This has probably been asked before, but it still baffles me a bit.

I heard that some people on HRT go through a complete change in sexual orientation- like a transgirl who only liked guys pre-transition, and then even less than a year after starting HRT is a full lesbian. Is there a reason this happens? I've heard the explanation that in general, women have more fluid sexualities, and mens are more rigid, but I don't know if that's true. I haven't read too many transmen stories, but I also did read that some of them experienced it too, which would conclude that any change in hormones could do it. Or perhaps the change is natural and would have occured regardless (since some cisgender people go through sexuality changes as well, but not quite as much- e.g. someone gay turns bi, someone straight turns slightly bi, etc.).

Plenty of transgender people are straight though (assuming they were considered "gay" pre-transition). So it only does this to certain people?

The general consensus belief is that adult hormonal status and sexual orientation are in no way linked.
I'm sure plenty will argue against it, but I personally agree completely.

What I think happens is it can change how open and accepting they are about it.

I think that HRT can alter ones brain wave activities. Estrogen can make a person become more passive and testosterone will make an individual become more aggressive. Where that leads to in terms of sexuality is anyone's guess, but from my experience I have become more accepting having been on E for a number of years. And although I still love my woman, I have seen men that I thought were attractive which I wouldn't have formerly seen that way before. This leads me to believe that if a person was formerly heterosexual but had latent suppressed Bi proclivities it is altogether possible that it could come out later under the influence of HRT.

Quote from: Qlinik on August 25, 2012, 11:35:46 AM
This has probably been asked before, but it still baffles me a bit.

I heard that some people on HRT go through a complete change in sexual orientation- like a transgirl who only liked guys pre-transition, and then even less than a year after starting HRT is a full lesbian. Is there a reason this happens? I've heard the explanation that in general, women have more fluid sexualities, and mens are more rigid, but I don't know if that's true. I haven't read too many transmen stories, but I also did read that some of them experienced it too, which would conclude that any change in hormones could do it. Or perhaps the change is natural and would have occured regardless (since some cisgender people go through sexuality changes as well, but not quite as much- e.g. someone gay turns bi, someone straight turns slightly bi, etc.).

Plenty of transgender people are straight though (assuming they were considered "gay" pre-transition). So it only does this to certain people?

From the accounts here, on past threads, it is clear that happens with some transitioners.  Whether it is due to the hormones, or due to a latent, previously unexpressed orientation, is debatable.

Before my transition everyone assumed I was a straight male, well, most everyone anyway. Internally I knew I was a straight girl, ie. I was only into men and and nothing changed that through out my transition.

Many girls change from being attracted to women to being attracted to men. I can't remember hearing about anyone changing the other way though.

Quote from: MariaMx on August 25, 2012, 12:06:39 PM
Before my transition everyone assumed I was a straight male, well, most everyone anyway. Internally I knew I was a straight girl, ie. I was only into men and and nothing changed that through out my transition.

Many girls change from being attracted to women to being attracted to men. I can't remember hearing about anyone changing the other way though.

Well, some sort of a (slippery?) slope it appears to me. As each day passes some more "boy awareness" seems to happen.
To be brutally honest I NEVER would have bothered to wonder what size 'boy-gear' a dude has in his pants... bloody well now I find myself to think just that quite a bit.
Also, and more of late... I can even work up a crush for some male(s). My current crush died in 1997 so it's save... John Denver... just something about him -for me- that makes me melt.

I also thought, having presented a straight guy - NO WAY, EVER for such to come about.
Yet, there you are, hum.

Axélle

the real reason HRT changes sexual orientation in true transsexuals is simply that these people - Mtf or FtM - have bits of brain of the opposite sex to their bodies sex (Dutch Research?) and it is reasonable to believe that the body sex hormones of late childhood repress the natural brain sexing so once they/we take that brain sex's hormones it seems to kick into brain sex into gear and give the natural urge to find mates that most ordinary people get at puberty.

Quote from: MariaMx on August 25, 2012, 12:06:39 PMMany girls change from being attracted to women to being attracted to men. I can't remember hearing about anyone changing the other way though.

Really? I almost always heard the opposite. Transgirls who started out straight turned lesbian. Though there seems to be a noticable number of transwomen and transmen who are gay, whether that is hormone-related, who knows.

Quote from: Qlinik on August 25, 2012, 04:56:04 PM
Really? I almost always heard the opposite. Transgirls who started out straight turned lesbian. Though there seems to be a noticable number of transwomen and transmen who are gay, whether that is hormone-related, who knows.

I have heard of girls who were attracted to girls pre-transition date guys afterwards and then reverting back to girls after a while. If it is these you are referring to then, yes, it is not uncommon. I was talking about girls who were attracted to guys pre-transition and then become attracted to women post transition. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, I just can't remember having heard of this happening.

Quote from: Qlinik on August 25, 2012, 04:56:04 PM
Really? I almost always heard the opposite. Transgirls who started out straight turned lesbian. Though there seems to be a no ticable number of transwomen and transmen who are gay, whether that is hormone-related, who knows.

