How many TS-related specialists do you see? How many TS friends do you have? How involved are you in the "TS scene"?
Some recent posts have made me aware of how clueless I am. (Not a new condition for me. ::))
Other than on this forum, I have no TS friends. I have knowingly met perhaps half-a-dozen TS's in my life, and not many more CDs than that. I have some close gay friends who live far away and have some gay and lesbian acquaintances in town here, but I don't hang out with them. I'm not aware of an LGBT bar in town. I've gone to a TS support group in a nearby town a few times and enjoy it, but I often forget to go. I've heard of two other MtFs in town but have never knowingly met either of them.
My hormones are being prescribed and monitored by my family physician. My therapist may have had one other TS client in her career. I've been to a plastic surgeon about cosmetic surgery, but it is age-related rather than gender-related, and she said she's had little experience with TS's. The places where I get laser and electrolysis work with TS's, but most of their clients are cis-gendered. I went to a voice coach who had never worked with a TS before.
My breast forms are from a place that supplies women who've had mastectomies. I've asked for advice and been made over at cosmetic counters at regular department stores. I've read books addressed to women on how to wear various kinds of clothes with various body types. I've watched "What Not to Wear." I ask for advice from my cis-gendered women friends. I shop at regular women's stores.
This forum has been invaluable to me, and I cherish the friendships I've made here, but sometimes I feel that I may not know what I'm talking about. (And I need to remember that when I start spouting off about something. :P) I've little experience with being trans other than my own and what I've read of others'. Perhaps I'm missing something?
How many specialized connections have you made, and how helpful have they been to you?
- Kate
not many here either, I get hrt from a tg care program, and go to a good gender therapist, but that's about it.
I don't go to the local lgbt bar, or the 2 cafes I know of, don't know any other local trans peeps personally, and got laser hair reduction from a place that caters to ciswomen
I'm just boring like that :P
I get all my care from the Veterans Affairs. They even have a support group...
I have my therapist and a gal who does makeovers for TS/CD clients. My doctor had had several Ts patients in the past and of course my surgeon who does Orchies and SRS locally. And of course my girlfriend, Heatherrose. But I have a lot of contacts to CD/TV/TS websites on the net.
You just have lead a sheltered life, Kate. ;D If you were closer I takee you downtown Portland to a couple of gay bars.
Janet
Oh jeez, I've made so many connections.
To start, sophomore year in High School, I met a trans girl (She's kind of semi-closeted. She doesn't hide the fact that she's a girl but she isn't really -out-.). She actually was a big help for me, she got me the names of books about trans stuff, and plus, it was just nice to -know- someone going through something similar. I probably wouldn't have come out that summer if it wasn't for her. She's a good friend now. :)
My therapist is a gender specialist. She's worked with a ton of transgender people and spoken at conferences and stuff.
I've been to a few conferences (three actually) for TG people. At one of them I met a boy who actually comes up to my city for a support group (for TG youth -and- their parents which I like, parents need support too, sometimes more than the kids.) every month. I thought it was kind of funny that I should find out about a support group -in my city- from someone who drives a good distance to get to it. Heh. I've made friends with people within the group since then.
And, I've made TG friends online of course.
I'm really thankful for all of this. I feel like it's a little unfair, that I have -so- many resources but, so many people hardly have any. XP
Oh! Almost forgot to mention, the woman who prescribes and monitors my HRT is trans too. I think she's just a family physician who works with a specialist in the area. But yeah.
Hum... well I still have my electro lady. My doctor knows I'm TS but I had to tell her. Gee I live in the bay area and while I've met some Tg/TS types, I don't really hang out with any. I don't/ have never done the bar thing. I do have a few GLB friends, but not T. Well other then here anyway.
I pretty much just live as a woman, Not really stealth but not going out of my way to tell my life story either. Plus I'm boring! well OK not really ;-)
Beni
Besides this group I have one FTM friend, attend a group once a month, a therapist and a doc, that's about it.
Cheers,
Myles
Count me among the boring...
