Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Just thought I'd add my perspective here...

Although I reserve the right to change my mind later on, I have no interest in getting "bottom surgery." I would consider getting an orchiectomy, but I'm not interested in full-on GRS. For a LONG time I used my lack of burning hatred towards my genitals as an excuse to not transition. I finally realized that I could be a woman even if I didn't want to get rid of my penis (Julia Serano's book Whipping Girl helped a lot). I've been on HRT for 6 months now, and while my sex drive/"function" has changed a lot, I still enjoy using my penis sexually. If/when it stops "working" that will be ok, but for now I'm glad that it still does.

Anyone else in the same boat, or am I just off by myself in crazytown here?

No bottom surgery for me either.

Quote from: The Tomboy Transgirl on January 24, 2013, 03:50:34 PM
Just thought I'd add my perspective here...

Although I reserve the right to change my mind later on, I have no interest in getting "bottom surgery." I would consider getting an orchiectomy, but I'm not interested in full-on GRS. For a LONG time I used my lack of burning hatred towards my genitals as an excuse to not transition. I finally realized that I could be a woman even if I didn't want to get rid of my penis (Julia Serano's book Whipping Girl helped a lot). I've been on HRT for 6 months now, and while my sex drive/"function" has changed a lot, I still enjoy using my penis sexually. If/when it stops "working" that will be ok, but for now I'm glad that it still does.

Anyone else in the same boat, or am I just off by myself in crazytown here?

You're certainly not alone here!

I get the feeling that more and more trans folks are choosing the non-op route these days, but I could be wrong...

It's expensive, it's a very intrusive procedure, and unless you expect to have some fellow sliding all around on your body and poking things in you there is no point in it. After all who's going to look inside your drawers?

Quote from: The Tomboy Transgirl on January 24, 2013, 03:50:34 PM
Anyone else in the same boat, or am I just off by myself in crazytown here?

I don't hate my organ either. It helped create two wonderful children and gives me a lot of enjoyment. I had that same misconception - that if I were transgender, I'd be disgusted by having male parts.

That being said, if I could wave a wand and have female parts, I'd do it without second thoughts.

Surgery is a different story. Expensive, painful, risky and full of possible complications. No guarantee of a decent outcome, possibility of disfigurement.

I need to weight all that against my intense desire to have my lower parts be the right shape.

Not sure how that decision will come out in the end.

I have two kids as well :)

Yeah, I guess if I could magically have a vagina that might be a different story. Obviously, there is some appeal to that. But like you said, that's not how it works in the real world.

I'm in the same boat as everyone here. Magical wand-waving lady part production is one thing, but surgery is something else.

-Expensive. Very expensive.
-Recovery takes a long time. As someone that wants to be a firefighter, I need to stay in shape. Being benched for months won't help.  :P
-General potential of complications with surgery.
-I don't hate my penis. I hate my testicles, but not my penis. I know, it's weird.  ???
-In the words of my sister, vaginas are high-maintenance.  :P

DianaP,
That's NOT weird. I don't hate my penis, but I DETEST my balls. If I could get an orchi tomorrow, I would. It's WAY cheaper and less invasive than GRS anyway.

I saw an older fellow bend over in his shorts at the beach and his old-man, stretched out nutsack was hanging down one leg, it grossed me out completely. I had an orchiectomy about ten years ago and was just as happy to be rid of the hard drive for a lot of former bad male behavior. One the other hand I'm with agfrommd on the business of the girly lower end, it's such a nice neat little piece of workmanship and not visually repulsive like a dick and balls. Oh well! (sigh)

Quote from: Shantel on January 24, 2013, 05:26:55 PM
I saw an older fellow bend over in his shorts at the beach and his old-man, stretched out nutsack was hanging down one leg, it grossed me out completely. I had an orchiectomy about ten years ago and was just as happy to be rid of the hard drive for a lot of former bad male behavior.

Oh gosh, you poor thing! I know that must have been gross. Almost like looking at Newt Gingrich's face, but not as bad.  :icon_blah:

Man bits are gross.  :icon_cry2:

Just going to ditto all of the above. You certainly are not alone. Like you, I also wondered if my non-hatred of Mr. One-Eye meant I wasn't transgender, but I don't think that anymore. Ditto also that if it were easy, sure, I'd love to switch out my parts, but the risks are considerable. I'm still closeted though and that may never change, but with all the various desires for things I want to do with myself, SRS is low on the list.

