What does "presenting as a woman" mean

[Swottie]

My understanding of the international standard of care for prescribing hormones for the purpose of transitioning is the patient must already be presenting as the chosen gender in everyday life.

So for a MTF, surely that doesn't have to mean presenting in stereotypical feminine styles does it? As in skirts and dreses. That to me would be a bit sexist, as cis woman can be seen in any number of styles.

The idea of forcing a patient to dress in women's clothes before their external body is ready is a form of torture, not care. More like feeding you to the lions (general society). I know it's to make sure people are genuine about wanting to transition, but it's a huge obstacle and unnecessary stress for many who just cannot pass yet.

[Teresa]

Swottie,
Perhaps you should have asked this in the TS section . It is the recognised route under the NHS in the UK as far as I'm aware . I guess the point is going full time means just that , if you dodge that requirement it may suggest you're not ready to take further steps. I'm not totally full time and believe me it is hard , there are many issues to deal with , it's not a simple process . Dressing full time gives you chance to become totally comfortable with presenting female , that could also mean any remaining family , people who try and transition alone often fail , you need mental strength as well as physical and often the mental side can't always sustain the effort . You only have to look at the suicide figures to prove that point .

I wonder if your question was correct in the first place with suggesting persevering because that's what you have to do to present full time . To answer your amended question I can't honestly asnwer that at this time but I could if I had time to ask the TSs in my social group . To give my personal experience , it does become easier , some people in my town only know me as Teresa , I went to donate blood, I saw my new GP . My estate agent and letting agent only know me dressed , many of the retail outlets are the same . Naturally we get to choose our clothes , I've found doing everyday is harder than I expected , no it doesn't mean lashings of makeup and frilly, flouncy dresses , we're talking about serious TGs/TSs who need to move on . At one time I never dreamed I would wear trousers again, I'd had enough of them in male mode but it's what other GGs do for practical reasons , I actually found them more pleasant than I thought to wear , of couse you can add femme details .

The bottom line is if GD is severe the clothes aren't the important factor it's what the body looks like underneath , most may want to dress to look feminine to show the World how you feel inside . Lets not forget if you don't have it written on your forehead or go around telling people , from looks alone the public don't know where you are on that transition road , they don't even think what anatomy lies beneath and most don't care . So the obvious thing to do is dress as a woman to show you are one , it's probably not sexist as more common sense . If you have thought of transition then you need to know you can remain and integrate into the community . At the end of it many still need to live their life , they need to be accepted to earn a living , they may still have the responsibilty of supporting a family . It's no picnic for these people , it's a real and sustained conviction , the passing question isn't in their vocabulary they have to work that one out afterwards .

A CDer can experince stress but only if they fear being caught , the stress involved in transition is on a different level , the final step is for life , no going back . To dress full time as a first step is small fry compared with the final chapter . The medical profession have to have some safeguards , they want to believe there is total conviction before the NHS foots the bill and the waiting list is getting longer .

[grace7777]

The standards I think you are referring to are from WPATH(World Professional Association for Transgender Health. WPATH does call for Real Life Experience(RLE) to prescribe hormones for transitioning. You also need to have a letter from a therapist.

In my case when I started hormones I was mostly living as a woman, with the major exception being work. After 8 months on hormones I did start living full time 24/7 as a woman.

Presenting as a woman does not require you to wear skirts and dresses. When I started living as a woman full time, I wore only skirts and dresses for the first 2 months, but that was my choice. Now I wear skirts and dresses 60 to 70 percent of the time.

Taking hormones for transitioning will cause irreversible body changes and also presents health risks.

If you have no RLE then how do you know you will be able to handle transitioning. Transitioning is a very tough road. If you cannot present as a woman now in public for any period of time, I wonder if you will ever be able to handle transitioning. What has to happen before you will be ready to present as a woman?

For me before I started hormones I would spend periods of at least a few consecutive days as a woman 24/7. I figured if I could not do a few days in a row full time, I would not be able to handle transitioning.

In 3 months I will be having SRS, and to be eligible for this you have to be living full time 24/7 as a woman for at least a year.

