#post-hormonal

[yuribeam]

for whoever needs to hear this:

starting HRT doesn't have to be a huge momentous all-or-nothing decision. you can just try it like you would an antidepressant you've been informed of the risks of.

there won't be any immediate irreversible changes overnight. you can always stop, change your dose, change your delivery system, decide it's not the right time. you can even microdose if you want to.

you don't have to tell anyone. you don't have to announce it if you don't want to.

stop waiting for a perfect time in your life because it won't come.

stop waiting to reach a mythical level of certainty that never comes to anyone, for anything.

you've been thinking about it long enough. if you have the opportunity, just give it a shot. you're worth the courage it takes to make a change in your life.

[macbethz]

I’m actually obsessed with this person. more cis (or “cis”, if they end up identifying differently) people should be doing this who gaf

[waitineedaname]

of course if bingqiu both got pregnant at the same time, the only way I can envision it happening is via mutual babytrapping. binghe finally convinces shen qingqiu to top him and then forgets to mention that he took a magic pregnancy pill beforehand. little does he know, the sex pollen flowers they encountered a week earlier that made them fuck like rabbits were actually fertility flowers, which shen qingqiu definitely knew but just. chose not to mention it. he was a little distracted, okay?! and sure, he could do something about it now, but!! that's binghe's baby!!! why would he abort binghe's baby????

they both dance around the subject for a while trying to figure out how to break the news to each other, only to be completely stunned to learn that they've BOTH been pregnant this whole time?? now they have to figure out if it counts as twins if they're born within a week of each other but technically did not share a womb

[phoenixyfriend]

I have a silly concept:

So... basically, like half the Jedi, including Ahsoka, knew Padmé was pregnant as early as the second month because they could smell it on her.

And Anakin didn't realize.

(Ahsoka either didn't get framed for terrorism or the first/second month took place before that incident.)

So there was a lot of discourse (possibly a betting pool) about:

Does Padmé know yet? (Low-level interest, mostly just people trying to remember if she's allowed to have kids while in office and if not, should someone let her know before her options for termination change?)

Does Anakin know? (He's the closest to her, out of all the Jedi, but he has a human nose so he doesn't KNOW, right?) Should they ask? Because, like:

Who's the dad and IS IT SKYWALKER? (If there is any betting it's here.)

Ahsoka is obviously considered the most likely option for Asking Questions of Padmé and/or Anakin.

She pretends she doesn't notice the gossip but she is Personally Dithering because Padmé is either pregnant or ill, and if she IS pregnant then it might be Skyguy's, and if it IS Skyguy's then Ahsoka's going to be an aunt, and also feels weird about not telling her brother that he's probably about to be a dad.

(But what if Padmé IS sick and the pregnancy smell is, like, ovarian cancer? There's some kind of tumor that can cause hCG, right? Ahsoka should tell her!)

So Anakin and Padmé are completely oblivious to how many Jedi just... know.

Padmé thought she was wearing enough perfume to hide her secrets from senators who have good noses, but she did not air out Anakin's robes after he dug them out from under the sheets that fell onto the floor during a nightmare.

So there are Jedi who know she's pregnant, and like. It's not that she's confirmed to be fucking him. But he's confirmed to have been in her vicinity during pregnancy! Long enough to absorb the scents!

Also. She didn't know to air them out because she doesn't know she's pregnant yet.

So much gossip, and these two still think they're being subtle.

Someone who knows about the pregnancy but doesn't grok that she might want it kept a secret asks Obi-Wan what he's getting for the baby shower, because they've been invited to one before, and the holonet said it's common on Naboo, so OBVIOUSLY--

Obi-Wan bluescreens... then immediately starts gearing up to lecture Anakin about impregnating a politician, they've BEEN OVER THIS!

Teen Obi-Wan had a pregnancy scare with Satine (it was a false alarm but freaked them out REAL bad) so this was a Very Pointed Lecture when Anakin was caught hooking up with a fellow padawan at fifteen. Don't impregnate a politician!

[hawnks]

You know the moment you lay eyes on him: Xavier is your alpha. You feel the draw of the connection down to your bones, this is it. Your fated mate.

Except -- Xavier doesn't feel the same pull. He can't.

He's a beta.