My therapist is a transman and treats or has treated some number of trans people and lectures quite a bit (I think). I have attended one day of one conference (SCC a couple of weeks ago) and met a few people there, but none local. I don't know anyone who is T in this area. I do have a few gay friends, one of whom knows quite a few Drag Queens and Transwomen - hasn't introduced them. I haven't been to a bar/club in years and never a LGBT bar/club (I rarely ever drink and don't like loud music/noise). There is a transgender group here in ATL, but I have not been able to make it to the meetings these past few months (since I came out to myself). I haven't yet started HRT, so there are no docs I'm connected with and I haven't been to a doctor (except for a couple of minor injuries) in over 30 years. I also have not started Electro yet, so don't have any connections there yet either.
Like I said - BORING! :)
Give it some time, it may change.
Deanna
Hi Kate :)
I think some of the answer to this question will depend on where someone lives. If I lived where my parents are from in a small Midwest town I don't think I'd have many resources at all except online. I've looked to see if there are any trans resources there and there aren't. I'd have to drive 200 miles to the closest major city.
I live in LA now. I myself am involved in the trans community through work, my network of friends and online. I would say I know about 150-200 transpeople in real life and a lot more online. I think my youtube videos reach quite a few people and I'm meeting new people all the time. Here's the thing, if I didn't live in LA, if I lived where you do, I'd be in the same boat as you.
Is that a bad place to be? I think it's circumstantial. If you lived in LA there would be countless resources available to you from endo's who treat nothing but trans people to 100 electrologists who have trans experience to what would probably equate to a small city of therapists with trans experience, many of whom are trans themselves. I think we have 4 or 5 trans doctors here too.
You said "This forum has been invaluable to me, and I cherish the friendships I've made here, but sometimes I feel that I may not know what I'm talking about. (And I need to remember that when I start spouting off about something. :P) I've little experience with being trans other than my own and what I've read of others'. Perhaps I'm missing something?"
One of the great things about the online experience is that it allows everyone to have input and each person to take from those experiences and relationships what they want and need. For you, I know for a fact that you are a source of inspiration to a lot of people. I'm sure in your town, as you get to know people, they will be meeting a transperson for the very first time. Are you what they thought you were? Are you down-to-earth, normal, and possessing an extremely feminine soul? Will you hear "OMG, you are one of those transsexuals?" and then give them an idea that you are just a normal girl, not some caricature like they might have been thinking about transpeople?
If you are feeling like you are missing something by not being surrounded by transpeople in real life, it's just a different situation for you. You sure seem to me like you are living a full life and headed in the right direction even if you are the only transperson within 300 miles! You just keep carving out your path like you've been doing and some day when you travel and bump into other transpeople somewhere you'll know that it really wouldn't change you or who you are one bit :) Meghan
Quote from: MeghanAndrews on October 12, 2009, 11:44:54 PM
Hi Kate :)
For you, I know for a fact that you are a source of inspiration to a lot of people.
Like me. Thanks Kate and Meghan (and many, many others)
Deanna
I live about 50 miles south of San Josa California so I might as well be out in the middle of Kansas ... except if I don't mind riding my motorcycle 50 miles I can be in Santa Cruz, or San Jose. 100 miles and I'm in SF.
I have one doctor, have one other transguy living near me but he's not answering emails and I don't feel like lurking around his house so I'm assuming he's busy or having the flu that's going around. I go to meetings in Santa Cruz but the transguys there, while nice, are all in a clique with each other and as the outsider there's not really any hope for friendship or doing stuff with 'em other than just the meeting.
Before the Internet killed all that off, there were bars where you could meet people. Sure bars are not the best but now it's the "living death", everyone's in their own little basement, tapping away on a keyboard and it's very hard to get 'em to leave their little basement and even meet up for coffee. The "local" les bar, where local means 50 miles away, has changed to an "everyone" bar and its proud les days, of drama and hair-pulling, and parking lot brawls, are largely over. There's a guys' bar I like to visit when I'm up there, but that's just because it's friendly and I like the place.
This place is my #1 connection right now which is cool because people here are so cool, but also kinda sad since I've learned that Internet people never actually meet.
Most of my TS friends are online. There isn't much if any where I live. Other than friends that I chat with and coming here and a couple of accepting hetero friends - ie: my PSR worker and therapist, I am alone on this journey.
But allot of folks think I'm some weird horsey girl trying to be a guy anyway. I'm not about to tell them they've got it a bit backwards :laugh:
There was a big group I went to once a month that's a few hours away and I was pretty diligent about it for awhile but felt eventually like I wasn't getting anywhere with it or getting anything accomplished. Pretty much all of them are a bit older and the only thing in common seemed to be that they are TS and the few I felt I might be friends with were just visiting from out of town or rarely if ever came. The ones I have talked to were friendly but seem very socially awkward or we have small talk and nothing ever comes of it. This one girl who apparently lives nearby for some reason has a major chip on her shoulder and always gives me odd looks. Other than that I have a few docs, therapist etc...and the same friends I've always had...yay me.