I wish you the best in whatever path you decide to take.

Grace

[Pat]

Of course any medical community in any country can make their own standards and I don't know what the standards in the UK are based on. If they are based on the WPATH Standards of Care (SOC) then the time spent presenting as the preferred gender is applied to most surgeries, but not prescription of hormones. Here's a quote from the SOC:

The criteria for hormone therapy are as follows:
1. Persistent, well-documented gender dysphoria;
2. Capacity to make a fully informed decision and to consent for treatment;
3. Age of majority in a given country (if younger, follow the Standards of Care outlined in section VI);
4. If significant medical or mental health concerns are present, they must be reasonably well controlled.

[Swottie]

Hi Grace, yes I was referring to the RLE requirement before hormone is prescribed, what you wrote makes perfect sense, but I just can't help wondering, given the prejudices in society, whether RLE is causing unnecessary danger to some patients who would never pass in a million years without some hormonal help. Therefore the requirement creating a catch 22 situation.

[Helen_Highwater]

Swottie,

My understanding of the reasoning to have someone present/live full time is to demonstrate to the clinicians that the patient is serious in their intentions.

Many of us have both no intention of transitioning and don't pass when out. Hopefully we blend well enough! Such is our desire that we're prepared to run that gauntlet. Add to the mix that even post hormones it's possible a residue of maleness will persist then there will be some who will still find it too daunting to live as a GG 24/7.

There was a program on UK TV about a private clinic in London specialising in genger reassignment surgery. One of their clients wouldn't go out dressed pre surgery. Even post surgery, having paid out considerable sums they still couldn't find either the courage or I feel real desire to go out dressed.

Hence the requirement in a system of limited resources, for anyone seeking help to truly demonstate their desire to transition.

You used the word pass several times. How often here have members said that's a holy grail most can't grasp. We can blend and that's what the clinicians expect their potential clients to be comfortable with.

Presenting as a GG is surely a measure of the true level of the genger dysphoria felt by someone who truly believes they were born in the wrong body.

[docrobbysherry]

Swottie, I believe u r confusing apples and oranges. Taking hormones does makes some look physically more fem. But, for many the changes r minimal or hard to notice.

For those that wish to present a female figure, hormones r not necessary at all!

I'm a CD and have no interest in hormones but I enjoy presenting a very female figure. While having zero fem physical characteristics I use prosthetics, shaping devices, and pads to create this figure!
And, so could u or most anyone if u wanted to!

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[Robertacd]

I think part of the reason why is to eliminate the "fetishists" for lack of a better word.

[redtea]

It's not so much about the clothes, It's about making your head look like a woman's so people perceive you as a woman.
Clothing comes down to preference, Some MtF will do cringy looking outfits based on stereotypes because they like the stereotypical female look. Others are fine with casual wear like jeans and a top.

I don't believe it is sexism to think of woman as pretty dress wearers in heels and long hair. It's no different than thinking of men as muscular giants with facial hair.


I agree with Robertacd, It's important for Transgenders to be in it for their feeling of self rather than some fetish trip. It's important to be 100% exposed to what daily life is going to be like before you do anything major.

[Ashley in Virginia]

You can go to planned parenthood and get hormones if you want them. No letter, no therapy, just ask and they will prescribe.

I was on hormones for almost a year before attempting to present in public as female. Things have changed in the last few years. Hormones are cheap and plentiful.

[Aunt Kelly]

...and self medicating, just because you can get a prescription without the proper medical care, is still a bad idea.

[Robertacd]

You can go to planned parenthood and get hormones if you want them. No letter, no therapy, just ask and they will prescribe.

I didn't know that, so I looked it up and you can. But according to the local PP website there is an exam by a doctor and an interview with a specialist.

It also notes at the bottom not to expect to leave with hormones on your first visit.

[Ashley in Virginia]

The interview is just them asking if you know what you are getting into and going over the effects. The interview is not like what you get at a therapist. They go by an informed consent model. My child gets his hormones from them and I've sat in their "interview".