Did Testosterone Cause Me to Like Science Fiction?

Summary

The author reflects on how transitioning with testosterone has unexpectedly sparked a newfound interest in science fiction, as the genre's themes of transformation and identity resonate with their personal experience of gender transition.

Abstract

The article titled "Did Testosterone Cause Me to Like Science Fiction?" delves into the author's personal journey with gender identity and the surprising connection they've found between their transition and a growing fascination with science fiction. The author explains that this interest did not arise from adhering to gender stereotypes but rather from the parallels between their real-life transformation and the fantastical elements of science fiction narratives. As they began taking testosterone, the author started to view their life as a science fiction story, with their body undergoing significant changes that align with their true identity. This transition has led to moments of confusion for others, such as a coworker who mistook the author for a new employee, highlighting the profound shift in the author's identity. The genre's exploration of body swapping, identity, and the blurred lines between reality and fantasy resonate deeply with the author's experience of becoming the person they believe they should have always been.

Opinions

The author believes that their transition on testosterone is akin to a real-life science fiction narrative, with their body changing into a form that better represents their identity.
They suggest that their interest in science fiction is not a result of becoming a stereotype but rather a natural affinity due to the thematic relevance of the genre to their life.
The author feels that science fiction's themes of transformation and the interplay between reality and fantasy mirror their own experiences, making the genre particularly relatable.
They express a sense of having replaced themselves, implying a profound shift in their identity and how others perceive them.
The author values the support of readers and encourages them to sign up for Medium to access more of their writing, indicating a desire to share their journey and insights with a broader audience.

I think it actually started as I began to research Testosterone. I began to imagine my life as something of a real life science fiction story. I could change my body into an unrecognizably different form.

And that’s what’s happening.

I spoke with a coworker who hadn’t seen me in a year (because Pandemic), introducing myself with my new name. Instead of seeing me as coming out as a trans man, she thought she was meeting the dude who replaced the femme employee that she knew from the year before.

She started telling me all about that nice young lady I replaced and wanted to make sure I knew what she did, so all the important stuff would get done.

I replaced myself.

I am seeing what my life looks like without me. What my life looks like if I replaced myself with…another version of me, with the person I should have been all along.

Why does this make me suddenly interested in science fiction?

Because this genre of minds inhabiting different bodies, of bodies changing form, of fantasy and reality interchanging to make bizarre things happen that tell us something painfully or beautifully true about how the world around us always was…

Did Testosterone Cause Me to Like Science Fiction?

Yes, but not because I have become a walking stereotype of manhood.

I think it actually started as I began to research Testosterone. I began to imagine my life as something of a real life science fiction story. I could change my body into an unrecognizably different form.

I replaced myself.

That’s relatable content for me now.

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