Interesting Question

[lizbendalin]

I spent most of yesterday at a local high school speaking to the psychology classes about being transgender. It was the 6th time in 3 years I've been to the school. It's an incredible thing to be asked to return year after year. But, I digress

While answering questions, one of the students asked whether I thought hormones (testosterone/ estrogen) had an effect on sexual orientation. I responded that I've seen many individuals who never felt anything toward a specific sex feel a change after beginning hormone therapy, and that based on that hormones must have some sort of an effect on orientation. I did say that it was possible that hormones helped in bringing down barriers that societal pressure had imposed on us, and perhaps didn't truly change orientation, just opened us up to something that had been being denied. But, now I'm beginning to second-guess my answer.

I'd like to hear what y'all have to say. Especially those who are on hormones. Have you noticed a change in who you are attracted to?

[Pythos]

I do not have much to say about the hormone, however I will say that I think it is truly epic and awesome that a highschool is allowing you to speak. That is really a good sign.

Now, I know of two trans sexual people personally and neither became interested in men before during or after transistion. So I have no supporting evidence that hormones affect orientation.

I think in many ways, hormones are used by too many as an excuse for certain behavior, some of it being lousy. (I am not talking about being attracted to a specific sex though. If confused, just think of some bad behaviors that get blamed on hormones.)

[Fractured]

I don't think hormones would be responsible for sexual attraction. There is a sufficiently large population of gays and lesbians that are not TS/IS to provide an argument saying that there is something innate in the individual that determines their sexual proclivity. I'm taking testosterone to supplement my own limited personally produced supply and find there is no change in my orientation between lower doses and higher doses. Granted I have done no research in the medical journals, which is where I would look next to find out if there is a link between the two.

[Julogden]

I lean toward hormones bringing the barriers down to some degree, but I can't point to any research that proves that. That's just based on what I've experienced and experiences of friends. I've been on and off hormones since I was 26 and I'm now 59. I can't say that I've seen a lot of change in who I'm attracted to myself, but there has been a little, can't really say that it's definitely due to the hormones though. I've worked hard at accepting myself, and any changes in attitude that I've experienced could be due to that.

It's great that you're doing outreach! Thanks for being an ambassador for us, Liz!

Carol

[kimdl93]

Amazing Liz, and in Cedar Falls, IA. I guess the rest of the country still hasn't caught up to Iowa!

To the question, I wouldn't expect HRT to influence sexual preference. But I too would like to hear from those who have been on HRT to see if they think it had any impact.

[Cynthia Anne]

Now, if we could get you in every high school in the U.S.! i was on hormones for quite a long time and I say I see no changes in sexual attraction at all!

[PortiaHoney]

I will buck the trend here.

Now, it could be argued that hormones and gender transition have broken down the barriers to let me express latent homosexual feelings that I may have felt prior to my transition.

BUT. I had a passing interest in men prior to transition and HRT and had felt some attraction to "some" men in my life. However, I was predominantly attracted to females.

Since transition and HRT, the tables have turned for me. Women hold a passing interest (I might add non sexual) for me, but my attraction is exclusively towards males. Not all, but I find my attention is raised by a lot of the usual markers reserved for female interest.

So, it could be argued that I now have "permission" to express a side of myself that I was too suppressed by society to show (there are a few members here and elsewhere I have in mind at this point) OR my attraction to a particular gender has changed BECAUSE of HRT and lifestyle changes.

I actually don't care as to the why! I know my preferences have changed.

[Fractured]

I will buck the trend here.

Now, it could be argued that hormones and gender transition have broken down the barriers to let me express latent homosexual feelings that I may have felt prior to my transition.

BUT. I had a passing interest in men prior to transition and HRT and had felt some attraction to "some" men in my life. However, I was predominantly attracted to females.

Since transition and HRT, the tables have turned for me. Women hold a passing interest (I might add non sexual) for me, but my attraction is exclusively towards males. Not all, but I find my attention is raised by a lot of the usual markers reserved for female interest.

So, it could be argued that I now have "permission" to express a side of myself that I was too suppressed by society to show (there are a few members here and elsewhere I have in mind at this point) OR my attraction to a particular gender has changed BECAUSE of HRT and lifestyle changes.

I actually don't care as to the why! I know my preferences have changed.

This reminds me of a show I watched a few years ago on eitehr Discovery Health or the Learning Channel or something along those lines. The show was about transgenders and one of the people interviewed was a FtM who was originally attracted to girls but after the transition found himself attracted to men. (I tried looking up the show or its details online but was unable to do so.) As with everything, there is always an exception to the rule. :)

[gracee]

I spent most of yesterday at a local high school speaking to the psychology classes about being transgender. It was the 6th time in 3 years I've been to the school. It's an incredible thing to be asked to return year after year. But, I digress.

