Basically long story short:

I’m 18 and my parents don’t believe im trans(mtf) the only way i could think to convince them so that i can start hrt is with a gender dysphoria diagnosis, which sadly i cant get with the NHS bc i dont fancy wasting the next 5-8 years of my life being depressed and a shell of myself

Anyway does anyone have any good recommendations for how i can get a private diagnosis, i live in the south if that helps and money isn’t really an issue but obviously i would prefer it to be cheaper. When i briefly skimmed a few options they were like £500-£600 just for an appointment so hopefully i can find one for a fair bit less lol. Sorry ik this post is super blunt im just fed up of feeling disgusting and like someone else all the time.

Hi all I was thinking about starting HRT or at least joining the wait list and my friend recommended travistock so I was just wondering if they were actually good or would they fuck about with me.

Hey there I am a transgender activist in the US and I am moving to England in about three weeks. I do have dual citizenship and have already been in contact with doctors so don’t need advice or warnings on that kinda stuff but I do want to continue my advocacy for trans rights when I move. I am somewhat aware of the issues for trans people in the UK such as puberty blockers being banned for trans youth. I am just wondering if there are any organizations I can connect with that do advocacy work. I am going to be in the York area so anything local would be wonderful. Thanks in advance!

So im studying metal working and blacksmithing.

I fucking love it but god i want to quit.

Please tell me the money and love of the job is worth sticking through both being a broke apprentice and contstant harrassment from other apprentices and staff.

Im sat here in a freezing cold flat with the dog thinking i should just quit and go back to my nice salaried job because im so fed up of being cold and hungry all the time im not at work.

But like hitting things with a hammer makes my brain go brrrrrr.

I'm 19 in Cardiff uni studying psychology looking of there's any queer people here? mental health has been kicking my ass and I've been struggling to make friends here, especially other queer people lol

My initial plan was to go with gendergp first because the rest are all 18 and over I'm not keen on waiting potentially 12 months until I can start with a service such as gendercare, (given added waiting times on top of until I turn 18). However, I also want to get admitted to a GIC so I can take advantage of free healthcare and, of course, I would like to try for shared care bur chances of that are slim.

Is it at all possible, or a good idea, to get a "headstart" using gendergp, and then switching to a service like gendercare to save money in the future (and maybe request another shared care with a doctor from that service), or is that too much hassle/overthinking?

Like the title says, I went to my first irl trans and non-binary meet up because i had never met any other trans or non-binary people before and because i had a lesser session 10 minutes away an hour before. It wasn’t spectacular or anything (my fault, I isolated myself for years and now have abysmal social skills) but it was unquestionably worth going to, i had a few lovely conversations with some of the other trans-women there and 2 of the organisers did come to check on me to see if i was ok because i was just sitting in a corner by myself not talking to anyone for the first like half an hour 😅 and afterwards i just feel content, although I did almost cry a few times at the beginning tho, because I couldn’t stop thinking things like “they’re like me” and “I’m safe here” and the whole thing, all the people, and the general atmosphere just made me so relaxed despite my usual near overwhelming anxiety that I would do or say something to make everyone hate me 😅

Anyway that’s it, i had a good day and I’m getting Chinese for dinner, thanks for reading 😊

Hiya does anyone know of or go to mtf support groups in the Nottingham area??

been meaning to geta gender dysphoria diagnosis and seen laura scarrones name come up. her website looks good and i can afford it but it doesnt say anywhere whether she takes people under 18. does anyone have any experience?

looking to get transtape, binding is starting to make me feel dysphoric recently, due to it being ‘bra-like’ in my mind lol, i dont like feeling the fabric covering me there

any tips/advice or links to places that would be best to get it?

is transtape even an option for me? im around a c cup, would it be best to stick to binding

Honestly this is all such a hassle I’ve got to come out, get some form of hair removal which I have to redo every few months, deal with discrimination, wait like 10 years for estrogen or end up breaking the bank to get it privately where a bunch of people are gonna gatekeep me because these evil sickos want us to be trapped in these awful masculine shells

And not only that but I’m 6’4” with no naturally feminine features a horrid body and a bad face but it seems like most other mtf or fem people are naturally feminine and it hurts so bad that I lost the beauty lottery by such a large amount

I wanna give up but my brain won’t let me it wants me to go on and become a woman but I don’t wanna be a woman if I don’t pass as one I want to be stunning and beautiful, not just that trans girl that people know, I want to be stunning and be able to pass and have a husband who loves me etc etc but it just seems so impossible and I dont know what to do.

I've always felt like a girl, but I just thought I wouldn't be able to pass as one and it's too long a wait for NHS so I've never taken it seriously.

I have crossdressed before.

I have had depression for many years now, and it's because I'm unhappy with my current gender.

I'm considered doing hrt but I would definitely want srs.

