What taking testosterone will change:
- how much body hair you’ll naturally grow (hint: a whole lot more)
- your muscle mass. you’ll gain muscle taking T, especially in the shoulders and you’ll lose body fat in the hips. it’s different to everyone how the body fat is redistributed but taking T is the best time to get in an exercise routine because you’ll gain muscle a lot faster.
- your clit might get bigger within like the first two weeks. get ready for that because I wasn’t
- you could get mood swings when you first start because it’s Puberty: The Sequel
- within 3 months you’ll notice your voice begin to drop
-hunger and hot flashes. Hunger and Hot Flashes
- you may notice that a lot of anxiety is going away! that’s because testosterone (may possibly, this one is just my experience) can help mellow you out, and also some aspects of your dysphoria (high pitched voice, periods) are going away
What taking testosterone WON’T change:
-your aggression. you are not going to turn into some out-of-control rage beast. if you are, then you probably need to talk to your doctor about it. T can give you mood swings because of, like I said, you are going through puberty again, but it’s not going to make you an angry person.
-your personality. i say this all the time, but deciding to transition does not equal deciding to be a brand new person. you are still you! in fact, transition means that you are becoming more you than ever! adding testosterone to your body is just something that you decided you’ve been missing to help you grow into the great person that you are!
-your overall health. of course, there are concerns when taking a new hormone, but if you look at the health risks, it’s mostly risks that cisgender men typically have. Increased heart issues? That’s a cisman thing. And the increased risk for problems in your ovaries/uterus? I mean, yeah, people who naturally produce the levels of testosterone that we are going for usually don’t have ovaries. So that one makes sense, you know?
Moral of the story is we need to stop scaring people who are taking hormones! Yes, it’s a big step and an important decision, but it’s has nothing to do with changing who you are on the inside. In the end, you are still who you are, just with a few different features!
The stereotype that transgender men are sweet, soft boys before T and then afterwards are hairy, aggressive men is problematic and very tiring.
EDIT: Since this has blown up, I want to say that the physical aspects are definitely based off my own experiences and what the given medical pamphlets say. Testosterone affects everyone differently! Each person will have variations and their own specialized journey!
