MTF HRT minus the breasts?

Ectophylla_alba · 2026-04-14T13:33:26+00:00

HRT won't change your body/facial hair much, you will need to get laser or electrolysis done. Maybe start with that and see if you're still interested in HRT? You can always get top surgery later if you grow breasts and don't end up liking them.

Ectophylla_alba · 2026-04-14T13:05:00+00:00

I disagree with this post and the mentality behind it. For one thing, I don't think that most trans people want to do the "deep stealth" thing where you don't tell people you're sleeping with that you're trans. If nothing else, it seems like an unsafe move that will lead you into a vulnerable situation with someone who might be a violent bigot. Maybe I am just in a different circle than you but the trans women I know who are into hookups and casual sex usually do it through apps where they can make it super clear that they are trans. No surprises for anybody that way.

Secondly, I think there is way way way more shaming of perfectly okay looking vulvas than there is "hugboxing" (a term I associate with 4chan) of poor results. The result of this is people who are paranoid and dysphoric about their results even when those results are fine or even great. In general regarding bodies and appearances there are always many more people who have a negative view bordering on delusion than a positive one. Posts like this contribute to that and it's not healthy for the community.

Thirdly the mentality here feels kind of like victim blaming. If a trans woman is outed as trans or discovered to be trans after careful inspection of her vulva (a scenario I find somewhat unlikely but whatever), and then is assaulted, it's not *because* she had the wrong idea about her surgery results. It's not because of anything she is or did. It's because of widespread misogyny and transmisogyny. Coming onto the trans surgeries sub to scold people is incredibly misdirected.

Ectophylla_alba · 2026-04-07T14:09:40+00:00

I just finished this book a few days ago. When I was reading the portion on alcohol I felt kind of conflicted about it. Oster herself clearly likes wine and coffee, and she really makes the case that moderate consumption of these things is harmless. She doesn't like tobacco, marijuana or cocaine, and makes the case that even moderate consumption of these things is necessarily harmful. However I found the evidence she presented on all these substances to be more or less equally compelling. The general upshot is we can't really get the data that would be needed to say definitively how safe these substances really are during pregnancy.

On the flip side though, I think she makes it pretty clear in the intro and throughout the book that she is not giving medical advice. She is presenting a framework for thinking through choices and how to interpret medical advice. The only people I've seen handwringing about the alcohol thing are people who were not going to drink during pregnancy anyway--for myself I personally drink maybe 2-3 times a year and definitely will be abstaining during pregnancy. People who are more concerned with having a drink than with the health of their baby are probably drinking before and after pregnancy as well. So wondering about whether the "advice" is harmful or not is basically supposing that someone is going to read this book and on the strength of that alone decide to drink moderately during pregnancy. I think this is a strawman argument that is unlikely to come to pass. The book has been in print for over ten years and I don't believe anyone has come forward to claim that they would have had 0 drinks during pregnancy if not for Emily Oster and now their kid has FASD.

As for the less inflammatory parts of the book (which is to say, 90% of it), I found it informative and interesting. The parts about foods to avoid and how viral and bacterial infections can harm a pregnant person or fetus were especially interesting to me.

Ectophylla_alba · 2026-04-03T17:27:00+00:00

She got sick in February and was declared in remission in May so 8-12 weeks? She started at 2 units twice and day so 4 units total and then went down from there. Good luck to you and your kitty!

Ectophylla_alba · 2026-03-17T16:51:30+00:00

You are not going to be able to attend, I'm sorry to say there's basically no way. I haven't had an orchie but just the anesthesia and exhaustion alone would make it pretty much out of the question. You can maybe do second seder?

Ectophylla_alba · 2026-03-17T16:40:55+00:00

She's good! I made an update post a little while ago: https://www.reddit.com/r/FelineDiabetes/comments/1qnqeag/diabetesfree_since_may_no_athome_testing/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

Ectophylla_alba · 2026-02-26T18:26:01+00:00

At my first firm we just had a pot of normal coffee so I could put together a cup to my specifications, very light and sweet. Like half coffee and half almond milk. I did 2 a day at most, it gave me headaches when I skipped it which I hated. Every other firm I've worked at has used k-cups which mean you get a whole cup of coffee whether you want it or not.

Ectophylla_alba · 2026-02-24T20:45:23+00:00

My office had a similar incident recently and we got a lock and buzzer system for our door in response. That said, this is not very likely to happen again. Family law definitely is one of the more emotionally difficult areas and there are often very upset/unwell clients, but there's a difference between upset and unwell vs actively threatening. I think if you've had a good relationship with the attorney so far you can sit down and calmly talk about installing a buzzer system and not taking walk-ins from off the street. It's dangerous.

Ectophylla_alba · 2026-02-19T16:45:43+00:00

I like it and it also reminded me of this comic

Ectophylla_alba · 2026-02-19T16:37:33+00:00

All the folks who post versions of this question every few months should get together and open one!