Firstly, I'm 181cm, 70kg and I have broad(ish) shoulders, so would I even be able to pass as a woman? Would I be considered unattractive to most men? I have a pretty face and no facial hair so I'm attractive as a boy, but maybe I won't look feminine enough idk.

I am looking to get a Bupa Premier plan which is £500/month and covers gender dysphoria, I don't have gender dysphoria on any of my health records only depression for the past 10 years.

How long until I start the policy could I make a claim for gender dysphoria and make it not look suspicious?

Also, would I have to wait and be on hrt for a while, and have talks with psychiatrists etc. Before I can get srs?

I'm 25 (26 this year) and i don't want to wait any longer, I'm tired of being miserable. But I don't think I'm strong enough to be unpassable and just look like a boy dressed as a girl.

Please help me.

Hey everyone

I’m from the UK stuck in Michigan longer than expected and I’ve run out of my HRT patches. I use two Estradot 100 and one Estradot 25 weekly. I don’t have health insurance here and local doctors keep telling me to contact my GP in the UK for a prescription. I’ve already tried my GP and GenderCare (my UK HRT clinic), they both said they can’t issue prescriptions internationally

Does anyone know if these patches are available in the US under a different name or brand? Or is there an alternative I can discuss with a doctor? Local pharmacies either don’t carry them or seem unsure when I ask

What’s the best way to handle this without insurance? Should I see a local GP or endocrinologist? I’m not familiar with the system here so any advice would be a huge help. I’m really stressed about running out completely. If anyone’s been through something similar or knows where to start please let me know

Thanks in advance

Can’t find much info about it on Google but apparently it works better than gel.

When I say ‘do something’ I mean engaging in some form of action which is a net benefit for trans people as a whole.

It could be a peaceful protest of some description, doing some kind of campaigning or a podcast where you tackle the transphobic establishment, or even something like being an openly trans actor in a film.

I can’t tell you what to do, only you can decide that for yourself.

It’s only fair that I start by answering this question myself.

When I see how far things have been backrolled by the anti-trans powers that be, I don’t blame you, I blame myself. I could’ve done something but I didn’t.

Instead I chose to hide, run and wait, and unsurprisingly things got worse.

When I say ‘I’ I am making a broader point about how thinking the responsibility is on someone else to do something is a fundamental part of the problem.

If you or me personally aren’t willing to do something then why should anyone else?

Now that I’m proud of being trans, there isn’t a thing left you can hold over me. You can try to insult me, misgender me, degrade me or denigrate me and it won’t do a damn thing.

We individually need to get over this shame of being trans.

Every time you cower or hide, they win.

Every time you compare yourself to people who ‘stealth’ better than you, they win.

I don’t care how ‘bad’ or ‘good’ you look, you need to get it out of your system that you have something to hide.

Being a fighter doesn’t mean being a pick me sh*te who ‘passes flawlessly’ like Blaire White. Those people tarnish what it means to be trans.

Being a woman doesn’t mean being a barbie doll and being a man doesn’t mean being a chad.

As long as those ideas are perpetuated in the trans community they destroy the movement and the legacy of those who fought for the rights we take for granted.

And instead of defending the fruits of their labour, we scavenge for the remaining morsels of our rights.

Is this what it means to be trans?

To be in a performance where you are confined, subjugated and enslaved?

You will never be free until you accept yourself.

Own what you look like. Own who you are.

You ARE trans.

Not a person with a chromosome disorder who has nothing to do with the trans community anymore.

You’re the same as any natal person your sex but don’t get it in your head that you have to pretend that you’re not trans.

If you can’t wear this thing like armour then it will forever be used to destroy you.

No one is coming to save you. Only you can save yourself. And together we can save each other.

Trump passes a law rolling back trans protections and the best resistance the American trans community has to offer is a group of ‘flawless’ looking trans people on social media saying “Can you imagine ME using the men’s restroom?”

Like really? Is that the best we can do? Playing directly into their hands by rolling out our best looking birds and saying “go figure?”

If that’s the future of trans resistance here in Britain then God help us.

I am not saying you have to do anything imminently. All I am saying is that you should allocate some time to seriously contemplating about whether you should participate in some form of progressive action for your trans siblings.

Because in 5 years time you may not be able to do anything and that’s not fearmongering. Do you think if I told you 5 years ago that what has happened would happen you would not accuse me of ‘fearmongering?’

Ireland is only going to be a safe vessel as long as anti-trans fascism stays contained in Britain and we know from history that political ideology spreads like wildfire across borders.

You will never be free until you accept yourself.

You will not gain acceptance by continually falling to your knees and pleading for it. Stand firm and hold your head high.

You have nothing to lose but your chains.

Hi, so the title should explain most of my question, but I guess I'll explain some more details.

