TransMen

What is FtM?

Female to Male transgender or transsexual people are those who were born biologically female and transition towards male. The FtM transition often provides strikingly dramatic results, allowing most FtM people to pass completely as male. It has been said that "there are more FtM's than you think, you just don't recognize them."

Surgery & Hormones

There are three main body alterations that FtM transitioning can entail: hormone replacement therapy, breast reduction, and genital surgery (SRS). Side effects of masculinizng hormone therapy include increased aggression, acne, and risk of ovarian cancer. If dosage is not begun low then increased, or if hormones are taken in a spike-decline manner then side effects will increase. Anyone considering HRT should thoroughly research the effects of hormone treatment.

Benjamin Standards

Anyone considering HRT or SRS should become familiar with the Benjamin Standards of Care for Gender Identity Disorders (provided here). While these standards' recommendations are controversial, they currently govern medical treatment of transsexual.

Legal Aspects

The law has yet to fully catch up with transgenderism. Only a few states and localities extend protection from discrimination to transgender people. For more about this, and ways to help change the law, read Transgender Equality: A Handbook for Activists and Policymakers (provided here). The government holds rigidly to "male" and "female" dichotomy, and does not even provide an option for biologically intersexed people. Legally changing gender can be a treacherous process, but it is possible to do so.