Quote from: Bailey on January 25, 2013, 12:54:07 AM
Do what you feel you can; no more, no less. you are the only one who matters, not the peanut gallery.

But the peanut gallery is sooo vocal here...

Quote from: Bailey on January 25, 2013, 12:54:07 AM
Do what you feel you can; no more, no less. you are the only one who matters, not the peanut gallery.

Honestly, I think what you said here should be emblazoned on a plaque and handed to every trans person to be gazed at daily.

Quote from: Bailey on January 25, 2013, 01:19:23 AM
And that is why they are the peanut gallery: they are roasted and eaten. They don't matter. People put too much interest is those who don't matter.

If I'd listened to the peanut gallery, I'd still be living in a dark closet.. :P to them..

Quote from: Shantel on January 24, 2013, 04:30:19 PM
..., and unless you expect to have some fellow sliding all around on your body and poking things in you there is no point in it. After all who's going to look inside your drawers?

That was funny enough, thank you, dear Shan! You have a nice sense of humor.  :D
To add to the above arguments, for me to consider is also a very low level of medical service in my country.
Luckily for me, being an effeminate boy from the start, my T level was always low. And when I started HRT, it quickly plunged to lower than the middle zone of the women's  T ranges. Now I am enough of 1 tablet of spiro in 2-3 days to keep T where it should be. I could just imagine what strengthless wreck I would be after having an SRS.  :)

Quote from: Albina on January 25, 2013, 09:41:28 AM
That was funny enough, thank you, dear Shan! You have a nice sense of humor.  :D
To add to the above arguments, for me to consider is also a very low level of medical service in my country.
Luckily for me, being an effeminate boy from the start, my T level was always low. And when I started HRT, it quickly plunged to lower than the middle zone of the women's  T ranges. Now I am enough of 1 tablet of spiro in 2-3 days to keep T where it should be. I could just imagine what strengthless wreck I would be after having an SRS.  :)

Albina, you're such a total girly-girl feminine woman, you don't need SRS to prove it either sweetie!

Quote from: Shantel on January 25, 2013, 09:54:51 AM
Albina, you're such a total girly-girl feminine woman, you don't need SRS to prove it either sweetie!

Ha-ha-ha! Thank you, dear Shan! As always, you are making me blush...
You are a lovely woman, and I admire your manner of speaking and your wisdom.

Quote from: Albina on January 25, 2013, 10:08:52 AM
Ha-ha-ha! Thank you, dear Shan! As always, you are making me blush...
You are a lovely woman, and I admire your manner of speaking and your wisdom.

((Hugs))  :)

Trust me you are not alone. I won't get bottom surgery for numerous reasons. It's expensive, it's risky, there is no guarantee your equipment will work right. For FtM bottom surgery it is not nearly as advanced as I would like it to be. The testicles one gets are silicone and you can only get erections with the phalloplasty via a pump, and they take large amounts of skin from other parts of the body to make it. If they start being able to grow fully functioning, cis looking genitalia for FtMs in test tubes and the surgery wasn't so risky I'd consider it then.

Quote from: FullThrottleMalehem on January 25, 2013, 08:49:59 PM
Trust me you are not alone. I won't get bottom surgery for numerous reasons. It's expensive, it's risky, there is no guarantee your equipment will work right. For FtM bottom surgery it is not nearly as advanced as I would like it to be. The testicles one gets are silicone and you can only get erections with the phalloplasty via a pump, and they take large amounts of skin from other parts of the body to make it. If they start being able to grow fully functioning, cis looking genitalia for FtMs in test tubes and the surgery wasn't so risky I'd consider it then.

They probably aren't too far out on that sort of capability, nothing surprises me at the rate medical technology is moving.

