This story is from the comments listed below, summarised by AI.
Authenticity Assessment: Not Suspicious
Based on the provided comments, the account "workinstork" appears to be authentic. There are no serious red flags indicating it is a bot or a bad-faith actor.
The comments display a consistent, deeply personal narrative about the user's detransition, including specific emotional struggles, reflections on therapy, family dynamics, and the process of reconciling with their body. The language is nuanced, emotionally varied, and contains personal anecdotes that are complex and difficult to fabricate consistently. The user also expresses a range of opinions common in the detrans community, including criticism of medical practices and the trans community, without resorting to simplistic talking points. The account's history and the evolution of its perspective over time further support its authenticity.
About me
I was a gender-nonconforming girl who started socially transitioning to male at 16 after clinics pressured us with scare tactics instead of offering therapy. My desire to transition was deeply rooted in childhood trauma and a hatred of my female body that developed early. I began to question everything after finding detrans stories online and used weed to help break down my mental barriers and confront my self-hatred. I realized no medical intervention could change my biological reality as a female and that I needed to address my trauma instead. Now, after therapy, I've desisted and found peace as a masculine woman, my dysphoria having mostly faded as I learned to accept myself.
My detransition story
My whole journey with gender started when I was really young. I was always a very gender-nonconforming girl. Ever since I was about four years old, I hated my birth name and never felt like it fit me. I also developed really early, starting to get breasts around 7 or 8 and getting my period just before I turned 9. I felt like I never got to have a real childhood because my body was changing so fast, and that created a lot of discomfort for me.
When I was 16, after about six months of socially transitioning to male, my mom and I went to a clinic looking for therapy to help me deal with my gender dysphoria. Instead of offering talk therapy, they immediately started pushing hormone treatment and puberty blockers on us. They handed my mom pamphlets and used scare tactics about suicide statistics to pressure her. It was really disturbing. They even told me I looked "exactly like a guy" because I had a bit of a mustache and a masculine build, which just felt manipulative. It scared my mom so much because she’d always known me as a very gender-nonconforming person and even said she felt like she was raising a baby boy. She was afraid I would hate her if she didn’t agree to medical treatments. We left and never went back.
I stayed socially transitioned for a while. I was convinced that because I was so masculine and uncomfortable with my female body, I must be a man. My therapist at the time kept reinforcing this, telling me I was such a masculine trans man and getting defensive whenever I questioned my decisions. I was deep in online trans communities where any doubt was dismissed. I remember searching for hours online, obsessively reading everything I could about being trans, trying to make sure I was a "real" trans person. I had hundreds of tabs saved. I was told that if I started hormones and didn’t like it, I could just stop and there would be no permanent effects, which I now know is completely false and irresponsible advice.
A big part of my desire to transition was rooted in trauma. I experienced sexual abuse as a child, and that made me hate being associated with being female. My mind made a simple connection: because I was treated badly for being a woman, I thought women were bad, and therefore I hated being one. I wanted to escape my body because it didn't feel like mine; it felt like everyone else had molded it and used it without my consent. I also struggled with internalized homophobia and didn't want to be a lesbian.
I started to question everything after spending time in detransition spaces online. Seeing other people’s stories made me realize that my gender dysphoria might not be what I thought it was. What really helped me was using weed. It allowed me to lower my mental barriers and be more open and curious with myself, to confront the self-hatred and dysphoria without fear. It was like a tool that helped me push past the stuck feelings and start to actually listen to my own instincts.
I began to slowly break down my feelings piece by piece. I realized that just because being trans felt right in the moment, didn't mean it was right for my life. I understood that no amount of surgery or hormones would change my biological reality—that I am female, and that’s in my DNA and my bones. I had to accept that my body is what it is, and that I could learn to live with it and even love it.
I never went on hormones or had any surgeries. I am a desister. I stopped identifying as trans and started embracing being a woman again, but it was a process. I had to work through a lot of trauma with a therapist who specialized in childhood sexual abuse. She helped me process what happened and unlearn the belief that my body was something to be ashamed of. I had to break down small things, like why I was afraid to wear certain clothes or why I felt uncomfortable with my birth name.
I don’t regret exploring my gender, but I do regret the pressure I put on my family and the fear I caused my mom. I also regret ever repeating the harmful idea that hormones are easily reversible to others. I now believe that medical transition should be banned for minors and that adults should undergo extensive therapy and have a thorough record of their mental health history before any medical intervention.
My views on gender now are that it’s okay to be a gender-nonconforming woman. There’s no one way to be a woman. I can be a woman who loves hunting, fishing, and working with my hands. I don’t need to change my body to be myself. My gender dysphoria has mostly gone away now that I’ve dealt with the root causes, and I feel more at peace with myself than I ever have.
I wish there was more understanding between trans and detrans people. We’re not enemies; we’ve all been trying to find ourselves and alleviate our pain. I hope my story can help others who might be feeling lost or pressured into a path that isn’t right for them.
