genderaffirming.ai 

retransition Detransition Stories & Timelines

Browse through 622 unique detransition stories and timelines of people who haved shared their experiences in the /r/detrans subreddit, which is the largest open collection of detransition stories and experiences on the internet!

These stories have been summarised with the help of 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.

Only users who have shared enough to put together a full story and timeline are included. Users that have posted less than five comments or their comments that received less than three upvotes are disregarded. Posts are not yet included in the dataset.

Every user has been analysed for signs of bot generated or inauthentic content. Any account that does not appear to be a genuine de-transitioner is flagged 'suspicious'. These accounts will be manually reviewed and removed from the detrans.ai dataset if they are found to be inauthentic. Accounts that have made fewer than five comments have been ommitted from analysis.
Age Distribution
Detransition Pathways
Loading chart data...
Showing 20 of 622 users

/u/furbysaysburnthings

1142 comments • Posting since 4/30/2019
Transitioned at 25 -> Detransitioned at 33

I started transitioning to male at 25 to escape feeling like a failed woman and the pain from my past. I was on testosterone for over seven years, but I eventually realized I was using it as a coping mechanism, not because I was truly a man. Moving away from my affirming social circle gave me the perspective to see I was living a lie and dissociating from myself. I've been detransitioning for a year now, working to reverse the physical changes, which is difficult and scary. I now accept that I am female and am trying to build an identity for myself outside of gender entirely.

female
low self-esteem
took hormones
regrets transitioning
escapism
trauma
influenced online
influenced by friends
now infertile
body dysmorphia
retransition
puberty discomfort
benefited from psychedelic drugs
autistic

/u/xnyvbb

527 comments • Posting since 5/2/2020
Transitioned at 19 -> Detransitioned at 20

I was a girl who felt uncomfortable with my body and thought I was supposed to be a boy, influenced by online communities and a past relationship. My transition, including testosterone and surgery, was traumatic and triggered severe health issues, leaving me with permanent changes. I realized my feelings were rooted in trauma, autism, and OCD, not in being male. I am now focused on accepting my female body and healing from my past. I deeply regret my choices and am undergoing expensive procedures to try and feel like myself again.

female
internalised homophobia
hated breasts
took hormones
regrets transitioning
escapism
trauma
depression
influenced online
influenced by friends
got top surgery
serious health complications
now infertile
body dysmorphia
retransition
puberty discomfort
benefited from psychedelic drugs
sexuality changed
autistic
ocd

/u/Werevulvi

478 comments • Posting since 8/11/2019
Transitioned at 20 -> Detransitioned at 29

I was born female and transitioned to live as a man for nine years, starting when I was twenty. I later realized my dysphoria came from trauma and internalized homophobia, not from being truly transgender. I detransitioned after a sudden breakthrough where I integrated with a dissociative part of myself and my perspective completely shifted. I now live as a woman again, but I grieve my mastectomy every day and struggle with my permanently deep voice and beard. Despite the pain, I am finally at peace with being a lesbian and am healing from the past.

female
internalised homophobia
hated breasts
took hormones
regrets transitioning
trauma
depression
got top surgery
now infertile
body dysmorphia
retransition
homosexual
puberty discomfort
sexuality changed
autistic

/u/UniquelyDefined

414 comments • Posting since 5/20/2022
Transitioned at 25 -> Detransitioned at 26

I started identifying as non-binary at 25, thinking it was the answer to my deep discomfort and depression. I was convinced to try hormones, but just one month of estrogen caused permanent, painful breast growth and other changes. I realized I had made a terrible mistake based on internal issues, not because I was born the wrong sex. Now, I’m focused on healing and have learned my problems were from trauma and other conditions, not my body. I’m waiting for surgery to fix the damage and am finally learning to just be myself.

male
low self-esteem
internalised homophobia
porn problem
hated breasts
took hormones
regrets transitioning
trauma
autogynephilia (agp)
depression
influenced online
influenced by friends
serious health complications
body dysmorphia
retransition
puberty discomfort
started as non-binary
anxiety
benefited from non-affirming therapy
autistic
ocd