This thread is a bit dated but highly relevant to so many.  It seems regrettable that anyone here feels they should have to justify or defend their sense of self and gender identity on a "Transgender" support site.
I spent over 3 decades providing anesthesia in the surgical suites of major hospitals and assure you that we do not have accurate knowledge of the frequency and severity of surgical complications.  In the US we have morbidity and mortality presentations but comparative data is vey challenging even for researchers to find.  The incidence of nosocomial infections is incredibly high and guess what, we don't have the best medical care in the world.  Take a category like infant mortality and little Cuba has better outcomes than our children experience here.  For profit providers are not interested in public disclosure.  Wealth and opportunity are not the only variables in making ethical choices for living a life that is true to ourselves. 
Transitioning is a journey filled with very personal decisions and a surgical scalpel is not realy a magic wand.  Individuals, not the peanut gallery must carry the weight, decide the risk and live with the choices.  The decisions a teenager or 20 yo might make relative to transitioning with a future of dating are far different than the choices a 50-60 yo with a SO might make?  Empathy and compassion please!
Again, what's with the straight jackets of a binary gender world where anatomy is destiny?  Were there no transsexual people before the surgical breakthroughs of the early 1950s?

Rock on gender rebels!

Quote from: Tessa James on February 26, 2013, 10:01:20 PM
Rock on gender rebels!

Rock on :)

Quote from: Tessa James on February 26, 2013, 10:01:20 PM
Rock on gender rebels!

Pointing to her profile name.. :D

When I had my first appointment with my doctor we talked about this very subject. she said "Even if you keep your male bits it wont make you any less of a woman"

Now I would like nothing more for them to be gone but because of being confined to a wheelchair and needing so much help to transfer out of it. (sorry if thats tmi) I will be keeping my penis, but hope to have an orchi at some point in time.

Everyone whither non op, pre op or post op are welcome here at Susan's  :)   Personally I couldn't care less if you decide to get surgery or not, but I'll be there to lend you support as best I can either way

Quote from: The Tomboy Transgirl on January 24, 2013, 05:17:33 PM
DianaP,
That's NOT weird. I don't hate my penis, but I DETEST my balls. If I could get an orchi tomorrow, I would. It's WAY cheaper and less invasive than GRS anyway.

As someone not in possession of either, I'm curious about this. Why would the beans be more detestable than the frank? Just the T in em?

Quote from: Not-so Fat Admin on February 27, 2013, 05:19:56 PM
As someone not in possession of either, I'm curious about this. Why would the beans be more detestable than the frank? Just the T in em?

The beans produce testosterone, for starters. They also hurt more. I can't tell you how annoying it is to feel squished beans when riding a bike.  :P

At least the frank allows you to pee standing up...  :-\

Quote from: Not-so Fat Admin on February 27, 2013, 05:19:56 PM
As someone not in possession of either, I'm curious about this. Why would the beans be more detestable than the frank? Just the T in em?

Haha you are such fun Nero! Yeah, the testicles corresponding to the ovaries are hormone generators, they unlike ovaries are unsightly hanging there in a sack and painful as all hell when one gets whopped there. To most trans women they represent something detestable just as breasts are regarded by trans men. Not only that but they take up an inordinate amount of space and require some doing to conceal them when wearing women's shape revealing pants. But you already knew that, you just wanted someone to say it, you can't fool me Mr.  ;D

Quote from: Not-so Fat Admin on February 27, 2013, 05:19:56 PM
As someone not in possession of either, I'm curious about this. Why would the beans be more detestable than the frank? Just the T in em?

They are ugly, uncomfortable, irritating poison factories.

However my penis has provided countless hours of happiness and I'm really very attached to the thing. I don't need an erection to orgasm, so I'm not worried about that, but I would be scared that I couldn't after SRS.

when i was speaking to my Dr he said that in most cases being on hormones is enough and that something like less than a fith of people who have GID / GD actually go for SRS, i have spoken to a few friends on the matter and they know a few people who have killed themselves after because they were less than impressed with the results so i think it's safe to say im non-op XD as long as i can pass as a girl and other people see me / treat me as a girl i'm happy :)

Quote from: TiffanyT on February 27, 2013, 11:31:08 PM
They are ugly, uncomfortable, irritating poison factories.

However my penis has provided countless hours of happiness and I'm really very attached to the thing. I don't need an erection to orgasm, so I'm not worried about that, but I would be scared that I couldn't after SRS.

