#trans puberty

[mxactivist]

[URGENT] UK NHS consultation on puberty blockers

VERY SHORT DEADLINE! (Wednesday 1st November 2023)

The UK's National Health Service (NHS) are about to ban puberty blockers for all trans adolescents, except for a small group who are eligible and willing to be research subjects.

"As part of this NHS England-led process, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) was commissioned to review the published evidence. Overall, there was no statistically significant difference in gender incongruence, mental health, body image and psychosocial functioning in children and adolescents treated with PSH." -- 6-page introductory PDF to consultation

That's because puberty blockers don't change gender characteristics by definition, you absolute donuts.

They're carrying out a consultation on this because they have to, and there's only two days left. If you are in the UK and you are a young trans person or know any young trans people, please check out this consultation.

Need help answering the questions? Here's a couple of handy links:

Here's a really helpful article about the consultation and some persuasive arguments you could include in your answers, from What The Trans!

Abigail Thorn outlines some excellent points on Trans Writes.

Mermaids, a UK charity supporting trans kids and their families, has a guide for responding to the consultation, too.

Here's the first question, to help you work out if you're in the target group:

In "other", you could put anything like "friend of a trans adolescent", "family member of a trans child", etc. If you're a trans adult who was on blockers or who would have been on blockers if waiting lists had been shorter or family/doctors had been more supportive etc, choose "patient".

Click here to participate.

Deadline: Wednesday 1st November 2023.

[seraficpinions]

voice cracks give me so much euphoria

[prof-grace-aspen]

I saw your reply about puberty and cystic acne and I hope you don't mind me asking - I had awful acne and still do from my e-dominant puberty (paired with dermatillomania for a double whammy), and you mentioning you didn't have that on T-dominant puberty made me curious. What was the actual acne situation like? Did you find skincare got easier for you?

Hi!

So, my acne was entirely on my face when I was a teen and in my 20's. It finally went away by itself when I was 28. I was still presenting as a woman at the time, and I went through a bit of a second puberty at that age, which is normal - many people find their hormones shift a second time. I gained some weight, and my hips, butt, and breasts grew a second time. I "filled out", so to speak. And that hormonal change completely erased my acne. I would get the rare pimple on my face but that was it.

I'm 38 now and I'm on T. I have some acne again, but it's almost completely on my torso. I get the occasional one on my face but they're easy to deal with. The ones on my torso are mostly on my sides and somewhat on my mid-back. I have some CeraVe acne lotion I use and that seems to help when I need it, but for the most part I leave it alone. It's not on my face so it doesn't bother me!

[trapped-moose]

Found this in a puberty booklet while cleaning and as a someone who has not been ‘growing into a woman’, I can say that this was a fucking lie.

Edit because I forgot (sorry): [image description: a photo of a small section of a paragraph in a booklet. Red text in capital letters that reads ‘YOU’RE A GROWING GIRL.’, followed by dark blue text that reads ‘Growing independent, growing strong, and growing into a woman. Puberty isn’t’ with the word puberty in bold. The text forms 3 lines overall. End of image description] (sorry if that was bad, I’ve never done one before)

[lovetobeblondie]

I sorta feel good about my acne on my jawline/cheeks cause it makes me feel pretty masculine and feel cool about going through puberty with this. I usually don't feel good about my acne and hate all the bumps scattered all over my face/body, but right now I'm kinda cool with it.

[trannts]

Hey mom

Did you know I thought I had breast cancer when my chest started growing once I hit puberty? Did you know I would have rather died than talked to you about it?

[aura218]

this too will pass

Are you an FTM on hormones and feel like you stink all the time? Is it bad? Are you taking extra measures like changing several times a day and multiple daily showers? In the winter?

My friend. You do not have to live like this. Step one is to see a doctor, ie a dermatologist and your endo. Make sure there isn't an underlying issue and ask for prescription strength deodorant. I knew some kids (any gender) in high school who used it bc puberty just smacked them upside the head with the stinky stick.

Anotehr thing is to consider manscaping your hairy parts, particularly your smelliest crevices (pits and dick area).

If you don't want to be smooth as an Egyptian pharaoh, get a beard trimmer with clip heads and try it on 2 or 3, whatever feels comfortable. Use hair conditioner for shave lube on the nethers-parts (doller store VO5 or suave is fine for shaving, don't use your spensive stuff). Also, apply a gentle, scent-free moisturizer after your shave or clip, like Jergans or Eucerin.

And finally: Have faith that this will pass. You are going through second puberty, it will get better. Put an extra shirt in your car/bag and a ziplock for the dirty one and try not to stress too much. You're more aware of it than anyone else.

[companionnpc]

She meant the bloom of a flower unfurling, but it made me think of mould creeping over old bread

-- Ally Wilkes, All The White Spaces