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 user's comments show:
- A consistent, multi-year personal narrative about detransitioning after six years on testosterone.
- Specific, plausible details about medical procedures (voice surgery, laser hair removal), legal processes (changing documents), and personal relationships.
- A nuanced and evolving perspective that includes emotional vulnerability, practical advice, and strong opinions, which is consistent with a genuine, passionate individual.
While the user holds strong views, these are consistent with the experiences of some detransitioners and do not indicate inauthenticity.
About me
I'm a woman who started identifying as trans at 14 and was on testosterone for six years. My dysphoria was intense, and I had surgeries and laser hair removal, which had difficult recoveries and disappointing results. My perspective completely changed when I realized my dysphoria was a psychological state that could be resolved through personal growth, not just medical intervention. I've since detransitioned, changed my name and documents back, and now live as a woman. While I have complicated feelings about that chapter, I've found peace and an understanding partner.
My detransition story
My journey with gender started when I was very young. I had severe dysphoria for most of my life, and it only really began to subside when I was 24 years old. That was the turning point for me. I first started identifying as trans when I was 14, and I was on testosterone for six years. For a long time, that felt like the only way to deal with the deep discomfort I felt.
The dysphoria was intense, especially when I was younger. I hated my breasts and my voice, and I felt incredibly uncomfortable with my body during puberty. Transitioning felt like the solution. I took hormones, and I even had surgeries. I had a combined tracheal shave and voice feminization surgery. The recovery was really difficult; I was in pain for a week and had a lot of trouble with coughing and mucus. To be honest, the voice surgery didn't really change my voice much from how it was before, which was disappointing. I also had a lot of laser hair removal on my face, which unfortunately left a dark green tint on my skin that I'm still trying to deal with.
Looking back, I see now that my thinking about gender was very black-and-white. I felt like I had to pick a personality out of a gender-labeled box. I don't feel that I just mistook myself for being trans back then; the dysphoria was very real. But my perspective has completely changed. I now believe that being trans is a psychological state, and like any psychological state, it's subject to change based on life events. There's no such thing as a "true" or "false" trans person—just people who experience dysphoria. And most importantly, I believe dysphoria is resolvable. I think it's dangerous to allow your dysphoria to inform your entire identity.
Transitioning was a suboptimal path for me. I benefited more from time and my own personal growth than I ever did from medical interventions. My dysphoria became a lot more manageable, and I realized I was ready to detransition. That first time dressing like a woman in my adulthood was incredibly anxiety-provoking and felt very weird, but it confirmed my decision.
I don't have major regrets, but I do have complicated feelings. I feel embarrassed when I see old photos from that seven-year period of my life, which spanned from high school graduation through grad school. It was a huge part of my formative years. I’ve had to change my name and all my documents again, which was a process. I chose a new name that isn't my birth name. It was worth it, though, because even at places like the OBGYN, where it should be obvious I'm a woman, people were confused by my old name, and it was so awkward.
My personal life has been okay. My partner is somewhat traditional but has been very understanding about my detransition and my flat chest, though I know he would prefer if I got breast implants. I've found that dating conservative men is possible if they are mature and have an ability to self-reflect. I've purposely made my aesthetic more feminine, like growing out my hair and plucking my eyebrows, because I feel a butch aesthetic would weed out more men than the fact I detransitioned. The most important thing is to find someone who is understanding.
Here is a timeline of my journey:
| Age | Event |
|---|---|
| 14 | Started identifying as trans. |
| 18 | Began taking testosterone. |
| 24 | Dysphoria subsided; stopped testosterone and began detransitioning. |
| 24 | Had combined tracheal shave and voice feminization surgery. |
| 24 | Completed laser hair removal on face (which caused skin discoloration). |
| 24 | Changed my name and gender marker on legal documents to female. |
Top Comments by /u/JJ_Angel:
I remember I used to listen to detrans stories and think “How could you misjudge yourself so badly and make such a big mistake in the first place?”. It didn’t occur to me that you could also just change over time. Now I’m detransitioning after 6 years on t since my dysphoria subsided a lot this year (among many other reasons).
Shaving isn’t a gender affirming action, it’s just grooming. Women with PCOS who have facial hair shave and wax as well. But if the facial hair bothers you it’s probably best to get electrolysis to get it permanently removed.
I feel like you’re overthinking it and trying to pick a personality of out of a gender-labeled box.
This is my perspective on it now after identifying as trans from 14 to 24 and detransitioning at 24:
Being trans is a psychological state and its subject to change based on life events. There is no true or false trans person. There are just a bunch of people who experience dysphoria.
Dysphoria is resolvable.
Transitioning is not the optimal path for anyone. It will always be suboptimal compared to resolving dysphoria.
It’s dangerous to allow your dysphoria to inform your identity.
Being trans is a mental illness and the trans community was accepting of this for a long time. When I first started doing research on trans topics in middle school it was still accepted as a mental illness within the community, and transition was upheld as the treatment for it.
Now activists have pushed to say it’s not a mental illness. They’re removing meaning from everything.
I just don’t understand it. If being bipolar, and having depression and anxiety can be described as mental illness why can’t being trans?
The dysphoria was surprisingly not bad when I went out today. It’s a lot more manageable now than it was when I was younger. I think today kinda confirmed to me that I’m ready to detransition now.
I felt pretty weird though. It was my first time ever dressing like a woman in my adulthood so it was very anxiety provoking.
I was trans. I don’t feel that I just mistook myself for being trans. I had severe dysphoria most of my life until I was 24. It’s the same experience, the difference is just whether or not the dysphoria ever subsides to give you a psychological exit opportunity.
I date pretty conservative men and it’s been fine. If you date people that are mature and have the ability to self reflect they’ll be understanding of about your detransition. That being said I did purposely make my aesthetic more feminine in my detransition. I feel like the butch aesthetic would weed more men out than the detransition aspect. But I don’t know this particular guy and he might like it, who knows
My partner is somewhat traditional and has been very understanding about my detransition and flat chest. Though I know in his mind he wants me to get breast implants.
When you look for a partner you really gotta lean into the guys who are more understanding and have an in-depth understanding of psychology. I met some guys that treated me like a disposable sex object before I met my current partner.
I understand how disheartening it is. Is the main source of your current insecurity your weight? Since you mentioned going from twinky to obese. If you retransitioned wouldn’t the weight related insecurity persist? I feel like the next steps now are you focus on your health and try to not focus as much on your gender presentation.
I think the biggest changes that made me more attractive to men were growing out my hair and plucking my eyebrows. Men don’t really notice stuff like nails and makeup. You don’t have to force yourself to dress any which way, just keep exploring different styles over time.