That was the turning point in my decision making process during my SRS pre-op consultation with Dr. Bowers. She had stated that there are an enormous number of sensate nerve endings in a cis female's clitoris as opposed to that of the head of a male penis which is severed during surgery for use later to construct the clitoris in the MtF patient. That being said, the successful reattachment of the nerves is micro-surgery and is somewhat of a crap shoot which depends on the nerve endings themselves growing, reattaching and becoming sensate once again. Even so, it couldn't possibly ever compare to the sensitivity experienced in a natal female and so as far as future sexual pleasure or even experiencing an orgasm goes, there are no guarantees! Since Marcie Bowers is a trans woman herself and a competent and skilled SRS surgeon, I assumed that she knew what she was talking about and I opted out. I do appreciate her honesty and candor.

Quote from: Bethany Dawn on February 27, 2013, 06:23:06 AM
When I had my first appointment with my doctor we talked about this very subject. she said "Even if you keep your male bits it wont make you any less of a woman"

Wow, this is a hard one to swallow.

I really, really, really want it to be true. I want to be just as much of a woman as someone with proper geometry below.

But I feel like it must take a Wonder Woman level of self-acceptance to ignore anatomy.

How do people do that?

Quote from: agfrommd on February 28, 2013, 10:28:32 AM

Quote from: Bethany Dawn on February 27, 2013, 06:23:06 AM
When I had my first appointment with my doctor we talked about this very subject. she said "Even if you keep your male bits it wont make you any less of a woman"

Wow, this is a hard one to swallow.

I really, really, really want it to be true. I want to be just as much of a woman as someone with proper geometry below.

But I feel like it must take a Wonder Woman level of self-acceptance to ignore anatomy.

How do people do that?

I do it. Not sure how. I think being in intimate relationships with men helped. I could see that I was no different than they are. They just have some extra flesh hanging off them. It's nothing they did to be 'legit'. They were just born that way. Oftentimes even cis people are insecure about their genitals for one reason or another. Am I that different from a guy who doesn't feel like a man because his parts are smaller than average?

Are you really that different from a woman who feels less female because of the 'odd' shape of her vagina?
Some of the women with 'proper geometry' you may envy may feel terrible secret shame and inadequacy because of some 'wrong' aspect to their parts. Even to the point of avoiding intimacy. Look at all the women getting genital procedures.
It's all just flesh and nobody had any say in what they got. I'd rather keep parts that work than trade them in for a prayer.

Quote from: agfrommd on February 28, 2013, 10:28:32 AM
Wow, this is a hard one to swallow.

I really, really, really want it to be true. I want to be just as much of a woman as someone with proper geometry below.

But I feel like it must take a Wonder Woman level of self-acceptance to ignore anatomy.

How do people do that?

I think that any one who transitions should have that level of self acceptance. Why? Because anything less than 100% self acceptance is a set up for disappointment and even failure.

I am a woman. No if's or but's.. And it matters not what is in my pants.

Quote from: Kelly the Trans-Rebel on February 28, 2013, 11:59:08 AM
I think that any one who transitions should have that level of self acceptance.

Not sure how to interpret this.

Are you saying that if you don't have this level of self acceptance you shouldn't transition? Just keep living as a ... *shudder* ... man?

Quote from: agfrommd on February 28, 2013, 12:06:01 PM
Not sure how to interpret this.

Are you saying that if you don't have this level of self acceptance you shouldn't transition? Just keep living as a ... *shudder* ... man?

I was simply saying that you should have 100% self acceptance. I do, but have no idea where it came from. If I hadn't had it. I probably would not have transitioned - because I'd never have been able to cope with the things I cannot change. Or maybe I would have and ended up hating my life even more than I did.

This is my own opinion and as such, only really applies to me, but some of the things I see and read around here suggest to me there may be some truth to it..

Quote from: agfrommd on February 28, 2013, 10:28:32 AM
Wow, this is a hard one to swallow.

I really, really, really want it to be true. I want to be just as much of a woman as someone with proper geometry below.

But I feel like it must take a Wonder Woman level of self-acceptance to ignore anatomy.

How do people do that?