I did attend an FTM group twice, but haven't gone for about 3 or 4 months.
I'm getting counselling, but they aren't a gender issues only sort of place.
The endo that I'm trying to get into mainly deals with cis-men.
My friends are all cis. I've never been to a GLB or T bar. I don't hide, but I don't wave a flag. I more just leave things unsaid and go about my business.
Don't get me wrong, I would hang with another TS IRL - I'm not afraid of being outed or anything - it's just that we'd have to also be friends outside of the context of being TS. I enjoy talking about things other than transition, too! :)
I'm not involved in the 'scene'. I avoid it whenever possible. I have my reasons.
I do like it here though. It doesn't reek of "scene" :)
I did attend two meetings of a GLBT support group I quickly discovered that this was not for me. I stopped seeking out these types of support group as I found that I didn't fit in and invariably they were domminated by cross-dressers and TV's, something which I wasn't. So I sought online help which led me here to Susans. All of my transition was done with the assistance/supervision of medical professionals with the exception of the social/moral side of things where advice was found here.
I had quite a team as well. Two therapists, one a psychiatrist with a gender specialty, the other a psychologist with a specialty in gender behavior (or something like that). My own doctor, an endocrinologist, an electrologist, an really important... my Ex. I live in Ontario Canada, and compared to a lot of countries, the necessary supports systems seem to be more plentiful.
-={LR}=-
Well color me boring as well. I am not, and likely never will be much involved in the TG scene where I live, even though few places offer more than here. I have tried. It just does not seem to be for me. I went to a support group one time, tried to force myself to go back, and just decided I did not fit in. I have been to some of the banquets as my way of support, and offered a bit of help behind the scenes. I have my therapist, my dermatologist, and my physician. As far as friends go, I have one very close friend, who has been such an amazing help to me, as well as the girl who owns the local shop where she does transformations and makeovers, who has been such an awesome help to me teaching me things I needed to know. 2! I have some other girls I know, but they just don't seem to ever be able to get together. So that leaves 2! That is all, besides my online acquaintances.
I really don't do the bar scene, at least very often. I go to such exciting places as shopping malls, the gas station, the grocery store, the library, the car wash, parks, out to eat, to the movies, blah blah blah. Really pretty routine stuff.
That being said, I am thankful to Susan's for this space. When I first started dealing with it all, I really thought I was just nutzo. I look back at my first post now and chuckle.
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fganjataz.com%2F01smileys%2Fimages%2Fsmileys%2FloopyBlonde-blinking.gif&hash=4545ddf8251cf9c32ae6074d56e48bc34a755857)Kristi
Thanks, people. I feel a bit out of it sometimes (and am :P). It's nice to know I'm not the only one. ;)
Yes, it depends on what is available to each of us. There's probably a gender therapist within 150 miles of here, but my non-specialized therapist has been a huge help. Sometimes the standard advice to the new people is that they need to find a gender therapist. That hasn't been my experience, but of course YMMV.
There are bunches of you here on Susan's that I'd love to meet in person. In the meantime, I am very thankful for this site and that I can "meet" you here.
My first outing was to an LGBT dance 50 miles away. Those little things break the ice (the very thick ice) but perhaps once we get moving along in the right direction we need them less.
Meghan, you are right in that I'm pretty sure that I am the first TS many people I see regularly have ever (knowingly) met. Especially in the beginning, I saw my open transition as a form of public education or social service. (Isn't it funny what justifications we can come up with to get us moving in the direction we need to go? :D) I had one friend tell me about seeing some obviously male-bodied people in over-the-top female clothes and then say, amazed: But your so normal!
So, those of us out in the provinces (and there are many more than I suspected :)), while benefiting from those of you in the hubs, are quietly doing outreach. And so the message gets spread.
As I told my friend (above): I am normal – I'm a normal transsexual!
