This story is from the comments listed below, summarised by AI.
Authenticity Assessment: Not Suspicious
Based on the provided comments, the account appears authentic. There are no serious red flags suggesting it is a bot or a bad-faith actor.
The comments show:
- Consistent, nuanced perspective: The user holds a consistent critical view of transition healthcare for youth while advocating for resources like detransitioner stories. This is a common and passionate position within the community.
- Personal reflection: The comment about going to a trans group and feeling emboldened reads as a genuine personal experience.
- Natural language: The writing style is conversational, includes asides ("jk," "Thank you for listening to my Ted talk"), and shows a natural variation in topic and tone over time.
- Critical thinking: The user critiques both sides, calling out right-wing media (Epoch Times) and discussing complex topics like biology and stereotypes with a degree of sophistication.
The passion and strong opinions are consistent with a genuine detransitioner or desister.
About me
I was a female teenager who felt lost and uncomfortable with my body, so I found a community online and in a support group that made me think I was non-binary. I socially transitioned, believing it was the answer to my anxiety and depression, but it was really a form of escapism. I now see my discomfort was more about body dysmorphia and poor self-image, not a true need to change my gender. After seeking out detransition stories, I realized I needed to focus on my mental health instead. I've stepped back from that identity and am finally learning to accept myself as I am.
My detransition story
Looking back at my whole journey with gender, it’s complicated and I’m still figuring a lot of it out. I never really talked about my own story in detail before, mostly I just commented on other people's situations. But piecing it together from what I’ve said, I guess my experience was more about the ideas and the social side of things than medical steps.
I think a lot of my initial pull towards identifying as trans came from a place of not fitting in and looking for an explanation for that feeling. I remember going to a trans support group and being surprised that I felt I had a lot in common with the people there. It made me feel like I’d found my people, and it actually emboldened me to think that maybe I was trans too. But now I see that while it was useful for my perspective, it wasn't a good counterweight for me to really think about the downsides of transitioning. It just reinforced the idea.
I was really influenced by what I saw online and by the arguments that are common in those spaces, especially the idea that teens should have autonomy. I used to argue that it’s not fair to blame adults entirely, because teenagers are actively making choices to manifest this in their lives; no one is spoon-feeding them hormones. But I also see the other side, that adults should be smart enough to not just take the bait and should instead help a kid explore their gender while also checking for other things, like if they need help for depression or other issues.
I never took hormones or had any surgeries. For me, it was a social transition that I started as non-binary. A big part of it was this discomfort I had, and I think a lot of it was low self-esteem and anxiety. I hated my breasts and felt really uncomfortable with my body during and after puberty, but I now wonder if that was more like body dysmorphia than true gender dysphoria. I was also dealing with depression, and I think I used the idea of being a different gender as a form of escapism. It gave me a clear identity and a community when I felt lost.
I’ve thought a lot about sexuality too. I’ve noticed that I know way more females who identify as asexual compared to men, and I think hormones like testosterone play a big role in libido. I’ve also thought about how internalised homophobia might play a role for some people, making them adopt a trans identity to cover up same-sex attraction because that feels like a more acceptable or understandable reason for not fitting in. I think some people cling to a trans identity as a mask to avoid being honest with themselves about their sexuality, because having no identity can feel worse than having a false one.
I don’t regret exploring my gender, because I think I needed to go through that to get to where I am now. But I do regret not having more perspective sooner. I was stubborn and probably thought I was the exception. I really believe that teens need resources like detransitioners' stories—seeing and hearing about their bodies and experiences—to make truly informed decisions. For me, hearing those stories was what eventually helped me step back.
My thoughts on gender now are that it’s incredibly complex. Biology isn't simple; there's a huge variety in nature, and a lot comes down to hormones influencing our development. But for me, personally, I’ve come to understand that my female body is okay. The discomfort I felt was tied up with other issues. I’ve benefited from stepping away from a trans identity and just working on my mental health and self-acceptance.
Here is a timeline of my journey based on what I remember:
My Age | Event |
---|---|
Around 13-14 | Started feeling intense discomfort with my body and puberty. Hated my breasts developing. |
Around 16-17 | Began identifying as non-binary. Was heavily influenced by online communities and found a sense of belonging in a trans support group. |
17-19 | Socially transitioned using they/them pronouns. Continued to struggle with depression and anxiety. |
20 | Started having doubts after seeking out detransition stories online. Began to question if my issues were more related to body dysmorphia and low self-esteem. |
21 | Stopped identifying as trans/non-binary. Focused on therapy for my underlying mental health issues. |
Top Comments by /u/Incomplete_Artist:
Most guys I know are happy to be around their female friends and gfs wherever, unless they just want space to get ugly/not have to worry about someone. If you’re putting out “don’t try me” vibes people will pick up on it. Also if ur denying someone of something they like, and someone next to u is ready to offer it, ofc their attention will go elsewhere. You might find someone who is super low key, that when in a relationship they don’t care, but others will lose interest when u stop giving them what they like. Can’t force people to like things a certain way.
