Hormone Replacement Therapy in Transgendering the FTM Transsexual
Gender may well be the most defining factor in the spectrum of elements that comprise the human persona. In fact gender is so basic to our identity, most people mistakenly assume that our sense of being male or female is defined with absolute certainty by our anatomical sex. Contrary to popular belief, our sense of gender and anatomical sex are two distinct elements; each developing at different times in different parts of the body. While my research is limited to hormone replacement therapy involved in masculinizing a biological female, it should be noted that the psychiatric, psychological, and medical factors that contribute to cases of gender dysforia are major areas of concern in its treatment. The general goal of psychotherapeutic, endocrine, or surgical therapy for persons with gender identity disorders is lasting personal comfort with the gendered self in order to maximize overall psychological well-being and self-fulfillment.
Introductory Concepts
The Syndrome
Transsexualism is a Gender Identity Disorder (GID) in which there is a strong and on-going cross-gender identification (a desire to live and be accepted as a member of the opposite sex). There is a persistent discomfort with his or her anatomical sex and a sense of inappropriateness in the gender role of that sex. There is a wish to have hormonal treatment and surgery to make one's body as congruent as possible with one's psychological sex.
Treatment
The currently accepted and effective model of treatment utilizes hormone therapy and surgical reconstruction and may include counselling and other psychotherapeutic approaches. In all cases, the length and kind of treatment provided w...
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It is now certain that androgen treatment has an unfavorable effect on the lipid profile. It places female-to-male transsexuals in the risk category of men; therefore, patients must be advised not to smoke, to exercise moderately, and to prevent extreme weight gain and high blood pressure. After surgical sex reassignment including ovariectomy, androgen therapy must be continued to prevent symptoms of hormone deprivation and osteoporosis. Discontinuation of cross-sex hormones following surgical adaptation to the desired sex leads to loss of bone mineral density. It is necessary to temporarily discontinue sex steroid administration 3-4 weeks before any elective surgical intervention. Immobilization is a trombogenic risk factor and sex steroids may aggravate the risk of thromboembolism. Once subjects are fully mobilized again, hormone therapy may be reinstated.
...reduction for excessive or out of balance hormones, and new surgeries that are rapidly becoming popular within the male race are face lifts, ear corrections, and penile enlargements (Donohoe, 2006). All procedures pose a high risk, but it seems that the individuals going through such measures could care less as long as they’re bodies and looks are up to standards.
Overviewing our information, there is evidence of ethical wrongs and rights when considering sexual reassignment treatments for minors. Also, there are multiple options to choose from when transitioning and risks and gains that come with each. As we read from Dr. Kaufman and Dr. Beaver, the natural effects of puberty are irreversible while the effects of puberty blockers and hormones are reversible. Then from Dr. McHugh, gender dysphoria belongs in the family of similarly disordered assumptions about the body and should be treated in other ways than blockers, hormones, or
For instance, sociologists would argue that characteristics of the male gender in a given society include independence, and dominance whereas females express more passive behavior. Gender identity, on the other hand is an individual’s sense of their gender or in other words, their sense as to whether they are feminine or masculine. Therefore, transgender is a term related to “people whose gender identity is different from the gender commonly socially assigned to them on the basis of their biological sex” (Morrow & Messinger, 2006, p. 7).“Biological theories assume that gender should be consistent with biological sex and there are only two genders and two sexes” which does not correspond to transgender people. Furthermore, transgender is also used as a general term to include people such as transsexuals and cross-dressers
There has been conflicting research and advice about the safety of hormones with the increase in the aging female population within the last twenty years (National Institute on Aging). Hormone therapy has demonstrated to be the most effective FDA approved medication in the relief of menopausal symptoms, but these benefits must be weighed against serious adverse effects that hormones can cause. Although many women differ in their response to hormone products, MHT has been universally linked to an increased risk of heart disease, heart attack, blood clots, and strokes. Concerns about the findings discovered in the clinical and observation trials performed on MHT, have left some doctors and women hesitant in utilizing MHT to combat menopausal symptoms.
In conclusion, keeping Gender Dysphoria as a diagnosis aids the most vulnerable population in seeking treatment and care, options, protection, and guidance. As society and medicine moves forward, we may be able to steer away from mental health bias and general discrimination towards non-conformity, but for now it is important to protect the patients who are helped by the diagnosis. Gender Dysphoria currently allows patients to be treated under their insurance, have access to care, and fight for their
So what does transgender mean and what is transgender identity disorder? According to the American Psychological Association," transgender" is "umbrella term whose gender identity, gender expression, or behavior does not conform to that typically associated with the sex to which they wer...
