This is my place to think out loud, rant, analyze, celebrate, babble, etc. It may involve issues such as morality, feminism, transphobia, homosexuality, politics, or atheism - and sometimes, I just blog about personal stuff. If any of this has the potential to offend you, that's yours to work out for yourself, as I make no apologies for my personal opinion and am not seeking validation. I'm just a helluva nice guy (who happens to be FTM) with some very strong opinons.
Um, no. I doubt, for one thing, that dirt reads me - she is far too self obsessed and narcissistic to worry about what anyone else is saying. Do I find encouragement to express my opinion because of things that are said over there? Yes. I've had more than one person contact me - non trans - who were buying into the BS there and saw my blog and started really trying to look at this situation with open-mindedness and empathy for others, rather than jump on the hate train. I don't blog because of dirt, I blog to express myself - but at times, I will blog in response to something I may have seen on dirt's blog. Whether it pisses her off or not is inconsequential to me. Thanks!
June asked: "Do u think that taking testosterone has changed your personality, mood, mannerisms? Please be honest."
Well I assure you, I have no reason NOT to be honest about my experiences with transition - it's been amazing! I'll break your question down a little...
Personality - I would say that hasn't changed one bit, and people who've known me my entire life will agree. I am the same person today I've always been - just a better, happier version :)
Mood - I would say my overall mood is better, but that it has no bearing on the actual affect of the testosterone - just transition in general. I was very withdrawn, very introverted prior to transition. I am much more self assured, and much more at peace now. So my general mood/disposition is better but not necessarily because of the T.
Mannerisms - I really don't think so, no. I know you hear all this stuff about how T changes people - and maybe it does some people - but honestly, the only thing that really changed - noticeably - was body/facial hair and my voice.
Shellie - wow, lol... Anon may not have meant it that way! But thanks for the support in any case :)
You asked: "Can you describe for us the difference in how you feel about yourself now as opposed to how you felt about yourself before you transitioned? Like, did it make a gigantic difference in your overall outlook and self-esteem?"
I kind of covered this above... but prior to transition, I was very introverted, withdrawn, and very self conscious. I was an angry, depressed person. Since transition, I am outgoing, I have much more confidence, and I really REALLY like myself! I enjoy life and I enjoy who I am in this life... so definitely, my outlook and self esteem both did a 360!
Anon 3:49 asked: "Do you still have pictures from before transition or is it true that trans guys sort of erase their past or re-write it?"
Absolutely I have pics from before! I even have some of them in a cool scrapbook. I would never want to erase my past, I had a wonderful family growing up, and everything leading up to now shaped who I am as a person. I haven't really known anyone who wanted to erase their past, although that doesn't mean they're not out there. I even have some of my pictures both from childhood and from pre-transition up on my facebook page for people to see. No shame here :)
Anon 8:47 - I prefer to keep this blog and my facebook completely separate, sorry! I like the anonymity of the blog the way it is :) It isn't about ME as much as it's about issues... but thank you for your interest!
Anon 10:25 - wow, you don't hold back! LOL! I do not, in fact, have a phalloplasty and have no intentions of getting one. And I do feel 100% complete! I don't reduce human beings to their genitalia... it's cliche, I know, but it's more about what's between the ears than between the legs :)
Anon, dude - if the FB page isn't given out here to protect his anonymity - it's unlikely to be given out to anons that ask privately either. The game would still be up - so to speak, no?
Ex - I'm a pre-everything FtM and so I wanted to ask you - how did your family take coming out and hormones, etc, and is there anything that a guy can do to help parents (one of whom is supportive, one is not - its a complete sh*tstorm) to see that I'm not magically turning into another person? You know - that I'm still their kid?
Anon 1:02 - Great question! I had a wonderful experience with my family - I had already lost both my parents, whom I was very close to, so I just had older siblings to come out to. I decided to go the route of sending them letters with some info I printed out (a very good FAQ I can link you to if you'd like) so that they could process it in their own time and not feel on the spot. I got great feedback from all 3 of them, as well as from friends I did the same thing with. They all said the FAQ answered a lot of questions for them, and helped them to "get" it. I'd be happy to talk to you more about it if you need an ear :) And I'll find the FAQ and link to it on the page with my other links. Thanks for reading!
Just saying hello! :-) I haven't blogged in awhile either because of summer distractions. That's my question: Did you have a nice summer? I know you don't give out your fb because I brought that up early on, but I wish you did. lol! I'm different that way--I'm always keeping up with my blogging friends as well as outside world people all mixed together on the same facebook. lol!
Did you start your blog just to piss Dirtywhiteboi off?
