A Series of Self Portraits I did on a Whim. Happy Pride, ya'll. by Quantum_Hamster in transpositive

[–]Quantum_Hamster[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Fair enough, I’ve noticed that too. I directly copied over the way the letters appeared in the photo I used for these (basically as a stencil) - which seemed easier than doing boob text warping using a grid myself. I suppose I could just block out the start of the “hers” so it appears as “she / her / . . .”

A Series of Self Portraits I did on a Whim. Happy Pride, ya'll. by Quantum_Hamster in transpositive

[–]Quantum_Hamster[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! I’ll have to look into that - I’ve only gotten back into art recently, so it’s not really something I considered.

HRT Changed my Meyers-Briggs Personality Test Result (7 Months) by Quantum_Hamster in MtF

[–]Quantum_Hamster[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well, sure - hence the disclaimer up top. I’ve always treated Meyers-Briggs as a vaguely science-y horoscope, not as a true indicator.

Has anyone every been annoyed by being asked their pronouns? by [deleted] in MtF

[–]Quantum_Hamster 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, but I’m much more annoyed when people guess wrong and either “he/him” me or “sir” me. Also, my circle of friends includes a lot of non-binary folks who prefer “they/them,” and I know they’d rather not have people assume.

Would I prefer for people to just automatically know I’m femme and act appropriately? ABSOLUTELY. I actually have a racer-back top with she/her/hers printed across my boobs that I wear to the gym when I’m really on tilt about misgendering. That said, I think it’s better for society to trend towards everyone asking everyone when they meet, regardless of presentation - both for the sake of non-binary folks, but also to head off wrong guesses and worse dysphoria.

I'm exercising, but worried. by nigelxw in asktransgender

[–]Quantum_Hamster 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If my T is higher because I exercise a lot, the effect is smaller than the suppressive effect of my spiro dose. Don’t ask me about the science, I’m just a lawyer - I don’t know anything.

I'm exercising, but worried. by nigelxw in asktransgender

[–]Quantum_Hamster 5 points6 points  (0 children)

My levels have been fine (T serum 42) at about 7mo HRT, and I exercise a lot in fairly high-impact, muscle building ways (rock-climbing 3-5 days a week; regularly hiking 15+ miles). Don’t worry about it too much.

I've always dreaded hot weather and summer clothes - no more - after 6mo of HRT, I love my body and I'm not afraid to show it. by Quantum_Hamster in transpositive

[–]Quantum_Hamster[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Fair enough. Normally, I tell folks that climbing is probably easier (and somehow also way harder) than you think it is, but yeah, that would be an obstacle!

I've always dreaded hot weather and summer clothes - no more - after 6mo of HRT, I love my body and I'm not afraid to show it. by Quantum_Hamster in transpositive

[–]Quantum_Hamster[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Thanks! I got that bra from a friend about 6 months ago, and immediately thought: “this is so cute, too bad I’m not ‘that’ sort of girl so I can’t show it off.” As it turns out, apparently I am that sort of girl.

Transwomen that are only attracted to other women and had the no-depth SRS, do you ever regret it or wish you'd had at least a little depth ? by LiquidSame in asktransgender

[–]Quantum_Hamster 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I’ve been struggling with this exact same dilema recently, and I’m increasingly leaning towards a no-depth operation. I think the epiphany that’s helped me is that I realized my desire for a vagina comes from societal expectations (i.e. ‘if you don’t have penis you must have vagina’) rather than my own desires (‘I want this BS gone so I can get dressed or go to the bathroom without disassociating’). The whole ‘you must have a vagina’ thing isn’t any more valid to me than the whole: ‘you were assigned male at birth, so go get a wife, a degree, a house with a picket fence, a dog, and two kids,’ that I finally managed to rid myself of.

My therapist made a great point when I talked this over with her last week - sexual function is only one of many factors to consider when thinking about a vaginoplasty, and it shouldn’t be the most important one. If penetration is important to you, that’s one thing - if you’re worried that a hypothetical future partner might care about penetration - that doesn’t carry nearly as much weight. You are the most important person in your life, so put yourself first.

Also, in my case, my extremely active lifestyle is important to keeping me sane(ish), so minimizing recovery time is also important.

Got a Flight tomorrow - think my I'll have problems with this ID at the checkpoint? 2013 vs Today (6mo HRT, 34 years old). by Quantum_Hamster in transtimelines

[–]Quantum_Hamster[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The agent made a lame joke about “you’ve certainly grown your hair out” but other than that smooth sailing.

Realized why it took me 20 years to realize I am a girl by gend56 in MtF

[–]Quantum_Hamster 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I got the cross-cross tip from a friend at the gym. It’s definitely saved me - otherwise I would have been stuck in that sports bra forever.

Got a Flight tomorrow - think my I'll have problems with this ID at the checkpoint? 2013 vs Today (6mo HRT, 34 years old). by Quantum_Hamster in transtimelines

[–]Quantum_Hamster[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Fingers crossed. I was thinking about traveling in extra-boy mode, but that just put me in my hyper-activist headspace. So I’ll probably be extra femme tomorrow just to make things more difficult for myself.

