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Reddit user /u/legalizenuclearwaste's Detransition Story

male
influenced online
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 authentic. There are no serious red flags suggesting it is a bot or inauthentic. The user expresses consistent, passionate opinions grounded in personal investment in the topic, uses varied language, and references a personal relationship (a girlfriend), which is typical of a real person engaged in this community. The tone is emotionally charged but consistent with a genuine detransitioner or desister who is angry about the harm they perceive.

About me

I started learning about transition through online communities and my girlfriend's difficult experience with hormone therapy. I became deeply concerned by the misinformation, especially the lie that these medical treatments are completely reversible or without serious risk. I believe people are misled into thinking transition is the only solution, when exploring other ways to find stability should come first. It's painful to watch my girlfriend suffer from her hormone regimen and see others ignore the permanent consequences. I now strongly feel that honesty about the downsides and alternative therapies is desperately needed to protect others.

My detransition story

My journey with transition and detransition was complicated and, looking back, I feel like I was misled by a lot of the information that was out there. I never actually transitioned myself, but from everything I've read and the people I've talked to, including my girlfriend who is trans, I've seen how dangerous the oversimplification of these medical treatments can be.

I’ve come to believe that the idea that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is completely reversible is a very harmful lie. The side effects are so plentiful I could hardly list them all, and there are so many changes that happen that no way are all of them reversible by just quitting. Being truthful and careful when deciding who should be on HRT is what needs to happen. I also hate how puberty blockers are being downplayed as something that shouldn't be considered a big deal or second-guessed. I worry badly for people being groomed via misinformation.

The most shocking thing to me is the idea that there's only one option for people with gender dysphoria: transition or death. Making people believe that is one of the most evil acts imaginable. People have a right to be told about all possible treatment options, not lied to. It’s like some people want to close their eyes to the truth willingly; they'd rather believe a fantasy. This is especially true for surgeries. Bottom surgery, for example, isn't a vagina transplant. You don't end up with a vagina. You end up with your crotch being turned into what's supposed to look like a vagina. It should be the absolute last resort and never something to aspire to when starting out.

I see this with my girlfriend. She suffers with her hormone regimen and it's painful for me to watch as a loving boyfriend. I wouldn't wish having periods on anyone, yet some people covet them to the point of buying more hormones to try and recreate the cycle. It's perplexing. I've heard of people experiencing "trans period pains," which are often unrelated abdomen issues that they never think to get tested for a real cause because they attribute it to a cycle they're trying to create. Too many people see hormones as something harmless you can just play around with, but it's serious medication with real medical consequences.

I think an unbelievable amount of people have questioned their gender at one point or another. Just because someone spends time thinking about it is not definite proof of anything. People considering transition would benefit a lot from reading honest accounts from detransitioners about the downsides, instead of having that evidence hidden. If the science behind transition was so solid, why would evidence to the contrary need to be hidden?

I don't have regrets about my own transition because I didn't go through one, but I have deep concerns about the process for others. I believe that for many, what they need first is help to become well-adjusted and stable in life. Then, a therapist should have many sessions trying to figure out the root cause of the desire to transition, which could possibly be treated without any hormones or surgery at all.

Here is a timeline of my understanding and involvement based on my comments:

My Age Event
(Age not specified in comments) I began learning about transition and detransition through online communities and my girlfriend's experience. I became deeply concerned about the misinformation surrounding medical treatments like HRT and surgery.
(Age not specified in comments) I witnessed my girlfriend's difficult experience with hormone therapy and saw how people online downplay the serious, permanent side effects.
(Age not specified in comments) I formed strong opinions on the need for honesty in gender care, believing that alternative therapies should be explored before medical intervention and that the risks are too often ignored.

Top Comments by /u/legalizenuclearwaste:

11 comments • Posting since October 4, 2023
Reddit user legalizenuclearwaste (desisted) comments on the danger of misinterpreting "trans period pains" as gender euphoria, warning it can mask serious underlying medical conditions.
36 pointsJul 1, 2024
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Jesus I'm glad you're okay

That sounds really dangerous because so many have talked of the 'euphoria' coming with "trans period pains" (unrelated abdomen related issues popping up regularly) which naturally they would never think to treat or test for the real cause

Reddit user legalizenuclearwaste (desisted) questions why evidence of detransitioning is hidden, arguing that if trans ideology is scientifically solid, such evidence shouldn't exist or need suppression, and that detransitioners provide crucial honesty about transition's downsides for those considering it.
31 pointsJan 8, 2024
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Why hide the evidence of detransitioners and detransitioning existing?