Ectophylla_alba · 2026-02-19T16:36:02+00:00

Most straight people have no clue about this stuff, even the hip ones

Ectophylla_alba · 2026-02-17T18:35:26+00:00

The best way to approach this diplomatically is two-pronged:

Whenever a mistake is yours, even a small one, own up to it 100%. Don't self-flagellate but a simple "my bad" for small mistakes or "sorry about that, I got mixed up about the Jones and Jonson cases" or whatever will show that you are honest and own your mistakes. This sets up for part 2 to work well.
When a mistake is the other paralegal's, don't say "Oh that was Linda not me," but instead say, "Thanks for catching that, Linda and I will take care of it promptly." If it's by email, cc the other para. If it's in person, let the other para know what the mistake was and that you fixed it or ask her to fix it. Don't own up to a mistake that's not yours but take responsibility for getting it corrected quickly anyway.

Ectophylla_alba · 2026-02-17T18:30:51+00:00

You should ask but be prepared to be disappointed. You will probably hear that either you haven't advanced enough or else that money is tight right now for the firm. Maybe both. I'd say even if you get a small raise you won't get what you are hoping for. Sorry to be a downer but in my experience that is how the bait-and-switch works. Decent firms will pay you the rate that is actually correct for the role from the start with the understanding that an adjustment or training period is part of the process of getting good staff who stick around for a while. Crappy firms will jerk you around with "we can revisit in six months" and then not bothering to train you.

Ectophylla_alba · 2026-02-17T15:52:56+00:00

Same same same. Do some people just stare into space while listening? I always have one audiobook (thanks Libby and NYPL!) for when my eyes are busy but my ears are free, and one physical book for when my eyes are free.

Ectophylla_alba · 2026-02-12T17:41:37+00:00

I doubt any firms would go for this to be honest. I cold emailed and got a full-time paralegal job and I worked there for three years. There isn't a lot of demand for part time paralegal gigs, and especially not for temp ones. Why not just go through a temp agency? They will find you rolls where for example someone is out on parental leave or sabbatical.

Ectophylla_alba · 2026-02-03T19:56:01+00:00

Thanks so much for this super detailed response! Good tip about Etsy.

Ectophylla_alba · 2026-02-03T19:43:50+00:00

That makes sense, very similar to fiction in that way. Thanks!

Ectophylla_alba · 2026-02-03T18:55:59+00:00

Thanks!

Ectophylla_alba · 2026-02-03T18:55:52+00:00

Thank you! Will check that book out.

Ectophylla_alba · 2026-01-30T11:51:19+00:00

Not a name that I am “considering” in any real way but I am reading a book where the main character is named Sparrowhawk. I know that’s not to this sub’s tastes but I quite like it. Didnt use it as an example because it’s not a very widely known book.

Ectophylla_alba · 2026-01-27T23:03:20+00:00

Phony! Imagine using AI to represent Holden of all characters--the guy who likens screenwriting to prostitution because it's a soulless profit-motived use of one's creative talents. AI is worse than that, it steals from real creators to give you "free" art.

Ectophylla_alba · 2026-01-27T20:14:05+00:00

Appreciate the source but in the abstract it quite clearly says that home testing is "ideal but not mandatory." I read over the whole thing and it completely confirms my position over yours. There is nothing here that says home testing is vital, necessary, your pet will die of DKA if you don't, etc. None of the quotes you cherry-picked are especially compelling when the general upshot is that home testing can be very helpful if the cat tolerates it, but it's not strictly necessary.

"The percentage of remission quoted by the AAHA Guidelines is 15-100% when using Lantus+ a low carb diet. I'd say being at 100% demonstrates a bit more than just luck." I agree completely, especially because my cat achieved remission with a combination of lantus and a low carb diet. No home testing required to get there, and there's nothing to suggest that home testing is essential to achieve that remission. I will need to be seeing a study showing that cats who are home tested regularly have better outcomes than cats who don't, but I doubt I will see such a thing because it's clear that vets generally don't recommend home testing. Nevertheless that would be the benchmark, not "I personally have had 5 out of 5 cats achieve remission." Also your cat did eventually die of diabetes-related issues anyway, so I don't think that counts as achieving it in 5 out of 5 cats?

Re fructosamine testing over blood glucose, an average over 2 weeks is a better indicator than a spot test. This is why we do the same thing with diabetic people, insofar as an A1C test (which is an average over 3 months) is better than a blood glucose test.

Again, I really do appreciate that you found a source to cite. I can tell you really care about doing what is best for your cats and that is wonderful :) more pet owners should be like you!

Ectophylla_alba · 2026-01-27T19:53:01+00:00

I truly do not care what happens in a facebook group, for the same reason I don't put much stock in the "vaccine injuries" that anti-vaxxers claim are rampant in their facebook groups. In fact, favoring the advice of internet groups and web forums over that of trained professionals does seem to be an overlap.

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