It's a cruel little trick the universe has played on you. You're destined to want him forever, but his desire is conditional. He can leave you, but you'll never be able to leave him. You've heard the pheromone withdrawal from a broken fated match is an unholy torture; some people say it's worse than death. And even if you somehow manage to stay together for the rest of your lives, how could a beta ever understand soul deep longing? You'll love him with every molecule of the stars that made you, less you here. You'll need him. The inbalance of that, the sheer unfairness -- it breaks your heart before you've even begun.

You need to find a way out of this, before you subconsciously (or willingly, god he's pretty) imprint on him.

You hit wall after wall in your search for a solution. Xavier is there the whole time, holding your hand when disappointment sets in, offering you comfort and optimism you desperately need. Ingraining himself in your life. Letting you know him. Making you -- goddamit -- like him. You're not sure how he feels about the match, but the fact that he's going along with your plan to end this relationship is indicative enough. You don't think about it too deeply, at risk of falling into despair over this mess.

When your last and most promising lead is a dead end, you don't feel resignation -- you feel relief. The cool rain that follows the choking humidity.

He wraps his arms around your chest, chin on your shoulder as he scans the test results on the table. He hums.

"Guess we'll have to stay together, then."

And because he's your mate, because you know him, you see the daunting truth. He's been sabotaging you this whole time. Making you unable to escape this match.

And there's nothing you can do anymore. You'll love him until you die.

You sense the same sense of relief in him, as you settle into his hold, accepting him. Maybe this whole experience was as exhausting for him as it was for you. Maybe he felt the inevitability of this, too.

Maybe he does understand soul deep longing, after all.

[mega-banette]

anyway i think the funniest way to hc teru as trans is to have him not know that there are trans people other than him. he woke up one day when he was 11 and was like oh of course i can be a boy i am the main character and most special person and then he just attacked anyone who said he couldn’t with his psychic powers.

[misiahasahardname]

a meme for you before i disappear for a week

[waterfallofspace]

when someone has a defined sneeze, not a quick cough-adjacent, or a rapid/small "eshh/ishh/tshh" type, a vocal, lengthy, defined one

think "hih'ttzshh'chiew!" or "hh'atchshew!" or "eh'rrschh'oo!"

one where you can hear each section, the breathy inhale (hihh-), the vocal release (tschh-), and the whining/relieved end (shhiew-!)

just something about getting all those parts in the experience, hearing the clear sections of a sneeze~

+ bonus points for being vocal enough to hear their voice in it~

[exdivine]

i don’t believe men can get postpartum depression like women do. i get that a new baby affects both parents’ mental health, but i refuse to believe that men experience postpartum health problems to the same extent as women.

[our-ftm-experience]

A brief guide to Testosterone HRT

If you’d like the one for Estrogen HRT, ask in the comments and you shall receive.

Image from the Transpeak Discord - unsure of actual source (a clinic?) (if anyone knows, please tell!)

Alternate text under the cut

Alt:

What is the goal of testosterone therapy?

Testosterone has two main jobs: It causes masculinizing changes to occur throughout the body, and it suppresses the production of estrogen. Some of the changes caused by testosterone are permanent (they would remain if testosterone was stopped), and other changes are reversible.

How is testosterone administered?

Testosterone is available as injections, cream, or gel. Injections are administered either every two weeks intramuscularly (into the muscle) or every week subcutaneously (under the skin). Nursing staff provides injection training here at clinic. Creams and gels are absorbed through the skin and applied daily.

What are the irreversible effects of testosterone?

Testosterone causes voice deepening, clitoral growth, body/facial hair growth, and sometimes male-pattern balding (also influenced by age and genetics). Testosterone may irreversibly affect fertility. Desires for fertility should be considered prior to starting hormones, and for those seeking fertility preservation (or education about fertility preservation), referrals can be made to Lurie’s fertility preservation team.

What are some of the reversible effects of testosterone?

Testosterone causes increased muscle tone, fat redistribution (hips to stomach area), skin oiliness and acne. Mood changes (often irritability, having a “shorter fuse”) and heightened sex drive may occur. Menstrual cycles will change and eventually stop after some time. There may be genital changes caused by low estrogen levels.

What are some of the known side effects and risks of testosterone?

Testosterone may increase your metabolic risk profile — that is, the risk for conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol or blood pressure. The risk for heart disease is higher for people who smoke cigarettes, are overweight or have a family history of heart disease.