Here is a timeline of my journey:
| Age | Event |
|---|---|
| 4 | Hated my birth name and felt it didn't fit me. |
| 7-8 | Started early puberty with breast budding. |
| 9 | Got my first period. Felt like I missed out on childhood. |
| 16 | Socially transitioned to male. |
| 16 | Went to a clinic with my mom seeking therapy for dysphoria; was pressured into considering HRT instead. |
| 18 | Began seriously questioning my transition after finding detrans communities online. |
| 19 | Started using weed as a tool to help break down mental barriers and confront my dysphoria. |
| 20 | Began therapy to address childhood sexual trauma, which was a root cause of my dysphoria. |
| 20 | Stopped identifying as trans and desisted. Started the process of accepting myself as a gender-nonconforming woman. |
| 21 | Felt my gender dysphoria significantly lessen as I worked on my trauma and self-acceptance. |
Top Comments by /u/workinstork:
Was my experience truly a threat to this echo chamber of positivity?
Unfortunately, your experience is absolutely a threat to them. Their facade is truly their only identity, you spend a majority of your time and life building it. All we can do is just step away from the quicksand. I'm so sorry you had to deal with this, just know that we're here to support you. We want to hear absolutely everything you have to share. Also don't let this quiet you down, let this motivate you to share your experience more. Each of our stories are very important ❤️ good luck hun
"oh my gosh-uh, they tell you all the medical side affects, you chose this-uh"
"Dude she was 15 and sometimes they don't actually share the side affects and long term affects, besides kids naturally don't even think about that shit, because they're k i d s"
Dude what I find the funniest is that they 100% only blame the kids, even if their parents allowed consent and supplied it
Ex-fucking-actly. But these individuals are just really immature and just follow a specific "order", so I just don't even with them. At this point it's like talking to a rock and then being angry at the rock for not being as intelligent as a human, just let the rock be and leave it alone
Really? I've seen quite plenty of male detransitioners. They aren't actually looking for them, female detransitioners get more of a voice in the public due to more controversy of "transitioning our poor daughters" while they don't see their sons in that way
I remember they tried coercing my mom with the suicide/self harm shit too. It's fucking evil :( I don't even self harm and had suicidal thoughts for different reasons but they told her that "it's a high chance of happening" without even talking to me. I still feel so shitty that my mom got dragged through this shit
Scared is your body's internal language of saying "wait". Fear is the language of wanting patience. Fear is one's guide since the beginning of time, it's your body wanting something to stop to prevent something bad happening to you. It's your instinct.
That was the most intense sign for me. Fear, scared.
I agree with you on the bullying of detransitioners... But honestly not based on your situation specifically. Yeah, literally why did you go to a trans space to be anti-transition? 💀 that's kinda their whole point of their own space, if they want advice about not transitioning, trust me they'll come to us
"Guys I went to a bear's den, of course what I said was anti-bear activity, and then the bears attacked me! Man, why are we even listening to bullies?"
I'm sorry but you absolutely walked yourself straight into this one, I can't help but feel like you don't exactly have the stand here. You invaded a space knowing exactly damn well how they would realistically react to you invading and having different motivations, you know they're going to feel triggered. I feel like real bullying is when you haven't poked the bear with the stick, and yet the bear is still continuously attacking you because you are something it hates.
Honestly, he's a rather cool guy. I've actually known his channel before he detransitioned, he used to call himself cluniac on YouTube. Seeing his major transition through easily a year and a half in his life was incredibly interesting. In his old videos he was a very quiet and soft-mannered woman, the only way to describe him was just soft and feminine. But looking back at his old vids, you can tell he's very... Conscious about what mannerisms and actions he expressed. He was quiet but you could tell he was holding back something. He used to have gorgeous long hair lmao but his current short, curly hair is just as good. During detransitioning, his actual personality bursted out of no where. He isn't afraid to express himself anymore, he's holding back nothing, he's just himself now. It's intensely enjoyable to watch a guy go from being self conscious to embracing his boisterous, loud, and colorful personality. He's still recovering from getting the actual right treatment for his mental health issues, so he's still a bit... Out there. He only just called out his therapist for treating him the wrong way a year ago, so I don't blame his mental problems still going on.
You can tell he severely regretted his transition treatment, he's still recovering from the physical issues hrt brought onto him, he entirely bases his experience onto the rest of the world thinking that trans people don't exist and actively disrespects people. He admits he's a narcissist in which no surprise. His journey is quite the journey, I think everyone should check out his channel. He's helped so many other people and definitely helped bring detransitioners/mental health into light when he publicly called out his old gender therapist. I've been meaning to watch this video actually
Man I remember everyone making me believe that gendernonconformity makes me not a woman, cis and trans. Since the age of 4 growing up and developing personality. Cis people told me I couldn't be a woman the way I am. Trans/LGBT health providers people told me that I couldn't be a woman the way I am, I'm a man the way I am.
As it did before, it depends on each person individually. Not the generalization of them all
For example, I love Blaire white. She is extremely levelheaded and grounded in reality, she's also very humorous and graceful lol. I love that she's been giving a voice to us detransitioners as well. Or my guy buck angel, he's the same way. Grown, mature adults.
Now let's compare... Let's say... Those really wild trans activists. I can't even call them trans people because... Well it's pretty obvious transition and the topic of being trans and what it is was not meant for them at all. You know, the people who want to allow children below 18 to make life-changing decisions that they can't take back for the next 80-90 years of their life. Mini humans that can't consent to anything. And they also become so fuckinh insecure and defensive when we enter the chat, they throw insults like ty turner or other TikTok smooth brainers do. And they make trans topics and labels all about their life.
If there's a they, they're astray 💀