- Kate
I live on the Monterey Peninsula, 60 miles south of the San Francisco Bay/ San Jose CA area. There is a pretty active trans community here. I had initially thought there was only one gender therapist here but when I finished my transition, I had been to four and I know of two or three more. I asked one therapist how many transpeople are in the area. He had no hestiation saying that in the tri county area, there are 20000. Seemed amazing to me but he has been doing this work for many many years. Not all are actively out, most are stealth.
Personally, I am friends with several transwomen and transmen locally. I do go to a support group more for social reasons than any other. Often we will go out for coffee after the session.
I go to a doctor who handles my HRT. She has 800 trans patients.
I got my orchi in nearby Palo Alto by a urologist who has performed this operation on dozens of transwomen. The staff were absolutely incredible. I was always treated with utmost respect and care.
We are just opening our local LBGT diversity center but there is already one just thirty miles away in Santa Cruz.
The one area that we lack is medical and dental care. There are very few who cater to LBGT patients and I have had several nightmarish experiences with both my dentist and GP.
As for the area, it seems to be trans friendly. At least, for me it is. I pretty much live stealth and pass so, I may not be a good reporter of that. I did go androgynous for about three years and while I got weird looks, only once was I threatened with death.
I am a homebody and don't generally go to bars. Heck they roll up the streets at nine here.
Maggie
Quote from: K8 on October 13, 2009, 11:14:00 AM
...
My first outing was to an LGBT dance 50 miles away. Those little things break the ice (the very thick ice) but perhaps once we get moving along in the right direction we need them less.
...
- Kate
I firmly beleive that those who are TS need to get out and start experiencing the real world and stay away from organized functions. While they may offer safety and security and may be a great place for CD's and or TV's, TS need to be able to function in typical day-to-day social situations.
-={LR}=-
1 gender doctor and 1 counsellor. That my friend is it! :(
Jay
Maggie Kay there's a chance we could run into each other I suppose. I'd be honored.
The TS meetings I go to are transguys only, and they are ok. There's another group in Santa Cruz that's transguys and transgals, and I've heard is friendly.
Frankly for me it comes down to function. I'm only 3.5 months on T, and there may be little secret tricks to obtaining medical care, various things, that I don't know and you can only learn this stuff through gossip. The only reason I'm on my way now is, through attending a meeting and hanging out and engaging in the jokes and gossip and general "schmoozing". I found out secret information.
But other than that need, my life basically consists of surviving on $200 a week, or let's see I guess I made about $80 this week so it's all about the piquince of Depression life, trying to stay dry and warm and fed, going to school because in the coming times we're gonna need EMTs and extra points if it actually gets me one of those "job" things people used to have, having some fun where I can find it (Did you know zucchinis can grow well over 2 feet long? And that when they do, you can take the seeds out like a pumpkin and then cut them into large pieces and throw them to the sheep?) and going about my work, keeping an eye out for that rarest of things, a possible GF, and so on. So I have to be out and functioning in the real world and don't have the luxury of keeping my social life to organized functions.
Quote from: Alex_C on October 13, 2009, 02:55:57 PM
Maggie Kay there's a chance we could run into each other I suppose. I'd be honored.
The TS meetings I go to are transguys only, and they are ok. There's another group in Santa Cruz that's transguys and transgals, and I've heard is friendly.
I would love to meet you too! Consider the Monterey TS Support Group. Both transwomen and transmen go together and it is really friendly. Second Saturday every month. Stephan Braveman runs it at his office. He has special speakers too like Jamison Green every so often.
http://www.bravemantherapy.com/ (http://www.bravemantherapy.com/)
Maggie
Hm that sounds kinda cool. Mainly on Saturday I'm in Santa Cruz making some money though.
Aside from this site and the rest of the internet, I have zero TG connections around me and zero TG friends and zero TG specialist within a decent amount of miles from me
Quote from: Deanna_Renee on October 12, 2009, 11:27:22 PM
Count me among the boring...
My therapist is a transman and treats or has treated some number of trans people and lectures quite a bit (I think). I have attended one day of one conference (SCC a couple of weeks ago) and met a few people there, but none local. I don't know anyone who is T in this area. I do have a few gay friends, one of whom knows quite a few Drag Queens and Transwomen - hasn't introduced them. I haven't been to a bar/club in years and never a LGBT bar/club (I rarely ever drink and don't like loud music/noise). There is a transgender group here in ATL, but I have not been able to make it to the meetings these past few months (since I came out to myself). I haven't yet started HRT, so there are no docs I'm connected with and I haven't been to a doctor (except for a couple of minor injuries) in over 30 years. I also have not started Electro yet, so don't have any connections there yet either.