People do that because it's expedient for them to do so, and who knows what tomorrow will bring? Anyone can have a complete reversal and decide to go for it at a later time. Admittedly the female lower end presents a much neater little package, but for reasons like I had outlined in my earlier post including accepting and being comfortable in one's own skin, considerations for a significant other, cost of the procedure, and potential for a medical SNAFU just to name a few, many are making the decision not to have SRS. This brings to mind the crux of the story and the epiphany of the MtF person's close friend in the film entitled "The Crying Game." No-one should have to justify their decisions about this to another TG person since this isn't what determines gender. If we were to get all technical as has happened in some courts it would limited to DNA and we'd all be out to lunch.

Quote from: Shantel on February 28, 2013, 12:41:59 PM


People do that because it's expedient for them to do so, and who knows what tomorrow will bring? Anyone can have a complete reversal and decide to go for it at a later time. Admittedly the female lower end presents a much neater little package, but for reasons like I had outlined in my earlier post including accepting and being comfortable in one's own skin, considerations for a significant other, cost of the procedure, and potential for a medical SNAFU just to name a few, many are making the decision not to have SRS. This brings to mind the crux of the story and the epiphany of the MtF person's close friend in the film entitled "The Crying Game." No-one should have to justify their decisions about this to another TG person since this isn't what determines gender. If we were to get all technical as has happened in some courts it would limited to DNA and we'd all be out to lunch.

^ this, perfectly said in every way.
Our body is our own as are our decisions in life.
I have no immediate or future bottom surgery plans for myself and I reserve the right to change my mind at any time. (and it makes me no less a woman)
and now I feel it appropriate to quote a line or 2 from an old favorite ;)
"What might be right for you, may not be right for some. It takes, different Strokes to move the world."

I am for sure non op. I'm with you there.also I'm attracted to females so keeping my down stairs will be pretty useful lol

Quote from: Christinaaaa on June 23, 2013, 01:56:07 AM
I am for sure non op. I'm with you there.also I'm attracted to females so keeping my down stairs will be pretty useful lol

FYI, if you plan on going on HRT it could affect your ability to achieve an erection and/or penetrate a woman.

Yea. Im expecting that. But ive heard viagra will help if I need it. Im good with my tongue yho so either way is fine  ;)

I have started to wonder, but not really by choice, it is the sheer expense and my financial circumstances

but if your choices are, accept the life you are trapped in or  jump off a bridge - what are you going to do?  ???

Quote from: vegie271 on July 07, 2013, 09:19:28 PM


I have started to wonder, but not really by choice, it is the sheer expense and my financial circumstances

but if your choices are, accept the life you are trapped in or  jump off a bridge - what are you going to do?  ???

Lets not jump off any bridges.  Its important to accept the fact that you are already beautiful right now.  Whether surgery happens or not.

Quote from: dr girlfriend on July 08, 2013, 10:39:53 AM
Lets not jump off any bridges.  Its important to accept the fact that you are already beautiful right now.  Whether surgery happens or not.

My main problem is the realisation that I will be alone forever because of this, if I was straight I could probably find a guy, some don't mid it, but there is not a lesbian in the world that would date me this way.

Not true!  We have many pre-op/non-op members here who have found partners.  I won't say it is easy, but I will say it is not impossible.

Quote from: Jamie D on July 09, 2013, 01:29:20 PM
Not true!  We have many pre-op/non-op members here who have found partners.  I won't say it is easy, but I will say it is not impossible.

OK, I am curious, I have been in a area for 6 years and have been working with people very much not one person has shown any interest, I have also been online and all I have attracted are Male ->-bleeped-<-s and scam artists  >:( (that is right I am new here but I have been full time for quite a while)

any hints

Quote from: vegie271 on July 09, 2013, 01:26:12 PM

Quote from: dr girlfriend on July 08, 2013, 10:39:53 AM
Lets not jump off any bridges.  Its important to accept the fact that you are already beautiful right now.  Whether surgery happens or not.

My main problem is the realisation that I will be alone forever because of this, if I was straight I could probably find a guy, some don't mid it, but there is not a lesbian in the world that would date me this way.

Why do you say this? Like Jamie said, yeah, it's not easy but certainly not impossible. Sure, there are lesbians who'll reject you based on pre/non-op status but not all of them will. A good friend of mine dated a lesbian and she was pre-everything. There are people who look past the physical.