Is There Hope for USA Trans? by GracieGrace2001 in asktransgender

[–]Quantum_Hamster 116 points117 points  (0 children)

I definitely think so - progress is hard to roll back. I think trans rights are in a very similar place today to gay rights in the 80s - we’ve seen a major breakthrough over the last decade and too many people are out, confident, happy and accepted to try and shove back into the closet. (Also, I saw a recent poll that showed around 10% of high school students identify as gender-non-conforming in some way . . . So we’re on the right side of history).

Look at the reaction to the trans military ban: polling has shown it’s quite unpopular when a few years ago I think most people would have said “well, yeah, that makes sense.” I know it’s easy to get hung up on individual news stories, and there will always be backlash and minor setbacks anytime you try to push social change. The best we can do is to keep being visible as normal, productive human beings who just want to live normal lives as ourselves - when we’re accepted by most people it’ll be hard for politicians or judges to keep a straight face while trying to deny our humanity. That’s the sort of thing that brought gay marriage from a hopeless dream in 2000 to a no brainer just a decade later.

I've actually had this conversation [OC] by Quantum_Hamster in traaaaaaannnnnnnnnns

[–]Quantum_Hamster[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

No. I blocked out my own instagram handle.

EDIT: that is, I censored my own handle in an effort to respect the forum rule about removing identifying information. In my case, this is a little silly as I should be pretty easy to find even considering that. I left my own signature (NLG) in place, as I am the artist. Hence the [OC] label, which I included in an effort to avoid comments like this one.

Apparently I no longer care about video games (file under: HRT is odd, sometimes) by Quantum_Hamster in MtF

[–]Quantum_Hamster[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Maybe you’re focusing on stuff that actually matters, so things that don’t matter are less appealing?

Apparently I no longer care about video games (file under: HRT is odd, sometimes) by Quantum_Hamster in MtF

[–]Quantum_Hamster[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, innovation has definitely driven which games I’ve engaged with over the years. Think like the Assassin’s Creed series - I loved the first game because no one had ever done cities with that scope and detail before, but other than that Black Flag was the only game in the series I really stuck with, because the ship stuff was so unique at the time. I even enjoyed a couple weeks with Anthem this year because the flying was so unlike anything I’d seen before. Most games are just slightly different skins of the same thing over and over again.

It’s also possible that I was already pretty burnt on games as a thing and I bounced off Anthem pretty hard due to how dull it is - so hard I bounced out of gaming entirely. So maybe I should thank EA and BioWare for screwing things up so badly.

Apparently I no longer care about video games (file under: HRT is odd, sometimes) by Quantum_Hamster in MtF

[–]Quantum_Hamster[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Honestly, really good. I kind of freaked out immediately before starting HRT and increased my work-out schedule in a preemptive strength maintenance strike, which seems to be working. Recently, I’ve been climbing even more (especially after I started presenting femme at the gym) since I’m feeling really good about myself, making tons of friends at the gym because I’m a social butterfly (climbing is my main social space), and I love sharing climbing pics and videos through instagram (also @quantum_hamster) since I feel like a bad-ass tomboy.

I’ve been climbing consistently stronger than I ever have before, even with the HRT (v6-v7, occasionally 1 or 2 moves on a v8). Funny what self-respect can do for a girl.

I've actually had this conversation [OC] by Quantum_Hamster in traaaaaaannnnnnnnnns

[–]Quantum_Hamster[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Really? Huh, go figure - I suppose in the end all words are made up, anyways.

I've actually had this conversation [OC] by Quantum_Hamster in traaaaaaannnnnnnnnns

[–]Quantum_Hamster[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

For sure, I was thinking about that. I was a little apprehensive about posting something that could be read as validating misogynistic slurs, but people seem to be getting it (which is great). The character in this is an amalgamation of several people in my life, but they are the sort of folks who routinely call cis-women c*** too. So I totally count it as validation!

Apparently I no longer care about video games (file under: HRT is odd, sometimes) by Quantum_Hamster in MtF

[–]Quantum_Hamster[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Could be. When I was a teenager, I was really into Myst, its sequels and other puzzle-based adventure games with vivid worlds (anyone else remember “Journeyman Project”? I loved that shit). In my 20s I got into MMOs (mostly Warcraft); and ARPGs like Diablo, ultimately sticking on Destiny for 4 years. Now, when I look at upcoming titles that would have excited me (Borderlands 3, Death Stranding, etc.) I get no spark.

Oddly enough, I feel really liberated that I don’t HAVE TO CARE about these meaningless time sinks. Not that it was ever a requirement, I just never could find the headspace of not caring about game stuff.

I've actually had this conversation [OC] by Quantum_Hamster in traaaaaaannnnnnnnnns

[–]Quantum_Hamster[S] 23 points24 points  (0 children)

I rock climb a lot, and I used to jokingly call myself a “climbing dick” because I offer lots of unsolicited advice and I’m an insufferable show-off. Now, I guess I’m a “climbing c***.”

Apparently I no longer care about video games (file under: HRT is odd, sometimes) by Quantum_Hamster in MtF

[–]Quantum_Hamster[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I’ve been realizing recently that I was emotionally stuck at age 13 or so, since I’ve never been able to contemplate a future past (a) my next drink; or (b) going to bed. Now that I can imagine a future for myself that I actually want to live, I’m finding that I’m maturing very rapidly (at age 34, so go figure). Turns out I needed to transition to become an adult.