Like I said - BORING! :)
Give it some time, it may change.
Deanna
WOW!! I just came across this post from a little over three years ago. I'm sure most of the old group are now gone on. In fact I have not been here myself in about a year or more. Life has certainly changed a lot in these three years. I have gone from knowing no one and feeling almost utterly alone to having hundreds of new friends from all around the world. I have been involved in a number of support groups and conferences. I am out to almost everyone. I have spoken to college classes about what it means to be trans*. I have gone from zero to stellar in such a short time.
I gave it some time, and it certainly has changed!
Deanna <3
Pretty much in my case. My therapist is a transman. I go to support groups at the trans center (2 groups twice a month). Our support groups are run by transmen (the ones I go to anyway). I go over there once a week when I don't have group to hang out or talk to the director. This is as much social as for support and the "secret info" (love this Alex). I wouldn't say I have close friends there but I am friendly with a lot of transmen and transwomen I know there. I don't know a lot of people really well, but I get along with most of them. I go to parties or other events they have there, though I usually don't stay long. My girl friend is trans and I met her there.
I've done a little volunteering. I'm planning to volunteer next year, but with work it would be a bit hard.
I don't go to bars or clubs ever. I can't drink and I don't like the noise anyway.
This is actually about the most social life I've ever had.
--Jay
Quote from: K8 on October 12, 2009, 03:57:19 PM
How many TS-related specialists do you see? How many TS friends do you have? How involved are you in the "TS scene"?
Other than on this forum, I have no TS friends. I have knowingly met perhaps half-a-dozen TS's in my life, and not many more CDs than that. I have some close gay friends who live far away and have some gay and lesbian acquaintances in town here, but I don't hang out with them. I'm not aware of an LGBT bar in town. I've gone to a TS support group in a nearby town a few times and enjoy it, but I often forget to go. I've heard of two other MtFs in town but have never knowingly met either of them.
- Kate
When I transitioned the psychiatric community was very big on support groups. I had joined some support groups, one a general TG type group and the other a TS only group. The TS group was full of stories of horrific divorces, child custody disputes, losing jobs. It was a complete bummer, so I stopped going. The other group was less depressing and had a few people who seemed less stressed out, so I stuck around for a while. By sticking around that means I probably went to maybe 5 or 6 meetings over a year and a half. I did actually go to 1 transgender day of remembrance, back around the time I was a newbie full timer. I remember it was before the Gwen Arujo killing. I did actually go to a single pride festival in Northampton. I walked around, picked up a few flyers and then stopped in at Starbucks for a cofffee and went home :)
When I was actively transitioning I went to an IFGE conference. It was in Philadelphia. That's where I learned about successfull transitioning from others who were themselves successful. I remember meeting Marci Bowers before she became a famous sugeon :) It gave me hope that this was a "doable" thing for me. I too could have a good oucome. I just had to keep my head on my shoulders and stay focused.
I did join a few yahoo groups back then, mostly lurking, to understand and learn more about surgeons and their techniques. Instead of focusing on negative cases, I found others who were happy and successful in thier new roles and sought them out for advice. Of course their advice would be the same thing I would say today when asked.
I did have a few TS girlfriends and we would sometimes hang out, go shopping, go out to eat, etc. One thing that happened right away though is we started losing interest in each other. The only thing we had in common was the sex change bit, other than that our lives were pretty divergent. I helped a few girls out with electrolysis treatments, but that was when I first discovered the ones who are just playing around at being girls, to the ones who really want to do it.
After I had been living full time for about a year I sort of lost interest in "the community". I knew what I wanted, I knew how to get there, I had the letters and all I needed now was the cash to get me there. That's when I started falling off the face of the earth. I stopped going to support groups (although I was never really an active participant), stopped talking online, stopped browsing surgery groups, etc.
Up until that point I had a few other ts girlfriends, I had a good transman friend who I had known from grade school and high school.
