This story is from the comments listed below, summarised by AI.
Authenticity Assessment: Not Suspicious
Based on the provided comments, this account appears authentic. There are no serious red flags suggesting it is a bot or a bad-faith actor.
The user's comments are highly specific, nuanced, and internally consistent. They share detailed, multi-faceted personal experiences (e.g., transitioning 20 years ago, health effects of long-term testosterone, changing social perspectives with age) that would be difficult to fabricate convincingly. Their tone is passionate and often advisory, which aligns with a genuine detransitioner/desister who is engaged in the community. The account shows a range of emotions and discusses a variety of related topics (medical, social, legal, personal) in a way that feels organic.
About me
I transitioned from female to male twenty years ago, but in my fifties, my feelings changed as I started tapering off testosterone. I now realize that trauma was a major reason I transitioned, and I regret not dealing with my mental health first. Coming off the hormones has made me feel emotionally clearer and less anxious. My long-term use of testosterone has caused serious health issues for my female body. Through yoga and therapy, I've reconnected with my body and now find more peace identifying as a butch lesbian.
My detransition story
My name isn't important, but my story is. I transitioned from female to male about twenty years ago, and for a long time, it worked for me. I was a masculine female who always perceived myself as male and desperately wanted others to see me that way, too. I started taking testosterone and have been living as a man ever since, passing completely.
But now, in my fifties, my feelings have profoundly changed. I’ve started to taper off testosterone, and it’s made me reevaluate my entire journey. I believe that for me, trauma played a significant part in my initial desire to transition. It’s annoying when people say there’s no science to prove that connection, because in my experience, it’s very real. I’ve had to do a lot of deep work, with the help of a good therapist, to examine those buried feelings.
My mental health has always been a factor; I’m prone to anxiety and depression. In the past, I tried going off T cold turkey and spiraled badly, which is why my doctor now has me tapering down slowly over several weeks. Coming off has been a revelation. I feel lighter, more clear-minded, and less anxious. I’m experiencing a full range of emotions again, something that didn’t happen on testosterone. It was always difficult to cry on T, which made processing my emotions nearly impossible. Now I feel like taking testosterone was a crutch that I simply don’t need anymore.
A huge part of my shift in perspective has come from somatic practices, especially doing yoga consistently for the last few years. It brought a level of peace and a connection to my biological body that I hadn't felt in decades. It allowed me to address that old trauma and reconnect with my sex in a way that feels healthy. This reconnection also made me conscious of my physical health. I’ve been putting an extremely high dose of an anabolic steroid into my female body for two decades, and I’m now dealing with the consequences: high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea. My body doesn’t metabolize T the same way anymore, and my sex drive became a burdensome level that actually caused me dysphoria.
Living as a man has also lost its appeal. The social jockeying and posturing among men is exhausting. I notice that men, as they age, often become isolated and lonely, and I realized I don’t want that for myself. I’ve found myself aligning more with women and butch lesbians my age again. There was a definite "grass is greener" element to my transition.
As for my thoughts on gender, I don't think "trans" is a real identity; to me, it's a process one undertakes. I’m not anti-trans. I think it’s a way to address gender dysphoria that works for some people but not for others. A lot of this is just theory, not fact, and I think many people have lost sight of the difference. I see a lot of people, both trans and detrans, who spend too much time in their heads overthinking everything, which is probably driven by anxiety. Slowing down and focusing on my body through yoga and meditation gave me little flashes of insight that were more valuable than all the intellectualizing.
Do I have regrets? It's complicated. I don't regret the life I've lived, and transitioning worked for me for a long time. But I do regret not understanding the long-term health consequences of testosterone on a female body. I regret not dealing with my underlying trauma and mental health issues first. If I had found the tools I use now—like yoga and a good therapist—twenty years ago, my path might have been very different.
| Age | Event |
|---|---|
| Early 30s | Started taking testosterone (T) and began living as a man. |
| 30s-50s | Lived as a man for approximately 20 years. |
| Early 50s | Began consistently practicing yoga and somatic therapy, which led to a reconnection with my biological sex and addressing past trauma. |
| Early 50s | Began tapering off testosterone due to serious health complications (high cholesterol, high blood pressure, sleep apnea) and a shift in personal identity. |
| Now (50s) | Currently tapering off T, experiencing a greater range of emotions and a clearer mind. Aligning more with a butch lesbian identity. |
Top Comments by /u/ExactCheek5955:
I like Blaire White, sure she’s hypocritical in some ways and has some rather interesting views, but I appreciate that she’s found a voice pushing back on ridiculous trans narratives- basically saying what a lot of people think but fear saying it out loud due to the backlash. I generally hate groupthink and get a kick out of her.
