Trans Summer School

Experiencing a little gender confusion? We know the feeling. In Trans Summer School, we'll give you the big scoop about trans and otherwise gender nonconforming people, and answer your questions about the wide world of gender.

Whether someone peeped at your reproductive organs in utero or they waited until after you popped out into the world, one of the first things people probably defined about you was your sex, on the basis of what they found between your legs. Ever since, you’ve been stuck with the assigned gender label of “male” or “female,” and all the baggage that goes along with it. Well, here’s your chance to set that baggage down for a bit, because we’re going to go in deep on sex, gender, and identity.

So you've thought about sex and gender and all that good stuff and a little bird is telling you that you might be trans. But how do you know?

For trans folks (and non-binary, genderqueer, agender, and all other gender non-conforming folks) gender expression can be a lot more tricky than it is for many cisgender people. How do you find clothing when many companies don't acknowledge that people who are built like you exist? If you body doesn't quite have all the bits you wish it did (or has some bits you really wish it didn't), how can you present your body in a way that makes you feel like yourself?

So you’re ready to start talking openly about your gender, and you want to come out of the shadows and live as yourself. Coming out stories are as diverse as gender itself and you have a whole lot of options in front of you, depending on the level of support you anticipate from friends, family, school, and the world at large.

So you’ve come out. Now what? Today we’re all about logistics, because coming out, and socially transitioning, is an ever-evolving process. First, let’s head to the schoolyard.

After social transition, many people face the question of whether they also want to pursue medical (hormones) and/or surgical transition. In this post, we’ll be discussing hormones — our following post will delve into the nitty gritty details of “the surgery” (starting with the fact that there’s not just one).

Depending on how old you are, where you live, and the specifics of your situation, you may start with “blockers,” also called puberty blockers or puberty inhibitors (or, more formally, GnRH agonists). These drugs do pretty much exactly what it sounds like they do: they block the release of hormones from the pituitary gland, thus putting a pause on puberty.

If your body is longing to pump out some estrogen and you’d rather it didn’t, your doctor will start you on testosterone therapy. Estrogen blockers are also available, but they aren’t widely used — usually your testosterone will be enough to do the trick. You may also hear testosterone discussed as a “masculinizing” or “male” hormone, but it doesn’t have to be either of those things for you unless you want it to be.

If you’re a little older, or you feel confident and ready to transition after being on blockers and your doctor thinks it's reasonable to do so, you may start taking estrogen and an androgen blocker if your body would otherwise naturally produce testosterone. You may hear estrogen referred to as a “feminizing hormone” or “female hormone,” which is a term I dislike because you may not necessarily be taking it to achieve a “feminine” body if you’re nonbinary or otherwise gender nonconforming, and lots of people who aren't women produce estrogen naturally. You can just call it estrogen!

Whether you’re transgender or otherwise gender nonconforming, you may be thinking about the options when it comes to surgical transition, either now or in the future — and if you're under 18, “future” may be the operative (so to speak) word. While you may not be thinking about surgery for quite a while, it helps to be informed so that you can start thinking about your options and the decisions ahead.

Fun fact: While top surgery is often described as a “mastectomy,” that’s actually usually inaccurate. Many surgeons perform a “subtotal mastectomy,” which involves removing most, but not all, of the breast tissue. This prevents a sunken or fallen appearance after surgery, and makes it look like you have a sweet set of pecs (if you aren’t already sporting them).

If you’ve got a uterus and you don’t want one, you’ll be spending some personal time with a gynecological surgeon.

If you’re equipped with a clit and some labia and you’d like a penis (with or without testicles), you’re looking at either a phalloplasty or metoidioplasty. The procedures have different advantages and disadvantages that you’ll want to consider before making a decision.

After about two years of estrogen, your body will be pretty maxed out in the boob department. What you see is what you get...but if you’re not happy with the look and feel of your breasts, you can explore breast augmentation. There are a huge range of procedures available, broken down by type of incision and implant, and your best option depends on the preferences of your surgeon, your body, and your desired outcome.

They call it “feminization surgery,” but that’s a bit of a misnomer. More accurately described, it tends to make the features of the face finer and more delicate, and people of any gender can have delicate features.

In this procedure, the surgeon removes the testicles with or without the scrotum. This procedure stops the production of testosterone, which allows patients to adjust their doses of anti-androgens and estrogen.

In vaginoplasty, which may require multiple surgeries, depending on the surgeon’s preference and your case, your existing genital tissue is creatively recycled into a vagina, set of labia, and a clitoris.

Dating and romance can be fraught spaces for anyone, regardless of their gender. But a common, specific fear we see among trans and otherwise gender-nonconforming users is that their gender identity means that no one will want to be their partner, that no one will ever find them attractive, or that it will limit their sexual orientation. Those fears can come from all sorts of places, be that messages from your family or the images of trans people you see on TV. Let’s pull those worries out into the light and take a closer look at them

We’ve assembled a guide with some common issues that come up, and how to deal with them, in very broad terms. If you’re having difficulties, know that there are people out there who are ready and willing to help you, and often they’re a quick Google search away: if you’re struggling, you’re not alone, and you should reach out.

Am I trans enough? It’s probably one of the most pervasive questions for trans and otherwise gender nonconforming people, and if you think you’re the first one to have had it cross your mind, I’m sorry to say that you’re not. Nearly every transgender person has experienced self-doubt, and for some, it is an ongoing struggle. The short answer to this question is: Yes. You are.