I was born with an intersex condition and felt like a freak because my body developed differently from other girls. I was manipulated into believing I was a boy and started testosterone as a teenager. The hormones and surgeries caused permanent health problems and changed my body in ways I can't reverse. I stopped years ago, but I now live with deep regret and a body that doesn't feel like mine. I was failed by everyone who should have helped me love myself as the woman I am.

I was born intersex and had non-consensual surgeries as an infant to make me appear male. I spent years trying to live as a woman after a natural hormonal shift, but my body changed again, causing immense distress. I now accept that I don't need to fit into a box of man or woman to be whole. My focus is on healing and creating a real support center for others who are struggling. I've found peace by letting go of gender and just being myself.

I was raised in a culture that accepted my androgynous nature, but moving to the West made me feel pressured to medically transition to fit in. I tried a low dose of testosterone for my health, but I stopped because I realized I couldn't change my sex and didn't want to be a lifelong patient. I now see my dysphoria as a mental illness to be managed, not affirmed, and I accept myself as a female person with an intersex condition. I express myself freely without medical intervention and believe the push to transition reinforces harmful stereotypes. I am now firmly against medicalizing children and am living a much healthier life.

I was born with an intersex condition and bullied relentlessly for my appearance, so I started testosterone and had surgery as a practical way to feel safer and stronger. My surgery left me with painful scars, and I later had to stop hormones due to health concerns, but my body couldn't function without them. I now use a very low dose of testosterone for my health, not for transition. I see myself as androgynous but live as a man because it's easier and safer. While I wish I'd been more informed about the surgery, I don't regret transitioning as it was a necessary survival strategy for me.

I was a masculine girl who started identifying as trans online at 12, influenced by trauma and undiagnosed autism. I lived as a man for seven years and started testosterone, but it numbed my emotions and caused severe health problems. After a personal epiphany, I realized I had lost myself and stopped hormones to begin my detransition. Reversing the changes was disorienting, and I regret not getting proper therapy to address my underlying issues first. Now I'm at peace simply being a woman, reconnected with my body and building a more authentic life.

I was born female but never fit in, and puberty made me feel like a freak with my deep voice and facial hair. After learning I was intersex, I considered becoming a man but realized my discomfort was from not fitting a box, not being in the wrong body. I had surgeries for function and comfort, not to change who I am fundamentally. My spouse and I, both intersex, are now happy off hormones and have found self-acceptance. I've learned that true peace comes from learning to like yourself first, because that person in the mirror is always going to be you.

I started transitioning at 14 to escape the deep pain of trauma and a difficult puberty, living as a man for 12 years. I realized my transition was a way to run from my female body, not because I was truly male. After seeing a detransitioned woman's story online, I understood my own trauma and began to medically detransition a year ago. I have a lot of grief, especially over my top surgery, which I can't reverse due to my health. Now I'm learning to accept myself as a woman and heal from the trauma that started it all.

I started estrogen at 17 for a medical condition, but I never truly felt like a woman. For 14 years, I was miserable and pursued extreme surgeries to try and fit a feminine ideal, nearly getting irreversible bottom surgery. I finally realized I am a very feminine boy, not a woman, and my life completely changed for the better. I now have a wonderful boyfriend who sees me for the man I am, and I wear what makes me feel good without trying to "pass." I take estrogen for my health, but I am finally living as my authentic self, a happy femboy.

I was born female and my discomfort started in childhood, worsened by early puberty and the trauma of being sexualized. I transitioned because I thought my hatred for my breasts and my masculinity meant I was a man. Top surgery completely cured my chest dysphoria, which was the key that made me realize I wasn't a man at all. I stopped testosterone and now live happily as a masculine woman with a flat chest. I finally understand that I can be a woman and look exactly how I want.

I was born female and started testosterone in my twenties because I felt like an ugly woman and hated my body. I now understand my feelings weren't about gender, but were symptoms of trauma and a dissociative disorder that made me feel unsafe being a woman. After starting proper trauma therapy, I realized my transition was an unhealthy coping mechanism and I stopped hormones six months ago. I'm learning to accept myself as a woman and am working through my internalized misogyny with the help of therapy. While I grieve the permanent changes, I don't regret it because it was a survival tool that led me to finally get the right help.

