General TG, TS, TV and sex change thread

Didn't I say that many years ago?
I was born a male. Always been a male. But deep down, I relate and am a female.
Yep, I am a female, traped in a man's body.
I wear whatever I like. But it is very hard to do my work in a skirt or a very nice outfit.
And where I live and the work I do in the field, dressing up is not an option.
Ever try to change the oil in your car in a bright red top and a short skirt?
Not going to happen.

What can be done? I took hormone shots

HRT is not "interesting" for many reasons, some are quite obvious, some - not quite. What *I* find "interesting" is getting rid of all dichotomies, in this particular case - "man-woman". "Externally" it should be relatively easily "achieved" if the person is young, pretty and androgynous. (NB: Being "young" or "not" is yet another dichotomy to get rid off. It's "interesting" to be "out of time".) Yeah, "non-binary"... Hello, Buddhism/Hinduism. BTW, look at Hindu gods - their "faces" are very "gender neutral" (from my Western point of view) with slight hints towards the male or female side, and very "young-looking" (yet you see that they have no age). In particular, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ardhanarishvara is "a composite androgynous form of the Hindu God Shiva and his consort Parvati. Ardhanarishvara is depicted as half male and half female."

In Book XIII (Mahabharata), Upamanyu praises Shiva rhetorically asking if there is anyone else whose half-body is shared by his spouse, and adds that the universe had risen from the union of sexes, as represented by Shiva's half-female form. In some narratives, Shiva is described as dark and fair-complexioned, half yellow and half white, half woman and half man, and both woman and man. In Book XIII, Shiva preaches to Parvati that half of his body is made up of her body.

While I'm not of Indian ethnicity, I do love the Mahabharata and toward the end of the Peter Brooks version (the 6 hour film), the brothers must hide for one year. Arjuna, the great manly warrior, hides by dressing and acting as a woman. He teaches dance to the King's daughters. Gender bending has a long, distinguished history in Indian mythology!

It's incredible what HRT + make-up can do: https://www.reddit.com/r/transtimelines/

OK, I'm convinced (I definitely was not before I started the thread). Next question. What can be achieved without HRT and surgery?

I transitioned 4 years ago at 43 years old. I'm now 47 and unless someone knew me before I transitioned, they have no ideal that I'm transgender. The only surgery I've had is bottom/GCS (Gender Confirmation Surgery) 2 months ago but zero facial surgery. I was lucky with what HRT did for me. A lot of transgender woman require FFS (Facial Feminization Surgery) in order to pass. The earlier you start to transition, generally the better the results.

Here is my before and after (s):

Before:  (~ 2012 )
   

After: 2017

       

There isn't a lot you can do without at least HRT except for electrolysis (to remove beard) and makeup is about the only other thing without HRT. HRT changes the shape of fat and muscle but doesn't do anything for bone structure. Only surgery can change bone structure.

[Like Ra]

There isn't a lot you can do without at least HRT except for electrolysis (to remove beard) and makeup is about the only other thing without HRT. HRT changes the shape of fat and muscle but doesn't do anything for bone structure. Only surgery can change bone structure.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hormone_re...to-female) has a description of changes, some of which were very "unexpected" for me:

The main effects of HRT of the MTF type are as follows:

Breast development and enlargement
Softening and thinning of the skin
Decreased body hair growth and density
Redistribution of body fat in a feminine pattern
Decreased muscle mass and strength
Widening of the hips (if epiphyseal closure has not yet occurred; see below)
Decreased acne, skin oiliness, scalp hair loss, and body odor
Decreased size of the penis, scrotum, testicles, and prostate
Suppressed or abolished spermatogenesis and fertility
Decreased semen production/ejaculate volume
Changes in mood, emotionality, and behavior
Decreased sex drive and incidence of spontaneous erections

The most surprising part:

Bone/skeletal changes

Male-to-female hormone therapy causes the hips to rotate slightly forward because of changes in the tendons. Hip discomfort is not uncommon.

If estrogen therapy is begun prior to pelvis ossification, which occurs around the age of 25, the pelvic outlet and inlet open slightly. The femora also widen, because they are connected to the pelvis. The pelvis retains some masculine characteristics, but the end result of HRT is wider hips than a cisgender man and closer to those of a cisgender woman

Neurological changes

Recent studies have indicated that hormone therapy in transgender women may reduce brain volume toward female proportions.

All aforementioned physical changes can, and reportedly do, change the experience of sensation compared to prior to HRT. Areas affected include, but aren't limited to, the basic senses, erogenous stimulus, perception of emotion, perception of social interaction, and processing of feelings and experiences.

[Like Ra]

Not quite related, but here are some interesting facts about differences between men and women: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondary_...acteristic

Females:
Greater development of thigh muscles behind the femur, rather than in front of it (as is typical in mature males)
Elbows that hyperextend 5-8° more than male adults
Upper arms approximately 2 cm longer, on average, for a given height

Facial differences between males and females: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facial_fem...on_surgery

, except that female clothing is "also" a fetish for me.

