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USA: *This Is What Transsexuality Involves* -- By : Sei
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*This Is What Transsexuality Involves*
By : Sei
This is a ‘duh’ statement…. Transsexuality is different than homosexuality. I know, that really is a no brainer. A transsexual is an individual who seeks to alter their body’s exterior sex in order to match their gender. But ...
Quelle: "TGLIFE" -- das amerikanische Online-Magazin für TransGender
Der komplette Essay erscheint durch den Klick auf
*This Is What Transsexuality Involves*
By : Sei
This is a ‘duh’ statement…. Transsexuality is different than homosexuality.
I know, that really is a no brainer. A transsexual is an individual who seeks to alter their body’s exterior sex in order to match their gender.
Imagine, if you will, being unable to have sex properly because you are unable to sort out how the plumbing works. Imagine being in a depression so deep that it is hard to image what the light looks like. Imagine having to spend years in therapy in order to, hopefully, have hormone therapy and surgery just to feel normal. Not to mention the expense.
Being a transsexual is hard work. I know, because, I am a transsexual. I am a transwoman. That is a male to female transsexual. It may seem rather surprising to sit here and talk about this a third time before actually getting into the substance of my story. However, there is a lot that people need to know.
This is what transsexuality involves.
Transsexuality requires many steps dictated by the American Psychological Association. The APA in their Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders lays out a set of guidelines regarding Gender Identity Disorder (GID) or Gender Dysphoria, both are known mostly as transsexuality. Not all therapists follow the rules exactly. My first therapist wrote my hormone letter earlier than most due to the various issues that were likely to be involved with my endocrinologist.
The steps might be in different orders, but they are therapy, electrolysis (transwomen only), voice training (transwomen only), hormone replacement therapy (HRT), living full time, and various surgeries.
Therapy typically goes for six months before the hormone letters are written. The hormone letter lets the endocrinologist know that the person is ready for hormone treatment. The therapist also writes what are known as ‘walking papers’, which are letters explaining that the person is a transsexual and not a threat to society. The period of time therapy lasts at this initial stage depends greatly on the therapist and not on the patient, and therapy is necessary to screen for a variety of potential disorders which might mimic transsexuality.
A transwoman also undergoes electrolysis in order to remove, most often, facial hair. This process is long and involved, but necessary since facial hair does not alter significantly during HRT. Vocal training is another step that only transwomen undergo. Transwomen often receive voice coaching in order to make their voices sound more feminine and less masculine.
HRT is that wonderful process where by transsexuals take prescription hormones and sometimes anti-androgen (transwomen) or anti-estrogen (transmen) drugs. Some endocrinologists prefer to use just the hormones until the pituitary stops issuing commands to release the inborn sex hormones because it can be a lot safer. Most anti-hormone drugs can be rather toxic, and the most common and least expensive are sulpha based to which a large portion of the population is allergic (this includes me).
At some point, a transsexual individual begins to live their life dressing, acting and being the person they wish to be. To the world at large, they begin to live their gender. This is called “living full time.” We live our lives being ourselves all day, every day for years. This often goes on at least for two years before the final surgeries are done.
The final step is surgery. Actually, there are several surgeries involved. Obviously transwomen and transmen undergo very different surgeries.
This is, alas, a thumbnail sketch. The steps are the same for each of us, and each of us goes as far as we can or wish. The stories behind those steps are each very different. My story is unique, even though I will share and have shared the same basic outline with every other transsexual.
(Sei is a trans-lesbian who lives in Vermont and has a strong passion for LGBTI rights. She has a BA in History and her hobbies include sci-fi, anime, fantasy, action movies, video games, and more.)
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