Hormone therapy: Difference between revisions

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'''Femme''' is a term that refers to a queer person whose [[gender expression]] is considered to be feminine. It was originally used to distinguish feminine lesbian and bisexual women from [[butch]] women, and it is still one of the main uses of the term. It's common for trans and non-binary individuals to use the term to refer to their identity or expression even if they do not identify as lesbian or bisexual women.<ref name="bustler">[https://www.bustle.com/articles/166081-what-does-femme-mean-the-difference-between-being-femme-being-feminine What Does Femme Mean? The Difference Between Being Femme & Being Feminine] on Bustler (bustler.com)</ref> However, this last usage is a bit controversial.<ref name=":0">[http://lesbiansovereverything.com/on-the-appropriation-of-femme/ On the appropriation of femme] on Lesbians over everything (lesbiansovereverything.com)</ref>
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'''Hormone therapy''' involves blocking the body's sex hormones and/or replacing or supplementing these with a different sex hormone or set of sex hormones. Sex hormones include estrogen (aka oestrogen), progesterone and testosterone. Blockers include antigonadotropins such as danazol.


== Difference between ''femme'' and ''feminine'' ==
Many [[nonbinary]], [[genderqueer]] or gender variant people opt not to undergo hormone therapy, or to follow a full hormone therapy regime equivalent to binary transition. However these are not the only options.
The word ''femme'' can only be used to describe people in the LGBTQ+ spectrum. That means that [[cisgender]] straight women should not use the term to describe themselves, as it would be considered appropriation.<ref group="note">Note that, in French, ''femme'' means ''woman.''This articles is about the English usage of this word.</ref> Because there are many stereotypes surrounding femininity, the term ''femme'' is often used to subvert cultural expectations about how a woman should look like. For this reason, many (but not all) people that identify as ''femme'' do not try to adhere to these stereotypes.<ref name="bustler" /> This is similar to how the word ''queer'' was reclaimed by the LGBTQ community.


== Usage within the nonbinary community ==
Some people take a low dose of their desired sex hormone, possibly combined with a hormone blocker. This may be intended to allow them experience changes very gradually or may be intended as a 'maintenance dose' designed to be the minimum required to maintain the strength of bones, hair and nails.
Although originally the term ''femme'' was used to describe women only, its usage has been expanded to the nonbinary community. It is rarely used as a standalone identity, as it normally describes nonbinary people that have a feminine gender expression. This might lead to difficulties for the femme-identifying individual caused by the false assumption that all nonbinary people have an [[Androgyny|androgynous]] expression.<ref>[http://meloukhia.net/2015/04/beyond_the_binary_yes_nonbinary_femmes_exist/ Beyond the binary: Yes, nonbinary femmes exist] on ''this ain't livin''' (meloukhia.net)</ref>


=== Controversy ===
Each sex hormone has both permanent and reversible effects. Some people opt to take hormones until permanent effects (such as voice deepening or the growth of breast tissue or facial hair) are achieved and then stop so other nonpermanent effects are reversed. Some may combine this with [[hair removal]] or [[surgery]] to also remove some of the permanent effects, perhaps to achieve a more [[androgyny|androgynous]] or [[gender neutral]] appearance, or to reduce [[gender dysphoria]].
The usage of this term by people who do not identify as women is a bit controversial. Some people claim that in the same way that nobody uses the words ''bear'' or ''twink'' unless they are gay men, nobody should use words such as ''femme'' or ''butch'' unless they are women. Therefore, they consider it appropriation.<ref name=":0" />


==References==
Some people opt not to combine hormone therapy with the equivalent binary social transition, or to socially transition in order to access hormone therapy from [[gatekeeper|medical gatekeepers]], then later 'de-transition' or 're-transition' to their preferred social role or presentation. This may also occur as an unplanned consequence of following whichever aspects of [[transition]] best minimize both social and physical [[gender dysphoria]].
<references/>


== Notes ==
== Transfeminine hormone therapy ==
<references group="note" />
Regular male-to-female hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has the goal of reducing testosterone and increasing estrogens until the level of an average AFAB body is reached. This is done through the administration of estrogens, which also reduce testosterone, allowing for physical feminisation, and sometimes with antiandrogens or progestrogens, which decrease testosterone in case the estrogen therapy wasn't enough on its own. Medications like estradiol in their full doses cause full feminisation (including breast development), and some nonbinary people might not mind these changes. This article, however, will deal with transfeminine transition where a fully feminine development is not desired.
 
=== Testosterone deprivation ===
One way of achieving an androgynous look through HRT is by depriving the body of testosterone. There are several ways to do so, which will be listed in this section. Keep in mind that this has health risks and you shouldn't do it without first talking to a professional.
 
* Progestogens: a high dose of progestogens will decrease testosterone levels by a 70% to 80%, which is a significant decrease (albeit not in the average female range).
* Surgical castration: gonadectomy is the surgical removal of the gonads (primary reproductive organs). This process, however, is not reversible and results in the permanent loss of the testes and sterility.
* Low doses: a lower dose of some HRT medications will result in partial demasculinisation.
 
==== Risks of testosterone deprivation ====
Testosterone deprivation is not recommended by itself, because it will result in estrogen deficiency (because estradiol is produced from testosterone). Estrogens are necessary for both male and female bodies, and a deficiency of this hormone will eventually develop osteoporosis, as well as hot flashes, mood and sleep issues, sexual dysfunction, and accelerated skin ageing. The risk of weight gain, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and dementia is also increased. There are some ways to avoid these risks:
 
* Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) will reduce bone density loss and osteoporosis risk.
* A low-dose estrogen supplement is much safer than SERMs, but the dose required to avoid bone density loss is enough to cause full feminisation.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Hadji|first=P.|last2=Colli|first2=E.|last3=Regidor|first3=P.-A.|date=December 2019|title=Bone health in estrogen-free contraception|url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s00198-019-05103-6|journal=Osteoporosis International|language=en|volume=30|issue=12|pages=2391–2400|doi=10.1007/s00198-019-05103-6|issn=0937-941X}}</ref>
 
== Transmasculine hormone therapy ==
 
==See also==
*[[Transition]]
*[[Nonbinary healthcare (UK)]]
 
== References ==
<references />
 
==External links==
*[https://www.reddit.com/r/MtFHRT/comments/ccoypf/hormone_therapy_for_transfeminine_nonbinary/ Hormone Therapy for Transfeminine Non-Binary Individuals and Femboys 101 - r/MtFHRT - Reddit]
*[http://askanonbinary.tumblr.com/post/3958550933/is-there-a-hormone-therapy-other-than-mtf-and-ftm Ask A Nonbinary on nonbinary hormone therapies]
*[http://candiussellcorner.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/testosterone-for-androgyns3rd-gendernon.html Candiussell Corner on Testosterone for androgyns/3rd gender/non-binary folk]
*[http://genderqueerid.com/post/21766897498/are-there-any-descriptions-on-websites-of-exactly-what Genderqueer Identities on estrogen blockers]
*[http://neutrois.me/tag/testosterone/ Neutrois Nonsense posts on Low Dose Testosterone]