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 an inauthentic actor.
The comments demonstrate:
- Personal, nuanced experience: Detailed, first-hand knowledge of the physical and emotional effects of taking and stopping testosterone.
- Consistent, evolving perspective: A coherent personal history (e.g., being "aggressively pro-trans, then briefly anti-trans, and now mostly trans-neutral") that acknowledges complexity.
- Empathetic and practical advice: Offers support that is specific, actionable, and focused on the well-being of others, which is consistent with a genuine desister/detransitioner helping peers.
The passion and criticism present are consistent with someone who has experienced harm and is now navigating a complex personal issue, not with inauthentic behavior.
About me
I was born female and my discomfort with puberty led me to transition, thinking it was the solution to my self-esteem issues. I took testosterone and had top surgery, but I eventually realized I was running from being a woman instead of addressing my real problems. Now I’ve stopped hormones and I live as a woman again, but I define that entirely on my own terms with my flat chest and deep voice. My journey taught me that my gender isn't the most important part of who I am. I'm finally focusing on just being myself, a bit of an outsider, and that feels right.
My detransition story
My whole journey with transition and detransition was complicated and took a long time to figure out. I was born female, and for a long time, I felt a lot of discomfort with my body, especially during puberty. I hated my breasts and just felt really unsettled. I had low self-esteem and some depression, and I think I saw transitioning as a solution to all of that. It felt like an escape from being a woman, which I had a lot of issues with.
I started identifying as a trans guy and began taking testosterone. At first, it was thrilling. Every change, like my voice dropping or new body hair, felt like a victory. I was so focused on being good at transitioning that I didn't stop to think if it was what I truly wanted for my whole life. I felt like I was speeding down a highway, but eventually, I realized I was heading to a place I never actually wanted to live in. The milestones stopped, and I was left with a body that didn't feel like mine in a different way.
A big part of my realization was understanding that my problems with my body were tied up with other things, like self-image and self-esteem. I had to work on those periphery issues separately. For me, my identity isn't the biggest piece of who I am anymore. I've learned to focus on my other traits and interests. I call myself a woman now because it's the easiest way to describe my body and experience, but I don't perform femininity if it doesn't suit me. I have a flat chest from top surgery and I don't shave my legs. I'm just trying to be myself, and that person is a bit of a gender outsider, and that's okay.
I don't regret my transition entirely because I learned so much from it, but I do have regrets about not addressing my underlying issues first. I benefited from stepping back and looking at things without the pressure of a label. My thoughts on gender now are that it's just one piece of the puzzle. Most people in the world don't spend all their time thinking about being male or female; they're focused on their lives, their work, and their relationships. That perspective has been liberating for me.
Coming off testosterone was a roller coaster, especially going cold turkey from a high dose. My body changed again. My voice lightened and softened noticeably about six to nine months after stopping. It's easier to reach higher notes and it has less of a hard edge, though my range is permanently lower than it was before I started T. My body hair also started to lessen after a few years off it. My skin got better once I was off testosterone, but I had to be really diligent with skincare, like using sunscreen every day and a gentle retinol.
I'm still friends with most of my trans friends, and my partner is trans. A few people were weirded out when I detransitioned and put some distance between us, but I think that was about their own insecurities. I hope they find a better place so we can reconnect.
| Age | Event |
|---|---|
| Around 15-16 | Started experiencing significant puberty discomfort and hated my developing breasts. |
| 18 | Began identifying as a trans man and started socially transitioning. |
| 19 | Started taking testosterone. |
| 22 | Underwent top surgery (double mastectomy). |
| 24 | Stopped taking testosterone ("cold turkey"). |
| 24-25 | Noticed voice softening and body hair lessening. Began living as a woman again, but on my own terms. |
Top Comments by /u/ftmtxyz:
As someone who was aggressively pro-trans, and then briefly anti-trans, and now mostly trans-neutral, my honest opinion is that people here are hurting. I gravitate to these forums when I'm sad or frustrated, not when I'm happy. When I'm happy I'm doing my own thing in the real world. I suspect a lot of other active users here are also hurting in their own way.
So, you do the math. A collection of people who feel personally offended about the trans community, now saddled with unfortunate trauma, all in a room together. Gets ugly.
I mean yeah. I was thrilled at each new development I succeeded at. Transition was the solution to my problems, so it was my goal to be the best at it as possible. I really loved it until the milestones eventually stopped and I realized I had been speeding down a highway to a city I never really wanted to live in.
I’m honestly really sorry to hear you had that experience. The idea that (heaven forbid) people with trauma need help and not hormones feels so obvious but then again it’s kinda a blind leading the blind situation on those sites.
Hopefully you can get some of the help now that you needed then?
Jesus that’s such a unique and difficult situation. She definitely needs to back off and it’ll take you being firm for that to happen unfortunately.
Side note, best of luck on your first few month’s off. It’s a roller coaster to go cold turkey, especially if you’ve been on a high dose. Try to keep your head on straight abs remember it’ll pass
Highly recommend you either get a body hair trimmer (fast and easy but frequent repeats) or learn to sugar wax (takes time to learn but lasts a month before regrowth). Both are inexpensive and can be done at home.
Save up for laser for your face, but wait for your body hair to lessen. You’d be surprised how much fades away after a few years off T.
Not getting into this but Arielle scarcella has literally no qualifications for discussing trans people, positive or negative. We gotta stop giving a platform to people that just have an opinion, so 5 interviews, and act like they’re doing hard hitting ground breaking research.
I was in a similar situation (flashing weirdo ex roomie). Put your foot down, hold a house meeting about what is unacceptable outside of private spaces, and don't be afraid to kick a FUSS if those lines get crossed. D is running this house and none of you are doing anything about it
I’m still friends with all my trans friends. A few were weirded out and put distance between us, but I chalk that up to their own insecurities. None of my business andI hope they get in a better place soon so we can reconnect. My partner is trans. It’s good to see and be seen beyond these things.
You know how transition timelines for mtf outlines that skin will become softer? It's the opposite for ftm. Testosterone is harsh on skin.
Tip: give it a few years, start using sunscreen YESTERDAY (like every day, all year), and use a gentle retinol night serum. It'll help
I disagree with other comment that estrogen has no effect on voice. Or rather, it might seem that testosterone has a continual effect on the voice that subsides after testosterone decreases. I'm not sure and tbh it doesn't really matter. But yes, my voice absolutely lightened and softened, most noticeably 6-9 months after stopping T. It's easier and less painful to reach higher notes. There's less of a hard edge to my voice.
My range is permanently lowered and even with vocal training I can't hit my pre-t voice. But I can get it pretty close and pass.
On a female/male puberty note, it's worth mentioning that females are typically smaller which means smaller vocal tracts/throat/mouths. All of these things impact your resonance. If you went through typical female puberty and then took T, you probably have a headstart compared to people who did the opposite.