Testosterone causes hematocrit, the proportion of red blood cells in a volume of blood, to increase. This blood thickening, at high levels, can be life-threatening, causing stroke or a heart attack.

Testosterone can also cause increased appetite, headaches, and acne.

A low-detail diagram of the upper half of three bodies is displayed. From left to right, the bodies represent having been on testosterone for little to no time (a month or less), a medium amount of time (six to eight months) and a greater amount of time (a year or more).

The diagram is a visual representation of testosterone effects on the body. Hip mass shifts to the stomach area, The adam’s apple grows. Muscle mass grows and shoulders become broader. Facial and body hair grows on the arms, face, and assumably the legs not displayed in the image. The skin gets oily and acne appears on the face.

Testosterone affects: skin, muscle mass, body fat, body hair, voice change.

Increased skin oiliness and acne starts within 1-6 months of testosterone. Its complete effect can be within 1-2 years.

Increased muscle mass and strength starts within 6-12 months of testosterone. Its complete effect can be within 2-5 years. This effect is highly dependent on the amount of exercise one does.

Voice pitch deepening starts within 6-12 months of testosterone. Its complete effect can be within 1-2 years.

Body fat redistribution starts within 3-6 months of testosterone. Its complete effect can be within 2-5 years.

Facial and body hair growth starts within 6-12 months of testosterone. Its complete effect can be within 3-5 years.

Monthly periods stop within 2-6 months of testosterone.

Clitoral enlargement of 0.5 inches to 1 inch begins within 3-6 months of testosterone. Its complete effect can be within 1-2 years.

Male pattern hair loss starts when you have been on testosterone for over a year. Its complete effect date is variable. It depends on age and genetics, and can be minimal.

Sex drive also increases.

How do we monitor for safety?

Labs (bloodwork) are collected prior to starting hormones and every three months for the first year of treatment. In the second year, labs are checked every six months. Tests that are monitored include cholesterol, liver tests, hematocrit, and hormone levels. These labs can be drawn at Lurie’s or a local facility.

How quickly will changes develop?

Remember, it’s normal to want to see changes occur rapidly, but (just like in puberty) these changes take time! Most changes start to begin around 3-6 months after starting testosterone and take years to fully develop.

Will I look like my friend _____?

Remember, everyone experiences puberty differently. Factors other than testosterone (such as genes!) affect appearance. It’s impossible to predict exactly what changes will develop.

It’s important to take the prescribed dose of testosterone. Taking more increases health risks.

Always tell your health care provider if you have questions or concerns about your health.

[smeagles]

November 10, 2014: Gerard Way and the Hormones make a stop at KOKO in London, England on the first UK leg of the Hesitant Alien Tour 📸: Louder

[asktheritochampion]

Now that Link is a Rito, what are you going to do?

[raviollies]

I love putting her in funny little outfits

[thewertsearch]

Alright! Welcome back to TheWertsearch, everybody!

I'm currently firing up Homestuck Collection for the first time in a month, and I've got to tell you, I am pumped. My plan is to warm up my liveblogger's brain by rereading some of Act 5, and then start drafting an ask compilation. I'll post it tomorrow, and then we'll be back to regular programming from Wednesday onwards!

Also, I was not kidding in these tags. Cat's told me approximately how much of Act 5 I have left, and this should be just about achievable, if I'm sufficiently on my grind. No promises, of course, but I'm full of pent-up liveblogging energy, and I'm optimistic about my chances.

Whether or not we get there before January, we'll definitely be reaching Act 6 sooner rather than later. It'll be the end of an era, the end of a session, and the beginning of a brand new one.

Hope y'all are excited as I am!

[arafinweanappreciation]

we talk about Elrond being slightly eldritch all the time but what about teenage Elwing in the Havens getting mad at Earendil for a thoughtless comment or something and when she flips out the nearby seabirds start freaking out and attacking people and Gil-galad and Cirdan just have to deal with this

[befemininenow]

Be feminine now.

- Nikki

Around 1,000 posts and 20,000 followers later, we are still going strong. But at this point, it's been over 2 years. Have you started your process of feminization, or in this case, transition? If you haven't convinced yourself, maybe this collection can persuade you. But captions can only do enough. It's up to you to make the effort to transition into your female. The time is ticking, and the time is now.

Your future is trans female.