One thing about my experience that it taught me, is how to tell the ones who will make it from the ones who won't or never will. In my mind, there is no such thing as a non-transitioning, non-op transsexual. That's the definition of a regular guy or gal, a dreamer, what have you, maybe a CDer. I got sick of those who were hanging around waiting for miracles to happen, or ended up throwing their lives away without thinking the process through. I remember meeting a girl at a party I was invited to in NH who was living full time but with a heavy and I mean heavy beard. I remember talking to her for a few minutes and listening to how she can't get a job and no one would accept her. She was even laughed out of her motor vehicles department and they refused to change her gender to F, even though she had the right paperwork. When I asked why she wasn't doing electrolysis, she said "oh the homones make the facial hair go away". I am guessing that she was unaware of who she was talking to and that I was somehow dumb. It was moments like that when I knew I had to get out for my own sanity. I knew I was doing alright when people started mistaking "me" for the spouse and asking me which person I was with who was the t person :)
The only other times after that where I met other TS women was going to Montreal for my SRS surgery and when I went to Thailand to get breast augmentation. In Canada there were 3 of us who were having surgery on the same week, so one day we went shopping together and we each bought the same watch and said we would keep it as a sign that we were all in this place at the same time. I still have mine. It has a pewter watchband with dolphins on it. If you have ever had surgery in Montreal and had to walk around the nurses station in the hospital, counting the dolphins on the wall, you wlll understand the significance of the watch. I remember being in Thailand and talking to the other women who were going in for SRS surgery and being there to bring comfort and happiness to thier moment, since I had already lived it and survived :) A few people even wrote me afterwards and I received a few cards thanking me for my kindness. It was then when I felt my job was done and that was when I finally lost contact with everything.
I still have 2 ts girlfriends, who have gone on to successful transitions and are living good lives now. But we don't meet face to face anymore. Now it's just a few facebook messages her and there "How's it going?" "Great, how about you?" "I'm doing great too!". My circle of friends is now just regular women.
Which all comes back to, why I am even here? Well after living the good life for a few years I felt I was ready to start talking about what life is like on the other side of sex change street. I wanted people to know it isn't all doom and gloom. I have read other peoples stories on here about the who, what, when, where and why of disclosure. I've been there, done that. So now I have sort of wandered back and this is turning out to be a great outlet for me to show that there really are successful cases out there and maybe offer some positive affirmation or hope :)
Quote from: Zumbagirl on December 25, 2012, 04:52:04 AM
I still have 2 ts girlfriends, who have gone on to successful transitions and are living good lives now. But we don't meet face to face anymore. Now it's just a few facebook messages her and there "How's it going?" "Great, how about you?" "I'm doing great too!". My circle of friends is now just regular women.
Which all comes back to, why I am even here? Well after living the good life for a few years I felt I was ready to start talking about what life is like on the other side of sex change street. I wanted people to know it isn't all doom and gloom. I have read other peoples stories on here about the who, what, when, where and why of disclosure. I've been there, done that. So now I have sort of wandered back and this is turning out to be a great outlet for me to show that there really are successful cases out there and maybe offer some positive affirmation or hope :)
My experience is very similar to yours Zumbagirl. I've just come back here after many years in the 'big world' after SRS. See the intro thread.
After leaving the support group behind and getting a job, having SRS etc, I gradually lost contact with the TS girls that I transitioned with. I haven't heard from the last one for over 7 years. After reading many positive stories on this site I thought it was time to put my own forward (eventually). I know there are a lot of us out there, just living normal mundane lives with no one the wiser. I have many friends and acquaintances who are unaware of my past. But that's for another thread.
Zero on all accounts. My Endo and Gyno (who performed my hysto) are good friends so I was recommended to one by the other. I don't live near any GLBT center so no groups to speak of. I live way out in the boonies so there is absolutely nothing here for trans people. When my gf gets out of College we're moving closer to a city but not sure where yet. Thinking about Asheville and it has a large trans community.
I only have two trans friends (both FTM). One of them I knew before he came out, and the other lives stealth, but came out to me out of the blue because he was worried about me feeling alone or isolated. I guess since I'm lucky enough to have so much support from cis friends and family, I've never really felt the need to seek out specifically trans friends or explicitly trans-friendly spaces outside of the internet. ^^ I'd definitely be interested in meeting more trans people (particularly other MTF people!), but it's not something I've ever really gone out of my way to do.
As for specialists... nobody, I guess. After mixups with the gender clinic, my doctor was kind enough to prescribe me hormones, so I never went through the regular channels, and never met anyone who was an expert on such things. I guess I'll have to when I eventually go in for surgery, though. :)
None no help