/u/Your_socks

413 comments • Posting since 11/9/2022
Detransitioned at 31

I started transitioning because I hated how my male body changed during puberty, and I thought becoming a woman would fix everything. I loved how estrogen made me look and feel physically, but trying to act like a woman socially felt like a exhausting, fake performance. I realized I wasn't trans after meeting a woman for whom it was natural, while for me it was a stressful act. I've since detransitioned and am living as a male again, but I'm now stuck with all my original insecurities and a deep regret for ever starting. I see now my problem was always a hatred of my masculinized body, not a need to live as a woman.

male
internalised homophobia
hated breasts
took hormones
regrets transitioning
depression
influenced online
body dysmorphia
retransition
homosexual
puberty discomfort
anxiety
autistic

/u/spamcentral

393 comments • Posting since 6/18/2022
Transitioned at 21 -> Detransitioned at 23

I was a tomboy from the start and felt punished when puberty hit and my body changed. After years of being misgendered, I identified as non-binary, but that just left me feeling isolated and confused. Losing a lot of weight helped me see my natural masculine frame, and I realized my real issues were trauma and society's narrow expectations for women. I stopped identifying as non-binary and now accept myself as a gender non-conforming woman in a happy relationship. My journey taught me that true peace comes from healing the root causes of pain, not from changing your body.

female
low self-esteem
hated breasts
regrets transitioning
trauma
depression
influenced online
body dysmorphia
retransition
puberty discomfort
started as non-binary
had religious background
heterosexual

/u/novaskyd

333 comments • Posting since 10/21/2019
Transitioned at 17 -> Desisted at 22

I started identifying as a trans man in my late teens because I was a lonely, anxious kid who didn't fit in with other girls. I lived as a man for four years and even got a prescription for testosterone, but using the gel never felt right and made me hesitate. What really changed things was realizing I could still enjoy feminine things and that there's no single way to be a woman. Now, I'm comfortable living as a female; I'm married with kids and see my body for what it can do, not just how it looks. Looking back, I believe my anxiety and social pressures played a big role, and I'm grateful I found my way through it without medical intervention.

female
low self-esteem
internalised homophobia
took hormones
regrets transitioning
depression
influenced online
body dysmorphia
retransition
homosexual
puberty discomfort
started as non-binary
anxiety
only transitioned socially
autistic
ocd
had religious background

/u/Lurkersquid

299 comments • Posting since 12/11/2022
Transitioned at 14 -> Detransitioned at 20

I was a tomboy from a young age and started wishing I was a boy in fifth grade so I could dress how I wanted. In high school, online communities convinced me my discomfort with being female meant I was a man, so I socially and then medically transitioned. Living as a man was isolating because I only passed as a young boy, and I became obsessed with not being "clocked." A profound psychedelic experience made me realize I was fighting my own healthy body for no reason, so I stopped hormones. I'm now a masculine woman, and my dysphoria is gone now that I've accepted myself.

female
hated breasts
took hormones
regrets transitioning
influenced online
influenced by friends
body dysmorphia
retransition
homosexual
benefited from psychedelic drugs

/u/wetfart41968

258 comments • Posting since 6/7/2022
Transitioned at 14 -> Detransitioned at 22

I started wanting to transition after learning about it online as a kid, feeling like a complete alien around other girls. My journey was driven by trauma, strict gender roles, and a deep desire to escape being female after an assault. I took testosterone for over two years and lived as a man, but it didn't fix my anxiety or self-esteem. I stopped because I realized I needed to address my root issues in therapy, not change my body. Now I'm learning to accept myself as a woman with a unique history, even with the permanent changes from testosterone.

female
low self-esteem
internalised homophobia
took hormones
regrets transitioning
trauma
autogynephilia (agp)
depression
influenced online
serious health complications
body dysmorphia
retransition
anxiety
benefited from non-affirming therapy
benefited from psychedelic drugs
had religious background