I'm a trans woman coming up to 6 months on HRT, and I haven't had a blood test yet (I know, berate me), but I'm trying to get one done now to check my levels and stuff. I've got an appointment with my GP but it isn't for another two months, and we're not even sure if they'd allow me to get a blood test in the first place. So at the moment, I'm looking into other methods, and I'm wondering if there's any way to get a blood test that isn't through my GP.

I know about the home blood tests, but I've read that they're all fingerprick tests, which in my experience are incredibly unreliable (and at one point led doctors to think I would be dead by 15, believe it or not). So really, I'm looking for preferably an at-home test that uses a needle to draw blood. My mother's a registered nurse, so she could easily do it, but as far as I can see they only offer fingerprick tests online.

If anyone has any advice, or alternative solutions, I'd really love to hear about them. Thanks!

I, autistic and not properly out yet, have no clue how supportive my Dad will be once I am out, which sucks because I might need him to be. Here's a brief timeline of his reactions when I've discussed my true identity with him, not his exact words:

"I am transphobic. When I was growing up I faced challenges because of my sexuality, gender dysphoria doesn't matter."

"I know a trans woman who's out, you should meet HIM"

"Don't 'trans'."

Helping me get quality hair care, aware that I'm ultimately in it for my gender identity

When a cis female relative cried weaponised tears in front of everyone to make me look bad, said to me in private: "You will continue to risk upsetting women for the rest of your life because you're a man and 'transing' won't change that"

"You should focus on getting your social life in line (I do severely struggle socially), 'transing' might only make it a lot worse"

"Oh I see, so you want to get your social life in line, then properly come out as a trans woman, and going to the lesbian bar in London can wait until you've found your feet. Nice to know you no longer want to run before you can walk."

"No I don't want you to go to sapphic speed dating in Cardiff, I want you to go to straight speed dating because you're a straight man. Yeah, you're a handsome man, you're great as you are, and you should celebrate that. Oh, and what if when you go to the lesbian bar in London, people there are all shady with you and you get kicked out?"

He's still more accepting of my identity than my other family members, including my younger sibling, and he wants me to succeed in life. I need at least one of them to come around to my true identity, and all of them to come around before too long. This is because I'm a living at home student and still not ready to move out, so they're stuck with me for a while no matter my identity.

Oh, and once uni ends and I do move out, there's no way I'm staying in my hometown. It remains almost impossible to make friends close to my age who live here, I've already settled on a bigger and more progressive place to go.

But in the meantime, how can I warm my family up to accept me, or at least convince my Dad to stand up to the others if they attack my identity?

This is totally shit from Wes Streeting (to be expected by now!)

To turn my rage into action, I've used this article - along with previous expose's about the Bayswater Support Group being an anti-trans conversion therapy group - to write a briefing note for MPs

1. So that they're aware that BSG is a total fraud and and is just a cover for a 'gender critical' conversion therapy group of transphobic parents
2. To ask MPs to listen to trans kids (Trans Kids Deserve Better) rather than bigoted parents who are trying to find an excuse to not feel shit about the harm they inflict on their own kids.

NB: I use ChatGPT and prompt it to write a briefing note for my MP - as it removes the emotional labour needed when we're dealing with so many bad news stories / need for active responses. I know AI is not the best in other areas, but it can really help in this sort of context.

Revealed: Streeting met with and expressed sympathy for pro-conversion therapy parents group Bayswater

Hello, I'm trying to find more trans people and groups near me (not to give my location out, but in the Bristol area) how could I start finding people?

Yesterday, 31/1, I had my 1 week post-op wound check for my top surgery. When all dressing was removed and before the compression vest came on, I got to see myself in the mirror. I teared up. For the first time since puberty (so about 25 years), I could look at myself. I didn't feel uncomfortable. I didn't feel irked. It looked like it was me there in the mirror. Yes, a little bruised and puffy (but so much less than I thought) and two slices of pepperoni on top (nurse said my nipples looked very good though), but it was me. It is me.

Haha I'm crying now. I'm alive at home, so crying is ok, I guess. I have been fighting for this for a decade, so I guess tears is understandable.

But yeah, wanted to share since it feels like there's so much bad stuff happening in the world, so a little bit of happiness is always good.

In almost all of them, the vast majority of other people in them are trans women (which is obviously not an issue)... but they all chat amongst themselves and don't really engage with the trans guys or non binary people there. So one by one, they feel left out and stop engaging or straight up leave, and you end up being basically the only one there, getting repeatedly ignored. :(

Sucks too because the group's greeted with things like "hey ladies! morning girlies!" etc. and they'll talk about how ugly masculine features are and how T is an evil poison and you just have to sit there, knowing they're allowed to think those things but also the very things they demonise are the things saving your life.

I have such mixed feelings like... it's not surprising, ofc they relate to eachother far more than they relate to us but it's frustrating feeling so left out. I've legit had times where I wish I was a trans woman myself just so I could join in with what they chat about.

