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Reddit user /u/angelolsenstars's Detransition Story

Transitioned: 19 -> Detransitioned: 23
female
low self-esteem
hated breasts
took hormones
regrets transitioning
trauma
depression
influenced online
body dysmorphia
puberty discomfort
started as non-binary
anxiety
internalised homosexuality
This story is from the comments listed below, summarised by AI.
On Reddit, people often share their experiences across multiple comments or posts. To make this information more accessible, our AI gathers all of those scattered pieces into a single, easy-to-read summary and timeline. All system prompts are noted on the prompts page.

Sometimes AI can hallucinate or state things that are not true. But generally, the summarised stories are accurate reflections of the original comments by users.
Authenticity Assessment: Not Suspicious

Based on the provided comments, this account appears to be authentic.

There are no serious red flags suggesting it is a bot or an inauthentic user. The comments demonstrate:

  • Personal, lived experience with detransition (e.g., specific, detailed changes from stopping testosterone).
  • A consistent, nuanced perspective that aligns with a detransitioner who is critical of some community aspects but not ideologically aligned with others.
  • Professional expertise (research ethics) used to engage in good-faith debate, which is a complex behavior for a bot to mimic convincingly.
  • A distinct personal voice and the expression of frustration with the sub's political direction, which is consistent with a real, passionate user.

About me

I started identifying as a trans man at 19, believing it was the escape from my unhappiness. I was on testosterone for three years, but it didn't fix my underlying depression and anxiety. I realized my discomfort was more about body dysmorphia and trauma from female puberty than actually being male. I stopped hormones a year ago and am much happier now, living as a woman again. While I've learned a lot, I regret the permanent changes that serve as a constant reminder of that time.

My detransition story

My whole journey with transition started when I was around 19. I was really struggling with my identity and felt a lot of discomfort with my body, especially during and after puberty. I hated my breasts and felt incredibly disconnected from being a woman. I spent a lot of time online and I think that influenced me; seeing other people talk about their transitions made it seem like the answer to my deep unhappiness. I started identifying as non-binary first, but that quickly shifted to identifying as a trans man. I believed that if I could just become male, all my problems with depression and anxiety would go away. It felt like an escape.

I started testosterone when I was 20. I was on it for about three years. At first, it felt exciting. I liked some of the changes, like my voice dropping and getting more muscle. But other changes, like the body hair coming in super dark and thick, were more intense than I expected. I never got top surgery or any other surgery; I just couldn't afford it and, deep down, I started getting unsure.

After a while, I realized that transitioning wasn't fixing the underlying issues. My low self-esteem and depression were still there. I started to understand that a lot of my discomfort with my body was more related to general body dysmorphia and the trauma of going through female puberty, rather than actually being a man. I also started to question how much internalized homophobia played a role, as I am attracted to women and felt a lot of pressure to fit into a more acceptable identity.

I decided to stop taking testosterone about a year ago, when I was 23. It wasn't a huge, dramatic decision; it felt more like I just needed to take a break and see how I felt. And I've felt happier off of it. My body has changed back in some ways. My leg hair, which was once dark and thick, now grows in blonde and fine and is barely noticeable. I still have some stomach hair and a little bit of facial hair that hasn't gone away.

I don't really identify as male anymore. I still consider myself trans in a broader sense, but I no longer try to pass as a man. My thoughts on gender now are that it's pretty malleable and personal. There's no one right way to be. For me, I regret not looking deeper into my mental health before starting hormones. I think I rushed into it thinking it was a cure-all, when what I really needed was to work on my self-esteem and unpack my feelings about my body and sexuality.

I don't regret the experience entirely because it helped me learn a lot about myself, but I do regret the permanent changes, like the facial hair and the voice drop. It’s a constant reminder of a path I ultimately stepped away from.

Age Event
19 Started identifying as non-binary, then as a trans man. Heavily influenced by online communities.
20 Started testosterone.
23 Stopped testosterone.
24 (now) Have been off testosterone for a year. Living as detransitioned female.

Top Comments by /u/angelolsenstars:

5 comments • Posting since February 25, 2022
Reddit user angelolsenstars (medically desisted female) comments on a post about Elon Musk, stating he hasn't purchased Twitter and opposes the idea of a "crypto-libertarian" running it.
14 pointsJun 1, 2022
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He hasn’t purchased Twitter. Also, no thanks—don’t want a crypto-libertarian like him running it. If he’s supposed to “have our back,” he can kindly let go.

(I know this sub skews a certain way, but not all detrans people are right wing or transphobic… I visit this sub for practical advice but have been really disappointed lately by some of the political threads. I am detrans, but some of what is posted here is no more rigorous than Jade Helm.)

Reddit user angelolsenstars (medically desisted female) discusses research ethics and asks for alternative frameworks to parental consent in studies involving minors.
12 pointsMay 10, 2022
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As an academic involved in research ethics, I'm curious about why you said that parental consent renders the entire study biased. (I think truly, deeply, rigorously "unbiased" work is difficult to find, but that's a philosophical discussion for another time!) Parental consent for studies involving sensitive data about minors is standard and oftentimes recommended by institutional review boards (who do sometimes get things wrong as well). Is there an alternative framework you've seen or would recommend for a study like this?

Reddit user angelolsenstars (medically desisted female) explains how her leg hair became lighter, finer, and less noticeable a year after stopping testosterone, while other body hair remained.
5 pointsMar 24, 2022
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I’ve been off T for about a year and have noticed recently that my leg hair doesn’t come in nearly as dark or thick as it used to—it actually comes in blonde and fine, whereas on T it came in super dark and thick. I still have stomach and ass hair (and the very little facial hair I got hasn’t gone away) but the leg hair has definitely changed! I haven’t shaved my legs in maybe a month and the hair is barely noticeable. (FWIW I have dark brown hair on my head and am Jewish, lol.)

Reddit user angelolsenstars (medically desisted female) comments on the flexibility of hormone therapy, advising that taking a break is an option and that changes are gradual both on and off hormones.
4 pointsFeb 25, 2022
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you can always take a break and start again if you decide you want to. hormones are kind of a “long game”—it takes a while to notice significant changes when you start, and same when you go off. full disclosure: i still do identity as trans, though no longer as male, and i no longer try to pass as male, etc. i might eventually go back on hormones, but haven’t felt a strong enough desire to do that in the last year, and in many ways have felt happier off. this stuff is pretty malleable. i know going off feels like such a huge decision, but i do want to stress that you can try a period off and see how it makes you feel. it’s a personal decision with no right or wrong answer.

Reddit user angelolsenstars (medically desisted female) explains why requiring parental consent for studies on youth transition is a standard and non-negotiable ethical practice, not a flaw that invalidates the data.
4 pointsMay 10, 2022
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There’s no political agenda behind studies on ASD or ADHD? Those are two cases where I can imagine there would be a lot of “political” interest. Doesn’t that also preclude obtaining data from minors whose parents don’t want them to participate in the study, or who don’t believe in mental illness?

Parental consent does not on its own make the data unreliable. Studies (regardless of whether they are about transition or not) never have “perfect” data. The parental consent aspect is non-negotiable. Any parameters around a study influence the participant body. These are usually carefully vetted during the institutional review process, alongside many other ethical concerns. My two cents, as someone who works in research ethics, is that this methodology is not as flawed as you believe it to be. It just doesn’t give the results you believe should be there. The good thing is that this kind of research is happening more and more, and studies like these are required to have their data made available so they can be reproduced.