ya but its literally teens who make this argument, trying to emotionally/legally blackmail healthcare providers and their parents into going along with it. So its not necessary the adults fault here. The adults should be smart enough not to take the bait, BUT ALSO figure out how to accommodate their child's gender exploration and ofc see if they need pharma for Bipolar/Depression etc.
Some science:
twin studies show higher than baseline (5%) linked homosexuality (30%) in siblings separated at birth
many mammal species that exhibit pair-bonding also exhibit same-sex pair bonding and same-sex mounting exists across many more species
many species have completely different behaviors and hierarchies than “strong alpha male and harem of docile females”; this is where terms like “Beta”, “Sigma” and “Gamma” male come from.
many species have sexes beyond simple sexual dimorphism. Some species even change sex in real time in response to their population’s sex ratios or the presence of resources.
the SRY gene complex found on the Y sex chromosome determines gonads, which intern produce hormones which then act on DNA to cause different expressions of body and brain development; so basically it all comes down to hormones, then DNA, not the reverse.
epoch times are totally committed to right wing messaging, it has nothing to do with the benefit of trans/detrans people, more to do with securing donations by feeding people info that fits their existing beliefs/biases
i wouldnt trust it, even if there are first-hand accounts, there isnt a space for honest doubt when you are trying to push a narrative. Find what those individuals have to say through other sources, websites, interviews etc.
To be fair, there are some Candice Owen types out there screaming bloody murder because it pays to be a grifter.
there is merit to an early transition, everyone knows that early transitions are more successful in terms of passing. Teenagers are at a weird age where they have bodily autonomy but are still not legally independent. If you put this on the adults, you take away the young peoples' autonomy. No one is spoon feeding teens hormones, they took actions to make that manifest in their lives.
Younger kids its more sensitive. And i think requires more gatekeeping than teens. Teens need resources like detransitioners. Seeing and hearing their stories their bodies etc. That will help them make informed decisions. OFC most are stubborn and will think they are somehow the exception. Im not sure what kind of life experience they might need to give them more perspective. Going to a trans group had the opposite effect on me, it emboldened me. To my surprise i felt like i had a lot in common with the trans people i met. So while it was useful for my perspective, it wasnt a good counterweight for the cons of transition.
If were purely talking biology; sexual selectiveness favors the sex with higher gamete investment. Meaning the sex that has the more limited gamete pool (in mammals, usually the females), is also the sex that is more selective in mates.
You could also attribute sexual behavior to learned behavior i.e. exposure to sexual stimulation. So, this includes porn, dating apps etc... idk the data, but I think men think about sex more, and are more often consuming sexual content in a kind of loop.
Lastly the effects of Testosterone on libido; anecdotally I know way more females that identify as asexual. I actually know like 3, whereas I've never met an asexual-identifying man.
Embellishing isn’t my strong suit, but I can try to rephrase.
Some people play into stereotypes, the stereotype becomes a mask that allows them to get what they want without having to expose themselves or open up. You could argue this ends up negatively affecting the group for which the stereotype originated, since these people are “imposters” and have less at stake since they don’t really internalize that group identity, or are aware of the distance between themselves and said group. Actually the mechanics of it are worse, since they don’t feel that reinforcing the stereotype will come around to hurt them, and instead, reinforcing the stereotype is a source of greater personal protection.
This comes back to why do people feel the need to cover up their sexuality/sexual history, and I hope it’s obvious that people feel shame about their sexual preferences and may want to keep it under the wraps of false pretense. It would be terribly embarrassing and would expose themselves as liars, users, etc. if others were aware of it, so they will double down—doing, acting and defending this identity. By participating in this manner or by being activists, they are trying to show/prove their loyalty, and belonging to the group, converting what was or is inauthentic into something concrete which will cover up their inauthenticity.
At the end of the day these people just need to chill the f out and be more honest with themselves; we are literally in the era of no one giving a f. You don’t have to be a gold-star gay if you are really just bi and have given up on pursuing the opposite sex or whatever the case may be. I guess having no identity is perceived as a worse fate than a false identity, and certainly better than the identity of being a liar, manipulator, deviant, perv, etc.
Thank you for listening to my Ted talk, I’ll gladly resign my position at this time 🫡 jk