ReplyDeleteUm, no. I doubt, for one thing, that dirt reads me - she is far too self obsessed and narcissistic to worry about what anyone else is saying. Do I find encouragement to express my opinion because of things that are said over there? Yes. I've had more than one person contact me - non trans - who were buying into the BS there and saw my blog and started really trying to look at this situation with open-mindedness and empathy for others, rather than jump on the hate train. I don't blog because of dirt, I blog to express myself - but at times, I will blog in response to something I may have seen on dirt's blog. Whether it pisses her off or not is inconsequential to me. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteDo u think that taking testosterone has changed your personality, mood, mannerisms? Please be honest.
ReplyDeleteDo you still have pictures from before transition or is it true that trans guys sort of erase their past or re-write it?
ReplyDeleteJune asked: "Do u think that taking testosterone has changed your personality, mood, mannerisms? Please be honest."
ReplyDeleteWell I assure you, I have no reason NOT to be honest about my experiences with transition - it's been amazing! I'll break your question down a little...
Personality - I would say that hasn't changed one bit, and people who've known me my entire life will agree. I am the same person today I've always been - just a better, happier version :)
Mood - I would say my overall mood is better, but that it has no bearing on the actual affect of the testosterone - just transition in general. I was very withdrawn, very introverted prior to transition. I am much more self assured, and much more at peace now. So my general mood/disposition is better but not necessarily because of the T.
Mannerisms - I really don't think so, no. I know you hear all this stuff about how T changes people - and maybe it does some people - but honestly, the only thing that really changed - noticeably - was body/facial hair and my voice.
Thanks for the question!
Shellie - wow, lol... Anon may not have meant it that way! But thanks for the support in any case :)
ReplyDeleteYou asked: "Can you describe for us the difference in how you feel about yourself now as opposed to how you felt about yourself before you transitioned? Like, did it make a gigantic difference in your overall outlook and self-esteem?"
I kind of covered this above... but prior to transition, I was very introverted, withdrawn, and very self conscious. I was an angry, depressed person. Since transition, I am outgoing, I have much more confidence, and I really REALLY like myself! I enjoy life and I enjoy who I am in this life... so definitely, my outlook and self esteem both did a 360!
Thanks!
Anon 3:49 asked: "Do you still have pictures from before transition or is it true that trans guys sort of erase their past or re-write it?"
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely I have pics from before! I even have some of them in a cool scrapbook. I would never want to erase my past, I had a wonderful family growing up, and everything leading up to now shaped who I am as a person. I haven't really known anyone who wanted to erase their past, although that doesn't mean they're not out there. I even have some of my pictures both from childhood and from pre-transition up on my facebook page for people to see. No shame here :)
Thanks!
Can you tell us how to find you on facebook? I'd love to see your pictures!
ReplyDeleteDo you have a phalloplasty and if so, does it work? If not, do you still feel complete as a man?
ReplyDeleteAnon 8:47 - I prefer to keep this blog and my facebook completely separate, sorry! I like the anonymity of the blog the way it is :) It isn't about ME as much as it's about issues... but thank you for your interest!
ReplyDeleteAnon 10:25 - wow, you don't hold back! LOL! I do not, in fact, have a phalloplasty and have no intentions of getting one. And I do feel 100% complete! I don't reduce human beings to their genitalia... it's cliche, I know, but it's more about what's between the ears than between the legs :)
ReplyDeleteO ok, sorry. Can people contact you privately for your facebook page?
ReplyDeleteAnon, dude - if the FB page isn't given out here to protect his anonymity - it's unlikely to be given out to anons that ask privately either. The game would still be up - so to speak, no?
ReplyDeleteEx - I'm a pre-everything FtM and so I wanted to ask you - how did your family take coming out and hormones, etc, and is there anything that a guy can do to help parents (one of whom is supportive, one is not - its a complete sh*tstorm) to see that I'm not magically turning into another person? You know - that I'm still their kid?
How did that go for you?
Peace.
Anon 4:29 - Anon 1:02 pretty much covered that for me, lol. I wouldn't give out my facebook info in relation to this site at all, sorry!
ReplyDeleteAnon 1:02 - Great question! I had a wonderful experience with my family - I had already lost both my parents, whom I was very close to, so I just had older siblings to come out to. I decided to go the route of sending them letters with some info I printed out (a very good FAQ I can link you to if you'd like) so that they could process it in their own time and not feel on the spot. I got great feedback from all 3 of them, as well as from friends I did the same thing with. They all said the FAQ answered a lot of questions for them, and helped them to "get" it. I'd be happy to talk to you more about it if you need an ear :) And I'll find the FAQ and link to it on the page with my other links. Thanks for reading!
ReplyDeleteJust saying hello! :-) I haven't blogged in awhile either because of summer distractions. That's my question: Did you have a nice summer? I know you don't give out your fb because I brought that up early on, but I wish you did. lol! I'm different that way--I'm always keeping up with my blogging friends as well as outside world people all mixed together on the same facebook. lol!
ReplyDeleteMike, I hope you're still blogging...
ReplyDeleteYou are, right?
I know I've been gone from the blogosphere for awhile, but this is one of my favorites.