I literally felt less lonely when I was by myself. :(

Posting on an alt acc because I really don't wanna incite any drama, just wanting to vent. Also this post isn't an invitation to be transmisogynistic so kindly don't. <3

Hi again!

After my disaster with HSGC, I did some digging and found that Dr Lorimer has been recommended by many nonbinary people seeking a more subtle transition like I am. Unfortunately, he is exceptionally busy - I've seen people speak about wait times that last over a year, and I went private to avoid that. As good as he seems to be, I just can't face waiting that long.

People on lower doses, I'd love to hear from you and who else you'd recommend. I'm looking for a mixed presentation, ideally, and that seems to trip up a lot of providers. I don't want to "pass", I want to feel comfortable and confident in my body. This is another thing that I've found people struggle to understand.

Within GenderCare or with other providers, I'm not picky, although I'll probably pick a cheaper option.

Hi,

I framed a couple of posts badly recently, so I want to state I am looking for genuine advice.

I was initially lucky in that 90% of my people stood by me when I came out.

But since I had lower surgery, some of those rocks walked away, without much explanation.

Is it people's experience that friends can be absolute rocks, but then walk away just because they cannot cope with the afterwards of the surgery that they always understood you needed and that makes you feel whole.

I am feeling slightly gaslit by some of the total support from some friends evaporating into literally nothing.

Thank you if you have any thoughts or advice.

I was referred to GIDS back in 2017/18 and eventually had my first appointment with them sometime in 2023. I was almost 17 when I first saw them.

I had a good few appointments with them before I aged out and was referred to the GIC. In my last appointment with them, they assured me that I would be "fast-tracked" since I had already been referred to, and had appointments with GIDS. I was a bit skeptical of that, but there wasn't much I could do about it except hope it was true.

I know it's only been a year, but the only communication I've had from the GIC was the text message survey asking whether I still required their services. I still don't expect to get an appointment for a long while yet, but I wondered if anyone had any insight into whether or not what they told me was correct, and the sort of wait time I'm looking at here?

(Tavistock GIC)

One of the changes that I just noticed is that my smile and how I react to things are way different looking at old videos 5 years ago. And the second thing I noticed which I think it's weird is that my family and friends perceive me a lot more different even in conversation, I perceive them different as well I don't know why but have you had that experience. . I got into it with my brother like always arguing back and forth but now it hits me different . Feel like he has more of an advantage over me everytime . I dont know why if it's just words. . We are you while we work and when we are taking a family trip over anything n i feel like I'm not as persistent . But it's not him that happens with everybody I don't have that dominance I guess standing my ground

I’m planning to travel in a few months and I’m having a dilemma with my passport.

I’m non binary and trans masc, have been on T for 6 years and a few years ago had my passport changed to male. At the time my presentation was more masculine and I thought it made sense, but now my style has changed and I look more feminine and I don’t pass as male at all. I have been questioned a couple times when providing my passport for ID checks due to not looking like my gender marker, and I don’t really care what letter is on my ID as both M and F aren’t accurate, but I’ve wondering if I should get my passport changed back to female as I now pretty much exclusively get perceived as a woman.

I’m planning to visit Iceland and Finland, nowhere particularly unsafe for trans people. I don’t really want to shell out £80 for a new passport but if it might cause issues when I travel then I will.

I hope this is ok, I just wanted to say a big thank you to this community xxx

I didn't know what to expect when I asked about being too old last night, but I was happily overwhelmed.

For the first time in as long as I can remember I went to bed emotional, happy and a little tearful (in a good way).

I hope all the people who took the time to chat/message know how amazing you all are.

I know my path has only just started but I finally know I'm not alone xxx

I hope to get to know you and more fantastic people over the years to come

Thank you again xx

I know politics is volatile and things could move against us quickly but do you think Starmer's government is reasonably unconcerned with going after trans people and that we could be safe at least until a prime minister Farage comes along?

The tories didn't introduce the Cass Review or Bell v. Tavistock, so I suppose it's possible the climax could come before then.

Is Starmer guaranteed to lose the next election to Farage?

Hello,

I am preparing to change my name on my driving license but not my bank account yet, due to relying on my unsupportive parents for financial support and wanting to tell them I'm changing my name legally a bit later than now. However, I'm wondering if there are any legal issues with this? The deed poll includes statements implying that I have to immediately stop using my old name in documentation and such which is naturally worrying me about this, despite hearing it is fine as long as it is not for fraudulent purposes. I'm not planning to keep my old name on my bank account for long, just for a few months or so.

(As a related question, I assume transactions made to an account must have the correct name, meaning I must inform anyone who is transferring money into my account?)

I would spend time looking for the answers myself but must go to bed and plan to sort my documents out in the morning. Thanks in advance for any advice!