So you could link Vedanta Jnana Yogi , (I read Swami Vivekananda, and the Autobiography of a Yogi.) and of course, the Greek Literature on Cibylie , the CYBIL had the Easter Day ? where the male followers were castrated etc. etc. (I also read Fraizer's Golden Bough) and my Grandmother a full Native American told me about the Two Spirits among Native American cultures, and the above quote shows you were inspired to read copiously on all construed as cross-dressing.
I rather adore the term 'cross dressing" because it personally is what I loved. In the 1960's as a USA Hippie hitch hiker flower child I Was so commonly mistaken as a Girl hitch hiking I get Money from Truck Drivers. Jeez...forget that i said that...but it is silly and funny....I had definitely established a TWO PERSON in my person-hood....Johnny and Joanna. I became so liquid i could be a different person by changing attire....others have told me that.
Great response! Voile!

[Like Ra]

and my Grandmother a full Native American told me about the Two Spirits

Ha! What a perfect timing! I'm currently reading about it! 😁

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-spirit

[Like Ra]

What *I* find "interesting" is getting rid of all dichotomies, in this particular case - "man-woman".

Interesting quote from https://autumnasphodel.com/62/my-transit...-to-female

I wouldn’t say that I am completely female though. I call myself a hybrid. I’d say 60% female and 40% male. So, I’m quite androgynous. Not with my appearance, but with some of my personality. While I identify with both male and female genders, there are times I identify with neither. Feeling neither male or female. I don’t know what I am a lot of times.

I like the site, what (and how) she says, and so far I mostly agree with it. Not about "myself" but in general.

There isn't a lot you can do without at least HRT except for electrolysis (to remove beard) and makeup is about the only other thing without HRT. HRT changes the shape of fat and muscle but doesn't do anything for bone structure. Only surgery can change bone structure.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hormone_re...to-female) has a description of changes, some of which were very "unexpected" for me:

The main effects of HRT of the MTF type are as follows:

   Breast development and enlargement
   Softening and thinning of the skin
   Decreased body hair growth and density
   Redistribution of body fat in a feminine pattern
   Decreased muscle mass and strength
   Widening of the hips (if epiphyseal closure has not yet occurred; see below)
   Decreased acne, skin oiliness, scalp hair loss, and body odor
   Decreased size of the penis, scrotum, testicles, and prostate
   Suppressed or abolished spermatogenesis and fertility
   Decreased semen production/ejaculate volume
   Changes in mood, emotionality, and behavior
   Decreased sex drive and incidence of spontaneous erections

The most surprising part:

Bone/skeletal changes

Male-to-female hormone therapy causes the hips to rotate slightly forward because of changes in the tendons. Hip discomfort is not uncommon.

If estrogen therapy is begun prior to pelvis ossification, which occurs around the age of 25, the pelvic outlet and inlet open slightly. The femora also widen, because they are connected to the pelvis. The pelvis retains some masculine characteristics, but the end result of HRT is wider hips than a cisgender man and closer to those of a cisgender woman

Neurological changes

Recent studies have indicated that hormone therapy in transgender women may reduce brain volume toward female proportions.

All aforementioned physical changes can, and reportedly do, change the experience of sensation compared to prior to HRT. Areas affected include, but aren't limited to, the basic senses, erogenous stimulus, perception of emotion, perception of social interaction, and processing of feelings and experiences.

The pelvic tilt can even happen after 25 for some (it happened to me, but probably because I was a DES child and intersex with Kleinfelters. Unfortunately HRT can't change the bone structure in the face.

One thing that also happens from HRT that isn't well published is a loss in height. I went from 6'7" to about 6'5" over a year and a half period. The reason for this is because the muscles become more elastic with estrogen and lower Testosterone. As a result, muscle becomes less dense and more flexible. As a result, the spacing between the vertebrae lessens slight resulting in some loss on height.

As the mental changes from HRT, yes that is all true, sensation changes and or orgasms are very different. Yes, you have a lower sex drive, but you still have one and when you do orgasm, OMG is it amazing. (It's even more amazing after GCS for me, but that is very dependent on the surgeon.)

Cross Dressing and Transgender are very different mentally but a lot of transgender woman like myself cross dressed before transitioning. The BDSM/kink scene really helped me find my true self. I was raised Southern Baptist in the Southeastern part of the US which is ultra conservative and I needed a lot of deprogramming. Now looking back on things, I realize I was cross dressing as a man for over 40 years before I transitions. Here is a joke that sums it up well:

What's the different between a Cross Dresser and a Transgender Woman?

   A Cross Dresser can't wait to get home to put on a bra. A Transgender Woman can't wait to get home to take off her bra!

[Like Ra]

What's the different between a Cross Dresser and a Transgender Woman?

   A Cross Dresser can't wait to get home to put on a bra. A Transgender Woman can't wait to get home to take off her bra!

That's what I usually use in regards to the difference between women and CD-men and their "relations" with pantyhose 😁