I was born female but always knew I was a boy, and I started testosterone in my thirties to finally live as a man. For two years, I was happier and more connected to my body than I had ever been in my life. A medical condition forced me to stop, and the return to a female appearance felt like a complete loss of myself. Meeting a man who accepted my unique spirit helped me see that my worth wasn't tied to being male. I now live as a woman, and while the dysphoria still visits, I am finally finding peace in my own skin.

I was born female but never fit in with other girls, partly because I'm neurodivergent and found social rules confusing. I transitioned at 24 to escape rigid gender roles and liked the changes from testosterone and top surgery at first. After a few years, I realized I could be a masculine woman and stopped hormones because the shots caused anxiety and dealing with transphobia was exhausting. I don't regret my journey as it gave me confidence, but I'm at peace with stopping. Now, I believe we put too much importance on gender labels and I just live as myself.

I was presumed male at birth, but being intersex meant I never fit that role, which caused me years of depression and dysphoria. A profound spiritual experience in 2004 lifted my depression and made me realize I am agender, not a man or a woman. I never pursued hormones or surgery, as my journey was about socially and internally rejecting the identities forced on me. I’ve found peace by accepting my body as naturally different and focusing on my strengths, like my voice through choral practice. My only regret is the time I lost to confusion and the way intersex people like me are so often misunderstood.

I was born female and my discomfort with puberty, along with depression, led me to believe I was trans. Online pressure pushed me from identifying as non-binary towards taking testosterone and planning surgeries. Reconnecting with my cultural heritage, which honors the female body, was a major turning point that changed my perspective. I stopped hormones and left that identity behind, which was terrifying because the community I thought was supportive felt cultish. I'm now at peace as a woman and don't regret my journey, but I'm critical of how easily I got medical treatment without deeper psychological support.

I was raised as a girl, but puberty was terrifying as my body began developing in a male direction. After a diagnosis for my intersex condition revealed I was biologically male, I almost medically transitioned to female to fix the confusion. I realized that was wrong for me and chose instead to accept myself as a man. I now live peacefully in alignment with my sex, and I'm grateful I avoided irreversible procedures. My journey taught me I needed self-acceptance, not to change my body to fit an old identity.

I'm a female who has felt a disconnect from my body and a desire to be male since I was young, but I've never felt a rush to medically transition. A history of childhood trauma and a strong family history of serious hormone imbalances have made me very cautious. I'm taking a logical approach, so I plan to freeze my eggs and wait at least ten years in a social transition before considering hormones. I'd rather be sure than make a permanent decision for my future self now. My only regret is how difficult it is to have open conversations about the complex reasons behind these feelings.

I was born male but intersex, and I almost got pushed into transitioning during some very vulnerable times in my life. I'm a 41-year-old gay man who has had to learn to accept my large, male body because I knew I would never be able to pass as female. A big part of my struggle was with a community that silences any questioning of transition, which I believe hurts a lot of people. I've worked through my trauma and found peace by forgiving my parents for my own mental health. I now believe my dysphoria is just a part of my human experience, not something that needed to be cured, and I'm here to support others who are hurting.

I was born intersex and raised as a girl, which led to years of confusion when I started developing male features at puberty. I was bullied terribly and my parents even tried switching my social gender back and forth, which only made things worse. I explored other identities online before a friend helped me realize I am a straight, intersex male. Now, I'm finally comfortable identifying as a man, though I still struggle to find doctors who understand my condition. My biggest regret is all the pain I endured because no one was honest with me about my body from the start.

I was raised as a boy, but my body started developing in a female way as a teenager, which is how I discovered my intersex condition. I later transitioned to male and took testosterone for four years, but it only made me feel worse about myself. Becoming a mother was the turning point that made me realize I needed to detransition back to female. I'm now navigating the physical changes from testosterone while finally accepting myself as a woman. My journey was complicated, but I've found my truth in being my children's mum.

I was born with a rare intersex condition that has defined my medical life. My puberty was delayed, and starting testosterone in my late teens to address it caused serious, lasting health problems. My main struggle is finding doctors who understand my specific needs, and I worry that laws about hormones will block my necessary care. I never socially transitioned; my journey was always about treating a medical condition. Now, I just need an evidence-based healthcare approach that looks at my unique biology, free from the current cultural debates.