Quote from: Fitter Admin on July 09, 2013, 02:15:56 PM



My main problem is the realisation that I will be alone forever because of this, if I was straight I could probably find a guy, some don't mid it, but there is not a lesbian in the world that would date me this way.




Why do you say this? Like Jamie said, yeah, it's not easy but certainly not impossible. Sure, there are lesbians who'll reject you based on pre/non-op status but not all of them will. A good friend of mine dated a lesbian and she was pre-everything. There are people who look past the physical.

Like I said I have been here for six years, I have been full time, among lesbians who have known me, not one would ever consider dating me, only a few will disrespect me - but not a single one would ever consider dating me - and I have been on dating sites for all of these years all that has happened is I have found 6 people who have tried to scam me out of money or I have had men "->-bleeped-<-s" come after me. I have even been on pay sites

Plus, what about bisexual women? There are more bi women out there than lesbians, and presumably being non-op wouldn't be a problem for many of them.

Quote from: brainiac on July 09, 2013, 06:13:14 PM
Plus, what about bisexual women? There are more bi women out there than lesbians, and presumably being non-op wouldn't be a problem for many of them.

Every bi woman I have ever met was married, don't know how it goes in your area.

My last partner came right out of left field, she was an apparently straight woman I'd known for a while. I was the first woman she'd ever been with and she concluded that perhaps she should have taken the option much sooner..

Quote from: vegie271 on July 09, 2013, 07:07:18 PM



Every bi woman I have ever met was married, don't know how it goes in your area.

How about a transgender woman? 

Quote from: dr girlfriend on July 10, 2013, 09:58:45 AM
How about a transgender woman?

I know most of them in my area, most of them like men - the only other one who likes womyn is

1) too busy

B) doesn't seem very interested in me

iii) extremely messy, bad relationship material - I have been involved with someone like this before

4) not interested in anyone who is pre-op/non-op (I know sort of ironic)

Quote from: vegie271 on July 09, 2013, 07:07:18 PM
Every bi woman I have ever met was married, don't know how it goes in your area.

That's unfortunate! Have you checked out online dating sites? I think it'd be easier to find single bi women there, since the label is upfront.

Quote from: Miss Bungle on July 10, 2013, 12:27:16 PM
I thought I was going to eventually have GRS at some point in the future, until the cold, harsh reality smacked me in the face. I would just be chasing something that I could never have. Sure, a lot of people will say "you can make sacrifices if you want something bad enough" but I don't really have much to sacrifice in the first place (unless I wanted to move back in with my parents to save up some money and there was NO WAY IN HELL I was going down that road...no way!)

So, I was eventually faced with three options: A: Keep on a full HRT regimen for the rest of my life, which I didn't want to do.  B:Detransition and be miserable and eventually give in and kill myself. or C: Have an orchi done and just go on with my life.

I chose option C since it (obviously) made the most sense. Things have been okay for the most part (other than the very rare bouts of GID induced depression that still linger even though I feel I have it pretty much beat. I just see it as "residual depression).

Good choice Miss Bungle, I'm on the same page as you!

Quote from: brainiac on July 10, 2013, 11:53:51 AM
That's unfortunate! Have you checked out online dating sites? I think it'd be easier to find single bi women there, since the label is upfront.

Bunch of them, I curently have profiles on OKCupid, Lesbotronic and TSDating, I have had profiles on about 6 other sites also. I get a lot of men coming after me and I have been scammed and several people try to scam me but I have learned to recognize the signs now fairly early.

Quote from: Miss Bungle on July 10, 2013, 12:27:16 PM
I thought I was going to eventually have GRS at some point in the future, until the cold, harsh reality smacked me in the face. I would just be chasing something that I could never have. Sure, a lot of people will say "you can make sacrifices if you want something bad enough" but I don't really have much to sacrifice in the first place (unless I wanted to move back in with my parents to save up some money and there was NO WAY IN HELL I was going down that road...no way!)

So, I was eventually faced with three options: A: Keep on a full HRT regimen for the rest of my life, which I didn't want to do.  B:Detransition and be miserable and eventually give in and kill myself. or C: Have an orchi done and just go on with my life.