If the trans ideology is rooted deeply in solid science like people think why would evidence of the contrary even exist let alone need to be hidden??

People considering transition benefit a lot from reading up on detransitioners because people on this sub are extremely honest when it comes to the downsides of transition and not treating it as a miracle cure for mental illness

Reddit user legalizenuclearwaste (desisted) comments on the paradox of trans women coveting a menstrual cycle, empathizing with the pain it causes his girlfriend and validating the original poster's feelings of being invalidated.
22 pointsJul 1, 2024
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I'm so sorry you have it so bad.

My gf suffers too and it's painful to watch as a loving bf, I wouldn't wish having periods on anyone

Yet they're coveted to the point people buy more hormones to try and recreate the cycle during which your testosterone shoots up and your estrogen

If I was her I'd be just as perplexed as you. But since I don't have a womb I wouldn't dare dream of claiming to know better, even if it's just via downvote

Reddit user legalizenuclearwaste (desisted) explains the harmful lie that all effects of cross-sex hormones are reversible, citing the sheer number of permanent and plentiful side effects.
11 pointsOct 4, 2023
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Oh god yes, this one is so unbelievable.

The side effects are so plentiful I could hardly list them all if I wanted to and there are so many changes that happen from hormones no way are all of them reversible by just quitting.....

this is definitely a very harmful lie being told

Reddit user legalizenuclearwaste (desisted) discusses the dangers of downplaying puberty blockers and expresses concern about people being groomed via misinformation.
6 pointsOct 4, 2023
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Thanks for letting me know I got the MTF wrong!

I couldn't agree more with how I hate how puberty blockers are being downplayed as something that should not be considered a big deal or should even be second-guessed.

I worry so badly for people being groomed via misinformation

Reddit user legalizenuclearwaste (desisted) comments on the absurdity of a claim that only two people have ever been unhappy with their transition.
5 pointsOct 4, 2023
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That is absolutely crazy - is there even a chance that the person saying it believes it? Like is it possible someone of average intelligence believes that in the history of the hundreds of thousands of transitions that people started only TWO were unhappy with it so far? Possibly not even detrans just "unhappy with it"??

I can't believe it, that is so wrong

Reddit user legalizenuclearwaste (desisted) explains that "bottom surgery" does not create a vagina, but rather a facsimile, and argues it should be a last resort, not an aspiration.
4 pointsOct 4, 2023
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Yes I've seen this swept under the rug far too often - it's like some people want to close their eyes to the truth willingly - they'd rather believe a fantasy than be as grounded in reality as they can.

I mean think about it: the surgery isn't a vagina transplant. You don't end up with a Vagina. You end up with your crotch being turned into what's supposed to look LIKE a vagina (with/without depth), you don't end up with one.

Bottom surgery should really be the absolute last resort and NEVER something to aspire to when starting transition or being certain of gender dysphoria being present

Reddit user legalizenuclearwaste (desisted) explains the harm of presenting transition as the only option to treat gender dysphoria, calling it an "evil act."
4 pointsOct 4, 2023
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Making people believe that they only have a single option or death, is one of the most evil acts imaginable!

This is extremely shocking and I couldn't agree more. People have a right and need to be told/aware of all possible treatment options, not lied to about there only being "one way or death". How Evil!!

Reddit user legalizenuclearwaste (desisted) explains that some people take hormones to recreate a menstrual cycle and warns that they are serious medication with real medical consequences, not something to be adjusted casually.
3 pointsJul 3, 2024
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Yes , that people really take hormones in order to "recreate" the menstrual cycle as closely as they possibly can

Too many people see hormones as something harmless you can just take/stop taking/change dosage/change time of ingestion etc.

No!! It's SERIOUS medication with REAL medical consequences, sigh

Reddit user legalizenuclearwaste (desisted) explains the harm of claiming that questioning one's gender is "definite proof" of being trans, arguing for more careful and truthful evaluation for HRT.
3 pointsOct 4, 2023
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Yep, I had to list that one because it's just so harmful.

Being truthful and careful when it comes to deciding who should be on HRT instead is what needs to happen

And yeah I'd venture to say that an unbelievable amount of people have questioned their gender at one point or another

just because someone spends time thinking about possibly being a different gender or are starting to question their gender is "definite proof" of absolutely nothing.