However, if a person has lived convincingly as a member of the preferred gender for a long period of time and is assessed to be a psychologically healthy after a requisite period of psychotherapy, there is no inherent reason that he or she must take hormones prior to genital surgery.

[kristie]

WOW!  COOL!  I had concerns about receiving HRT.  But as I said, I don't think it's necessary.  I'm glad to hear that it is not a prerequisite to surgery.  At this point, all I need to do is have facial hair removed, put on a bit of make-up, dress as a woman, and without a doubt be perceived as a female.  I've been seeing a psychotherpist and a psychiatrist for three + years for panic disorder.  Both are aware of my need to transition.  Now to find a reputable place to look into re the surgery.  I don't know if this is the right place to address such a thing, but if anyone has any information/experiences re clinics/surgeons, I welcome that input as well.  Thank all of you, once again.  I'm starting to really feel at home here.  THANKS SUSAN!   It is true, all of my born female girlfriends are envious of my hair, hehe.  and my eyelashes as well.  What can I say, for once, I'm lucky.  Kristie

[umop ap!sdn]

You are very lucky Kristie!

Before the Doc would prescribe anything for me, he had me get blood tests for all sorts of things to make sure that I was normal and healthy. Two of the tests they run are natural estradiol and testosterone levels. In my case, both were what would be considered normal for a male, so the need for HRT was established. If you are tested and they find that you have hormone levels within the female range then it would make no sense to prescribe anything.

Or, you may have partial androgen insensitivity, but I'm not sure what they would do in that case, maybe nothing.