Tbh i’m a little concerned about what you described. Sure you are not being coerced, but you’ve only known this man for two months and it sounds a teensy bit like there may be some manipulation happening here. I really recommend sorting it out with a good therapist.
Sorry you went through this, but Reddit is not really a good place to get sound legal advice tbh. Medical malpractice is complicated and you probably had to sign waivers and informed consent forms with your providers which complicated things. You should consult at least a couple of medical malpractice attorneys, get different opinions, see if you have a case worth pursuing. and you should provide them with all you can as far as what documents you signed (if you have them. if you don’t you can request a copy).
sorry to hear your frustration, i can post more later but had some quick feedback - i suggest not putting your political views in such sharp focus in your social life. i am older and the way i see it, people today put so much into their political beliefs and we are so much more than that as humans. Focus on doing activities you enjoy that any one of any political persuasion, gender, race might enjoy and it will help you get out of the mental trap. I like doing things like yoga and hiking, they take me out of my mental processes and make me feel good in my body. it changes the way i feel and see things and i start attracting the right people in my life.
i think it might be a good idea, i’ve seen influencers and people on X cite the large number of members of this group to advocate banning trans related medical services as they assume all 50k+ members are detransitioned. i’m curious how realistic they are with that assertion.
my feelings were similar to yours, i was a masc female but perceived myself as male and wanted others too as well. and trans worked for me for a long time but in the past few years as i’ve gotten into my 50s i’ve found myself aligning more with women and butch dykes my age again. there is a “grass is greener” element to all of this imo.
i’ve engaged in a lot of somatic practices, consistent yoga in particular the past few years, that has brought a new level of peace and connection with my biological sex, and allowed me to address some trauma that had been buried. with this reconnection to my biological sex i became more conscious of my physical health. T is an anabolic steroid and i’ve been putting an extremely high dose in my female body for 2 decades and now i have the high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea that goes with it. i have recently had to change my eating habits and monitor my health. my body doesn’t seem to metabolize T the same any longer and my sex drive got to a burdensome level and caused dysphoria.
now as i taper off i overall feel lighter, more clear minded and focused, and less anxious. i am experiencing a full range of emotions again, that’s something that didn’t happen on T. it was always difficult to cry which makes processing emotions challenging. i now feel like taking T was some sort of crutch that i no longer need.
i should also mention living as a man can get tiresome. the jockeying is exhausting, plus i note that men as they age tend towards isolation and loneliness. i don’t want that for myself.
hope that helps.
uggh, and it doesn’t help that people like that post screenshots of these threads on Twitter
i understand and know what you mean. when i’m attracted to a woman i feel very male. i realize not everyone gets that, it’s an internal experience. many people try to play therapist when i say this, or over-analyze and intellectualize it, but it’s all seemingly trite. what i experience is primal and visceral, and that’s perfectly ok.
I’m not sure there’s really a way to say whether someone is actually trans. I think there are some people that it works for it and some people it doesn’t, and then there are people who it works for a while, and then no longer helps them.
That said, as someone who transitioned female to male 20 years ago, and still passing as a man at this point, I think it’s important to consider how you would enjoy actually living as a man.
I see some people transition, and maybe they like being perceived as male to a certain extent, but they do not like a lot of the parts that come with being a man in society. You start becoming grouped with men instead of women. Men can be crass or crude and sexist, and that bothers a lot of trans guys. Women will see you and relate to you differently and it will change your romantic life or sex life. If you like men and are a gay trans man that can be a challenge too. you start using men’s restroom and locker rooms, going to work as a man, and learn a whole new way of socializing that just doesn’t work for some people who find this a reason or one of the reasons they de-transition. just more food for thought.
yes, i’m older and was a butch dyke before T so was used to having to put up a tough front because the way butch women were mistreated. i can still hang with the guys, so to speak. the younger ftms put on the front but really can’t hang, if you start to tease and kid them or actually hold them accountable for anything a lot of them fall apart.