/u/feed_me_see_more

247 comments • Posting since 3/2/2024
Transitioned at 19 -> Detransitioned at 27

I started identifying as a trans man at 19, hoping it would solve my deep unhappiness and body image issues. I was on testosterone for seven years, which caused serious health problems and made me feel like I was living a lonely lie. I stopped in 2022 when my body couldn't take it anymore, and seeing a friend breastfeed made me realize I was robbing myself of my womanhood. Now, I'm learning to live authentically as a woman with a body permanently changed by the hormones. I deeply regret the damage done and believe my pain was exploited by a medical system that should have protected me.

female
low self-esteem
internalised homophobia
took hormones
regrets transitioning
serious health complications
now infertile
retransition

/u/Chelstrawberrymuffin

239 comments • Posting since 6/19/2022
Transitioned at 19 -> Detransitioned at 21

I started identifying as a man at 19 because I liked how people treated me and I was struggling with my sense of self from autism and BPD. I was on and off testosterone for two years; it helped my mental health but caused difficult physical changes like a strained voice and health concerns. I finally stopped for good because living as a trans man made my life harder and I missed the ease of being seen as a woman. Now, I've been off hormones for a while and my body has mostly returned to how it was before. I don't regret the journey, but I'm learning to accept being a woman while working through my past issues.

female
internalised homophobia
hated breasts
took hormones
regrets transitioning
escapism
trauma
depression
influenced online
now infertile
body dysmorphia
retransition
anxiety
sexuality changed
autistic
asexual

/u/oldtomboy

238 comments • Posting since 7/23/2022

I never fit in with other girls, so I thought becoming a man was the answer. I started testosterone and had top surgery, and for a while, I loved the changes and the social acceptance. But I eventually realized I would never be male and developed serious health issues from the hormones. I stopped testosterone and have been learning to accept myself as a female. I'm now focusing on my health and finding peace as a masculine woman.

female
internalised homophobia
hated breasts
took hormones
regrets transitioning
influenced online
got top surgery
serious health complications
now infertile
body dysmorphia
retransition

/u/Lucretia123

228 comments • Posting since 4/9/2019
Transitioned at 17 -> Detransitioned at 20

I'm a female who started transitioning after a sexual assault made me feel disconnected from my body. I thought becoming a man would let me escape my pain, so I took testosterone and had surgery. I now realize my discomfort was from trauma, not my true self, and I regret the permanent changes. I've stopped hormones and am focusing on healing through therapy and outdoor activities. I'm learning to accept my body as it is and move forward.

female
low self-esteem
internalised homophobia
hated breasts
took hormones
regrets transitioning
escapism
trauma
depression
influenced online
got top surgery
serious health complications
now infertile
retransition
homosexual
puberty discomfort
started as non-binary
anxiety
benefited from non-affirming therapy
suspicious account

/u/warpdusted

223 comments • Posting since 7/2/2020
Transitioned at 19 -> Detransitioned at 25

I started identifying as trans masculine at 19, believing it was my only escape from depression and trauma. I was on testosterone for a year and a half and initially loved the confidence it gave me, but trauma therapy helped me realize my dysphoria was a reaction to being mistreated as a female. I decided to detransition, a choice that cost me my relationship and my entire friend group. I’m now learning to embrace being a woman and a lesbian, finding a peace I never had before. I regret the permanent changes but have found strength in finally understanding myself.

female
internalised homophobia
hated breasts
took hormones
regrets transitioning
trauma
depression
influenced online
now infertile
body dysmorphia
retransition
homosexual
puberty discomfort
anxiety
autistic
had religious background

/u/recursive-regret

221 comments • Posting since 6/30/2024
Transitioned at 28 -> Detransitioned at 32

I started hating my male body when puberty began, especially the body hair and balding. I took estrogen for four years hoping to fix it, but I never looked like a woman and the public hostility was unbearable. I detransitioned because my presence was causing my loved ones distress and I couldn't achieve the physical change I needed. Now I'm back to living as a man, but I'm isolated and my hatred for my body is worse than ever. I believe transition only works if you can fully pass; otherwise, it causes more pain for everyone.

