Advise on Transition?

[Sephina]

Hey everyone, I have been trying to be very honest with myself and this last year since i came out ive finally come to the decision that i want to transition, i have known i wanted to since the 1st day i finally realized what was going on in my life, but to to complications. Largest part of which was not knowing where to begin as i have pretty much been quietly trying to figure my own way through this as up until recently i had little if any support or communication with the LGBT community or the Trans community i have finally decided to get online and it has been wonderful everyone especially here has been kind and gracious enough to impart wisdom and criticism. Anyways i guess i still really dont know where to start but i have started seeing a Gender Therapist my question is should i start hair removal or do i wait a while any advise would certainly help and be MOST appreciated thanks all.

Love,
Sephina

[stefan37]

It is good that you are seeing a therapist to help sort things out. Facial hair removal can go a lone ways to helping you feel better about yourself. It is expensive, tedious and takes way longer than you can imagine. If your beard is black you can investigate laser which will cut your time and expense down considerably, then follow up with electrolysis to finish. The other thing you can do is start training your voice. Online help is abundant for the fundamentals and for the most part voice training is free. While you are seeing your therapist, taking action on those 2 fronts will go a long way to determining your comfort level and where you might like to head.

[Stephanie-L]

Ok, you have started out on the right foot, seeing a therapist is the best thing you can do. If you are feeling pretty confident about your decision, yes, go start hair removal. There are multiple threads here that discuss the pros and cons of various methods, as well as the time and cost expected. One sure thing, it will take much longer and cost a lot more than you think it will. As for hormones, get a few months of therapy sessions in before you worry about that. Hormones, given enough time, will produce irreversible changes, but they also can make a huge difference in your emotional well being. Working with an experienced therapist, you can determine if and when they are right for you. The suggestion about voice work is also good. This is something that not only is reversible if you decide not to transition, but it helps with your voice and speaking in general, so you get benefit even if you don't transition. Just remember, transition is not a sprint, or even a marathon, it is like running all day, every day, for the rest of your life. Eventually you can slow down, but it always continues. Much luck to you...........Stephanie