I used to hear the term "Closet Homosexual" used in whispered conversations. A lot of water has passed under the bridge since then and I've come to realize that no matter how hard we try, we always seem to be predisposed to put other people in various boxes. Interestingly enough it turns out that a vast number of people, many who would never admit to it, have a propensity to bisexual or homosexual behavior that they never act on during the course of their lives. In the course of transitioning the change in hormonal makeup can change an individual's thinking dramatically and what was once off limits may become more enticing. When the secondary sexual characteristics begin to develop it is not uncommon to experience what would be described as a second puberty, and along with that sometimes the inhibitions fall by the wayside inder the hormonal drive and just like any child in puberty the curiosity and desire to experiment becomes real. This is not a theory, I can personally attest to it!

Personally, I believe sexual orientation and gender identity are not linked. I mostly liked girls before my srs, I still mostly like girls now.

There might be one thing, however: some males fetishize femaleness in such a way that when they get on hrt and remove their testosterone, that fetish goes away leaving them with a "different" and diminished sex drive (although prolly the same orientation).... a neat trick to filter out those who are really gender disordered vs those who just thought they were because of how the testosterone made them feel... my sex drive increased the more estrogen effects I had... just my pennies, anyways....

I did have a change in my sexuality in a way:

Before transition I was bisexual with a very pronounced preferance for men.
Post transition I am still bisexual with a very pronouced preferance for women.

I am still bisexual but what and who turns me on has completely changed.

Quote from: MariaMx on August 25, 2012, 05:07:23 PM
I have heard of girls who were attracted to girls pre-transition date guys afterwards and then reverting back to girls after a while. If it is these you are referring to then, yes, it is not uncommon. I was talking about girls who were attracted to guys pre-transition and then become attracted to women post transition. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, I just can't remember having heard of this happening.

The few I've heard were guys-only pre-transition, and liked girls-only afterwards. And as mentioned in other posts, a lot of people becoming bisexual.

I always identified as bi. I always grew feelings for anyone who i got close with that i found attractive. After 7 months. I can say attraction wise i still find men and women equally attractive. But what has changed is that i cant imagine entering a relationship with a woman, theres no spark. Im not turned on, but with men theres a strong desire there. That type of relationship has become ideal. With women it was a competition and we wanted what we couldnt provide for eachother. With men it seems to work much better and is mutually beneficial. I can only speak for myself as we are all different. But this has been my experience

My sexuality has stayed the same.

I do not believe that HRT changes sexual orientation. If it did, all those "pray the gay away camps" would be injecting gay guys with testosterone and lesbians with estrogen (and yes...they have tried this...it did not work).

HRT (along with transitioning) gives you a lot more confidence to explore your sexuality in ways you wanted but never had the "courage" to do. In my opinion, this is does not mean HRT changes your sexual orientation..it just emphasizes it.

Just like salt does not create a new vegetable. It just makes it more appealing to eat.

I dont think that hormones change anything.




I have never been interested in male to male sex or such.

I have a strange desire to do something "dirty" with a guy . I am not romantically into guys and I would never kiss one. But if I would do something sexually with a guy he needs to be really good looking and feminine because I cant stand testosterone filled ones.


When I think back I know that I have had similar thoughts since puberty. But in those thoughts I was always a girl.

Not afraid of "changing", but more like "unearthing something I didn't want to acknowledge it was there".

QuoteBut if I would do something sexually with a guy he needs to be really good looking and feminine because I cant stand testosterone filled ones.

I want that framed and hanged in a wall.

I am hoping to become more myself. I guess whatever is inside will find its way out just as my female nature has begun to cast off my male disguise. ideally it will melt the maleness off of me and leave me as I was meant to be.

My main concern when I started to come out just to myself that there was a side that would make me prone to men. Over time as i became comfortable with myself as being a woman more and more, I found comfort knowing I found men even less interesting before.

So the more I get in touch with my true self the more me I feel.

I do think it is important to face fears if nothing but to lay them to rest.

Prior to starting HRT, I was a bisexual man who was more attracted to women than androgynous persons, and more attracted to androgynous persons than men. A few months into HRT, I noticed that I was finding all three groups equally attractive.

About 6 months into  HRT, I was attracted to women only. I'm nearly 15 months into HRT and I feel I'm back to where I started.

I understand that correlation is not causation. What caused the fluctuation in my affectional orientation? I still don't know. I do know that my emotions have leveled out after being on HRT for a while. At this time last year, I would cry for little or not apparent reason. Still, my orientation had shifted for a while, but I seem to be back to where I started: panaffectionate.

Having been an openly gay man before I started transition, I simply assumed I'd be a straight woman. Two things made me realise I was wrong about this. Firstly, I had an encounter with a man. It left me cold. The second thing was, I fell in love - with a woman, much to my surprise. Which led me to realise that despite having lived half of my life as a gay man, I'd never loved a man. In fact, the last person I'd loved was a woman.

Apart from HRT causing me to be in a place where I was ready to look for a partner, I honestly don't believe HRT had any effect on my sexuality - I was and always have been attracted to women, regardless of what I may have presented to the world.

Now to find myself a woman that will have me..