male
took hormones
regrets transitioning
depression
body dysmorphia
retransition
puberty discomfort

/u/mountain-flowers

211 comments • Posting since 3/18/2023
Transitioned at 21 -> Detransitioned at 24

I started transitioning at 21 because I felt I didn't fit in as a straight girl and thought becoming male would fix my discomfort with my body. I lived as a man for over three years and had top surgery, which I initially loved. I eventually realized I missed womanhood and felt deep grief over losing my ability to breastfeed, which is my biggest regret. I stopped testosterone at 24 and have since embraced my femininity and my desire for a traditional life. I'm now engaged to a wonderful man and am finally at peace with myself as a woman.

female
low self-esteem
internalised homophobia
hated breasts
took hormones
regrets transitioning
depression
influenced by friends
got top surgery
now infertile
retransition
puberty discomfort
started as non-binary
anxiety
benefited from psychedelic drugs
autistic
eating disorder
heterosexual

/u/RulerTheLion

209 comments • Posting since 9/29/2021
Detransitioned at 18

I was born female and started identifying as a trans man as a teenager, taking testosterone for two years. I now believe my discomfort was more about body dysmorphia and social influence than being the wrong sex, so I've stopped hormones to medically detransition. I don't regret my journey, as it was a necessary step for me to learn that identity isn't fixed. Currently, I'm working with a therapist and living socially as a man while I explore what I truly want without any pressure. I'm focusing on getting to know myself beyond labels and making choices I won't regret later.

female
hated breasts
took hormones
regrets transitioning
influenced online
body dysmorphia
retransition
doesn't regret transitioning
sexuality changed

/u/neitherdreams

208 comments • Posting since 12/10/2023

I grew up in a strict home where being a girl felt like a punishment, which made me want to disappear. I tried to escape by creating a genderless persona online and cutting my hair, but it was really about safety, not identity. I never medically transitioned, and I'm grateful for that now because it gave me time to heal. Through therapy and moving out, I slowly realized my discomfort came from trauma, not from being female. I'm now learning to accept myself as a woman, and I'm focused on the harm caused by pushing medical solutions on vulnerable young people.

female
low self-esteem
internalised homophobia
hated breasts
regrets transitioning
trauma
depression
influenced online
body dysmorphia
retransition
homosexual
puberty discomfort
anxiety
only transitioned socially
autistic
eating disorder
ocd
had religious background

/u/OnceBitten8240

207 comments • Posting since 12/25/2022
Detransitioned at 27

I was born female and transitioned to male in my twenties to escape severe body discomfort. Testosterone caused serious health problems, which forced me to stop and finally question the ideology I had believed. I now see that my dysphoria was a mental health issue, worsened by internalized homophobia and trauma. I am learning to accept my female body through therapy, though the dysphoria still comes and goes. I am a woman, and I am working to live in peace with the irreversible changes and find my strength again.

female
internalised homophobia
hated breasts
took hormones
regrets transitioning
trauma
depression
got top surgery
serious health complications
now infertile
body dysmorphia
retransition
homosexual
puberty discomfort
anxiety
sexuality changed

/u/drink-fast

200 comments • Posting since 2/12/2022
Transitioned at 12 -> Detransitioned at 19

I knew I was a boy from a very young age and started testosterone as a teenager. I stopped after realizing my transition was driven by trauma, autism, and a rejection of being female, not by being truly male. The hormones caused me serious health problems and intense mood swings, so I quit for good. Now, my voice is permanently deep and I'm often mistaken for a man, which makes it hard to connect with other women. I'm trying to find peace by accepting myself as a masculine woman and healing from my past.

female
low self-esteem
internalised homophobia
hated breasts
took hormones
regrets transitioning
escapism
trauma
autogynephilia (agp)
depression
influenced online
got top surgery
serious health complications
body dysmorphia
retransition
homosexual
puberty discomfort
anxiety
benefited from psychedelic drugs
autistic
Page 1 of 32