I chose option C since it (obviously) made the most sense. Things have been okay for the most part (other than the very rare bouts of GID induced depression that still linger even though I feel I have it pretty much beat. I just see it as "residual depression).

I am wondering about this myself, parents not an option at all, they disowned me when I came out at 23 way back. and I am not welcome in their home.

and I simply am not able to pay for SRS. so C seems the forced option.

I'm non-op for several reasons. Besides cost I don't think I would be satisfied to have a faint visage of a real vagina. Other factors include maintenance issues as well as the fact that even though I'm not particularly attached to my penis I don't mind using it for sexual pleasure at all. Quite frankly I'll be happy enough to have a feminine appearance from the effects of HRT, my biggest concern really is my lack of hips and breasts. I do have some doubts as to how this will affect my love life though since I identify as trans-lesbian I'm sure my genitalia will put off some of my dating pool. I don't see myself changing my mind about this in the future.

Quote from: Emoroffle on July 17, 2013, 04:47:38 PM
I'm non-op for several reasons. Besides cost I don't think I would be satisfied to have a faint visage of a real vagina. Other factors include maintenance issues as well as the fact that even though I'm not particularly attached to my penis I don't mind using it for sexual pleasure at all. Quite frankly I'll be happy enough to have a feminine appearance from the effects of HRT, my biggest concern really is my lack of hips and breasts. I do have some doubts as to how this will affect my love life though since I identify as trans-lesbian I'm sure my genitalia will put off some of my dating pool. I don't see myself changing my mind about this in the future.

for me it is entirely a cost matter

Wow is the topic old but so am i ...ha ha .I am going to just loose the 2 bits down below because it will take less if any spiro and i see less meds a that,s a health choice .Oh and i am HAPPILY married gal and if i can tickle her buttons at least a little it is positive thing for us both ..So far the below is part time player but we are adjusting to it .. Have grand day AKA Sara

Had decided that I would be a non op mtf and therefore that my marriage would be under threat  Turned out that I subsequently identified as non binary and dialled back the hrt.  No permanent harm other than likely to be non productive but my wife is a whole lot happier with my ability to maintain an erection and an andro expression works well for both of us

Aisla 

I feel the same as you do! Don't want bottom surgery

I'm in the same place as you women though I've had an orchiectomy some time back (2001). Given what we all know about the trials and tribulations of many regarding SRS from a physiological standpoint along with the fact that it is usually the precursor and final straw for a failed marriage, not everyone is currently drawn so irresistibly to bottom surgery as they were in the recent past. Even an orchiectomy isn't the end of the line when it comes to the standard forms of male/female intimacy. A tiny amount of
T-creme applied to the skin just below the prostate boosts libido and half a Viagra on date night and you're good to go. A tiny amount won't interfere in feminizing HRT though most trans women take their T levels well below normal female ranges during transition which in turn kills any libido. Cis women produce low levels of testosterone which is necessary for normal female libido.

Quote from: Shantel on July 11, 2014, 02:51:56 PM
I'm in the same place as you women though I've had an orchiectomy some time back (2001). Given what we all know about the trials and tribulations of many regarding SRS from a physiological standpoint along with the fact that it is usually the precursor and final straw for a failed marriage, not everyone is currently drawn so irresistibly to bottom surgery as they were in the recent past. Even an orchiectomy isn't the end of the line when it comes to the standard forms of male/female intimacy. A tiny amount of
T-creme applied to the skin just below the prostate boosts libido and half a Viagra on date night and you're good to go. A tiny amount won't interfere in feminizing HRT though most trans women take their T levels well below normal female ranges during transition which in turn kills any libido. Cis women produce low levels of testosterone which is necessary for normal female libido.

I have a very  low T level and I have a fairly healthy libido. I think a healthy attitude helps far more than T.

Quote from: kelly_aus on July 11, 2014, 04:21:15 PM
I have a very  low T level and I have a fairly healthy libido. I think a healthy attitude helps far more than T.

Oh I've always had a healthy attitude about sexual intimacy, my comments are directed to those who have had an orchiectomy and think it's all over. I'm pushing 71 and have a very normal sex life for anyone 25 - 30, most people my age have given up long ago. So my comments are geared to encourage those who think they are done.