Not really! But one must wonder, if you're walking around in the schools as a girl (a very pretty one too), have you told your family? Have you appeared like that at work? I mean, schools! it's so bold.


Have you noticed a change in who you are attracted to?

Personally I've gone through many changes in whom I'm attracted to. ;-) But not in the manner you mention, nor have I ever done hormones. My only friend who's gone all the way, however, did do the HRT and reported after maybe three or four years that (s)he had changed from a raging heterosexual into a... raging heterosexual. Only his time, of course, the object of desire was men. She met a good one, actually got married and has been enjoying connubial bliss ever since.

[docrobbysherry]

I will buck the trend here.

Now, it could be argued that hormones and gender transition have broken down the barriers to let me express latent homosexual feelings that I may have felt prior to my transition.

BUT. I had a passing interest in men prior to transition and HRT and had felt some attraction to "some" men in my life. However, I was predominantly attracted to females.

Since transition and HRT, the tables have turned for me. Women hold a passing interest (I might add non sexual) for me, but my attraction is exclusively towards males. Not all, but I find my attention is raised by a lot of the usual markers reserved for female interest.

So, it could be argued that I now have "permission" to express a side of myself that I was too suppressed by society to show (there are a few members here and elsewhere I have in mind at this point) OR my attraction to a particular gender has changed BECAUSE of HRT and lifestyle changes.

I actually don't care as to the why! I know my preferences have changed.

It is my PERSONAL theory that folks who MAY be a bit on the bi fence, MAY be pushed off it one way or the other with hormones.
But, it's based solely on my OWN experience of attraction and wondering if I was gay when I began to dress!

Ergo: If you're NOT on the fence, u can't be pushed off!

[Pink Person]

There is no one size fits all answer for everyone, but the general answer is that sex hormone exposure has profound effects on all of us. The primary effects occur before birth during fetal development. After we are born internal and environmental exposure to sex hormones continue to effect us in significant ways. You don’t have to be taking any hormone supplements to be on hormones. All of our bodies produce them in various quantities and qualities, and all of our bodies react to them in different measures.

Anyone who thinks their formal and functional sex, gender, and sexual characteristics are not governed directly or indirectly by their specific historical exposure to sex hormones is mistaken. In addition, sufficient variations in exposure at any stage of life can cause major changes in our identities. Ask any man, woman, fish, or fowl that is hyper-exposed to synthetic hormones if it changes them. The answer is self-evident to any observer, although people deny it more than chickens and salmon.

[lizbendalin]

Thanks to everyone who has responded. I'm still not sure there is an answer to the question of hormones and orientation. But I welcome your answers, thoughts and input.

[PortiaHoney]

Thanks to everyone who has responded. I'm still not sure there is an answer to the question of hormones and orientation. But I welcome your answers, thoughts and input.

It seems you want a definitive answer. Sorry, there isn't one. We are all individuals and these things affect everyone differently. Even the experts can't agree.

[lizbendalin]

It seems you want a definitive answer. Sorry, there isn't one. We are all individuals and these things affect everyone differently. Even the experts can't agree.

No, not looking for a single answer, and aware there probably isn't one answer. Just wanted to see the opinion of others.

[Babeba]

Anyone who thinks their formal and functional sex, gender, and sexual characteristics are not governed directly or indirectly by their specific historical exposure to sex hormones is mistaken. In addition, sufficient variations in exposure at any stage of life can cause major changes in our identities. Ask any man, woman, fish, or fowl that is hyper-exposed to synthetic hormones if it changes them. The answer is self-evident to any observer, although people deny it more than chickens and salmon.

I noticed changes in myself when I went on hormonal birth control - even months after no longer using that method, I am still affected by these changes. I'm a lot easier to provoke into tears now than I was before, for instance. It also affected my libido. If I can be a female taking female hormones and notice a change in my sexuality, I can easily understand the influences on a genetically male body taking them as well.

[Barbara Dugan]

I was on Testosterone for about a year, I think that Hormones play a very important role on gender and orientation on my case it increased my libido but didnt changed my orientation actually reinforced it

[lizbendalin]

It seems to me that, as with most things, there is not an easy answer to this question.

It does appear though that hormones do seem to have some effect on some people's orientation, or at the very least the self-acceptance of their orientation. Everyone knows that hormones do more than just affect the body, they also affect the brain. I'm wondering if for those that found their preferences for partners shifting from one team to another, or expanding to include another team, think that the hormones truly changed their preferences, or helped to open them up to a reality they may have been closed to? This may explain why some have experienced no change.

Just wondering.