I’m 9 Months Into Feminizing Hormone Replacement Therapy. Here Are 10 Things That Have Changed.

I am nine months into feminizing hormone replacement therapy. I’ve been glad to be on the medical transition journey after previously having socially and legally transitioned. They followed the most profound journey of my life in any way.

I initially (and inadvertently) didn’t take the amount of estradiol (estrogen) that I could have.

I am also taking leuprolide, an injection that blocks testosterone; and progesterone, which helps with breast growth.

Ten changes are below.

1. I have (mini) breasts now

I have worn bras every day since I accepted myself on Oct. 7 of last year. (And I’ve experienced joy while doing it.) However, I must now. I learned that after making a rare run without my bra and trying to play basketball in the same underwear status.

I am overjoyed about this. I called for therapists on my drive back from a Los Angeles trip as 2022 began. That’s because I wanted gender dysphoria therapy because I wanted a female body. And among any aspect of the female body, I most wanted breasts. Badly.

Regarding the basketball-playing, I’ve played a relative lot of the sport. I was a high school basketball player and a scout player on a Utah State women’s basketball team. Still, the basketball experience was insane — it was different than any other experience I have had playing basketball.

When I go to the theatre and no one is sitting close to me, I lay on my side, across chairs. A joyous unintended consequence of this is that my body’s position allows for me to feel my cleavage. And I’ve also felt joy as I have been in other positions where I have felt the cleavage or the protuberance of my breasts.

2. My feet have shrunk 2.5 sizes

I have heard from several transgender women at this point who say their feet shrunk as well. This is really beautiful for me. That’s because I find shoes to be adorable but could almost never find size 14.5 shoes. (And I looked relatively hard.) However, many stores sell shoes in size 12!

To confirm that my feet have shrunk that much, I just tried on size 12 boots that I was given about two-and-a-half weeks ago. They fit. (I also find the boots to be cute and I felt sexy because I felt powerful walking in them. As a result, I felt joy.)

3. My skin is hella soft

As in, d*** soft. As in, f***ing soft. It practically feels like a pillow.

My skin is much more rubbery than before starting hormones. Still, without any question, I would rather have this than what I had before.

4. Strength I enjoyed before starting hormones seems completely gone

I especially have noticed the lack of it in my arms compared to before. Further, my underarms are completely flabby now.

I’m glad for it. And not just because it is helping my body and soul align more.

This may not be a surprise, but I don’t want to look like a traditional dude in any way. And having a good amount of muscle in my arms would get in the way of that.

One Saturday nearly five months ago, I realized that I may not look horrible if I showed my arms. I couldn’t stop observing that reality anywhere I saw my reflection while walking that day.

And even though I had to do an amazing amount of walking that day, I never got tired of seeing that it worked for my arms to be seen bare. I was ecstatic over and over again.

5. I have to take a break when carrying things when I didn’t have to before

I recognize that this one relates directly with 4. But this was such a big deal to me that I wanted to separate it out from that one.

I’m glad for it for the same reasons I am glad for 4.

6. My sex drive is only a small fraction of what it was

I now have a solid desire to have sex no more frequently now than every two weeks. Before that, I had that desire almost every day.

I am joyous about this as well. I always hated that my body was almost doglike in terms of how much it wanted to have sexual experiences. That it being doglike was just because my body was just a traditionally male one.

Yay for de-dogging!

7. My face is fuller

And yet it doesn’t stop the misgendering four to five days per week even after I correct people. (Which actually suggests that transphobia may very well be at play here, but I digress.)

That is why the first surgical procedure I sought is facial feminization. Even though I am most dysphoric elsewhere. (The key word being “most.” I am dysphoric everywhere.)

I am quite pleased about this development, however. I felt joy when I saw the May 21 photo immediately below.

8. My body hair has decreased significantly and dramatically

Since I had little body hair to begin with, I am a low-key hairless wonder now.

It is wonderful. I don’t get why anyone would want hair on their body. And my question regards hair on faces as much as any part of a body.

9. My a** is a little more bulbous

That is clear after physically feeling for it. And it has seemed clear through loose dresses as well.

That is a revelation.

10. The sausage has changed, too

Please contact me if you are interested in details so that I may tell you privately.

Need to run — I see a parking stall for a compact car.

—

Alysha makes about $6 per Medium article (and exactly $0 per That Hashtag Show article). Please sign up on her Patreon.