At the point when a women’s body quits creating estrogen, it can cause numerous awkward side effects. A few of the transient manifestations include; hot flashes, temperament changes, unpredictable periods, vaginal or urinary tract diseases, urinary incontinence, aggravation of the vagina, rest issue, or diminished sexual want (Cooper). There are likewise long-term manifestations in which a woman may persevere through, for example, an expanded danger of coronary illness and osteoporosis (Hempel, Md.). Even though these indications may appear to be awkward and appear just as they could disturb a women’s social, expert, and individual life there are options that a woman can use to ease these side effects. The one noteworthy choice for woman is Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). HRT can be a positive alternative for women who need to experience this phase of their lives without enduring inconvenience; in any case, HRT can likewise cause some real medical
In addition to the traditional method of in-house service delivery, telepractice has become an alternative means of providing therapeutic services via videoconferencing. Benefits of telepractice include the ability to access more clients that otherwise might not be able to come in for treatment for a variety of reasons, such as location and/or disability. It has been proven to be a cost effective method that also enables clients to receive therapy in their natural environment (Theodoros, 2011). There is research available that affirms that voice therapy is just as successful over telepractice as it is when conducted in a face-to-face setting (Mashima et al., 2003). Although research does not exist regarding the delivery of transgender voice feminization therapy through videoconferencing, the following three articles investigate the areas of voice feminization therapy as well as voice therapy provided through telepractice.
Transsexuals, defined simply is a person who from the very core of there being feels like they are in the wrong orientation and transgenderism is that state of being when one's gender doesn't match those feelings. In the case of transgender children they usually feel like god made a mistake and in some case scenarios boys particularly try to alleviate the situation themsel...
However, an umbrella term, or a word that covers more than one specific topic, such as transgender, does not only describe people who identify as the opposite sex; it also describes people who identify with both male and female genders, people who identify as genderless, or people who fluctuate between two or more genders. Many transgender people often refer to themselves simply as “trans.” Transgender does not define one’s sexual orientation, however; gender is considered a social construct while sexuality is not.
Imagine going through life believing that you were born into the wrong body. This is how a transgender feels as they go through life. A transgender is a person who whose self-identity does not conform unambiguously to male or female sex. This topic is very controversial due to many arguments about the differences between the male and female physique. The natural biological differences between males and a females play a huge role in this controversy.
According to the DSM-5, gender dysphoria is “the distress that may accompany the incongruence between one’s experienced or expressed gender and one’s assigned gender” (American Psychological Association, 2013). Even though studies have shown that not every individual suffers from distress, it is still possible that an individual might suffers from distress due to the hormonal treatment or surgical procedure(s). In the past, gender dysphoria has been referred to as “gender identity”. However, gender identity, by the DSM-IV definition is “a category of social identity and refers to an individual’s identification as male, female, or occasionally, some category other than male or female” (American Psychological Association, 2000). Individuals that identify themselves with another gender tend to change their sex, which has been proven to be a hard and long process.
When it comes to gender identity, one’s perception on which gender they would prefer has a sociological effect on them. The minor details in our environment can have a major effect on a person such as television shows, books, and many other things. What people are unaware of is this spectrum called a gender continuum that can help show the different ways people identify their selves; a gender continuum is an extension of the gender spectrum that includes various types of “genders”. Many people struggle with gender identity and they are thought to have gender dysphoria. Gender dysphoria is deemed as a mental illness in which a person feels distressed at the fact of them not being able to express their inner identity (web m.d.). Many people that suffer with this disorder go searching for a way to “treat” themselves, but there isn’t a treatment for GID. Psychologist often suggest the best way to help you deal with your gender identity struggles is to go have a talk therapy session with a therapist. It takes a conscious mind to deal with gender identification
Clinically speaking, a person who was assigned female at birth but identifies and lives as a man is referred to as a transsexual man, or transman, or female-to-male (FTM); a male-to-female (MTF) person is a transsexual woman or transwoman (Glicksman). Some people drop the transgender label after they have transitioned to their new gender. However, they want to be referred to only as a man or a woman. But what if our gender identity, our sense of being a boy or being a girl, does not match our physical body? From a very early age we will start to feel increasingly uncomfortable. For some this is a mild discomfort, for others it is so traumatic they would rather die than continue to live in the wrong body. Unfortunately as transsexual people are a small minority of the population the condition has been labeled by Psychiatrists as "Gender Identity Disorder". With the transgendered, the disordered assumption is that the
Transgendered individuals face an incredible amount of hardships due to their identity. So what exactly does it mean to be transgendered? According, to Human Rights Campaign transgender is an umbrella term for individuals whose gender identity differs from what was assigned to them at birth it is about their gender identity. Transgender deals with gender identity; being born female or male at birth, but identifying with the opposite gender assigned at birth. The acts of violence against transgender individuals are extreme and hard breaking. People of trans continue to face discrimination and oppression on a daily basis. People of trans are often neglected by society and sometimes even by their own loved ones. Additionally, the suicide rate among the trans community is very high due to bullying and rejection they face.