Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

Original poster

The horrific reality of child MtF transition

88 replies

StellaAndCrow · 07/06/2021 16:57

I've just watched this video of Buck Angel interviewing Scarlett, a 19 yr old transwoman. She was given puberty blockers at 13 then cross-sex hormones.

I’m referring to Scarlett as “she” as Buck does in the title - I’m not sure what she prefers, but she does point out that her peers avoid talking to her for fear of offending her.

Scarlett tells her story of realising as a boy that she liked guys, hating her body at puberty, and thinking that she had to be “pretty” to attract guys. She went to a therapist to try to figure things out - was asked how she felt about long hair and dresses “I didn’t understand what gender identity was. I just knew I had effeminate mannerisms and liked guys". “They wanted to make it all about clothes”

I found the video absolutely gutting. She comes across as a lovely and thoughtful person, in such a difficult situation. She talks about how, when starting blockers:

  • she was told she could go back at any time
  • she was told that she ould be sterile, but didn’t know she would be castrated, lose her sexual function and suffer from atrophy
  • she wasn’t told about the social and relationship difficulties:
“it’s the exact awkward existence I was trying to avoid as a feminine gay guy”

She also mentions “because my puberty was paused, the people who do want to be with me are not the most savoury of people”

OP posts:
toffeebutterpopcorn · 07/06/2021 20:15

Buck is quite a character... any yes is trans... was a female fashion model back on the day (posts old photos once in a while).

HelloMissus · 07/06/2021 20:12

I think back to my yoof.
All the butch lesbians in women’s committee. Women who presented as male but knew with every cell in their body that they were women.
All the screaming queens in Heaven in their spangly hot pants. Loving being men who loved men.

These days would they fuck up their beautiful bodies? Be convinced that they were somehow wrong?

Aspiringmatriarch · 07/06/2021 20:05

@Summersnake Buck Angel is a trans man.

BernardBlackMissesLangCleg · 07/06/2021 20:03

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Summersnake · 07/06/2021 20:03

I’ve tried watching the link on u tube ,but that old man ,doesn’t bloody shut up ,to let scarlet talk ....constantly interrupting her ...let her bloody speak man

TheWeeDonkey · 07/06/2021 20:00

When I read these threads I always think about my mum telling me about her hairdresser.

When he was small he used to attend the nursery that my auntie worked at and he loved the wendy house dressing in princess dresses and being 'girly'. If his dad was picking him up they'd have to change his clothes quickly before he arrived because he really disliked this aspect of his son's personality. He wasn't the 'laddish' boy he'd wanted. Now hes a very out and proud, effeminate gay man who was allowed to grow and develop at his own pace.

I know that a lot of trans people know they're trans from a young age. I'm just sad for the non conforming gay men and lesbians who have got caught up in this and will never be able to be their true selves.

Let kids be kids without pressure to conform, they'll find their own way eventually.

LizziesTwin · 07/06/2021 19:56

It’s one of the worries that medical professionals at the Tavistock, that a parent would put a child on puberty blockers to keep them ‘young’. Yuk.

nauticant · 07/06/2021 19:54

Gosh OP, was this the thread you said elsewhere had been taken down by MNHQ? If so, I'm glad to see it's been reinstated.

Leafstamp · 07/06/2021 19:54

@allmywhat

She also mentions “because my puberty was paused, the people who do want to be with me are not the most savoury of people

Jesus, poor Scarlett. I would not like to hear the stories behind that sentence.

I’m also very struck and saddened by that sentence. I naively hadn’t made the connection.
TrifleCat · 07/06/2021 19:51

I can’t help but wondering how different Scarlett’s life would be if Scarlett had been encouraged to embrace being a gay male.

allmywhat · 07/06/2021 19:48

She also mentions “because my puberty was paused, the people who do want to be with me are not the most savoury of people

Jesus, poor Scarlett. I would not like to hear the stories behind that sentence.

OhHolyJesus · 07/06/2021 19:47

Thanks for this share OP, I have saved and will watch. I expect the last part of your post/quote from Scarlett, about unsavoury to remind me of Ben GNC's accounts of being in trans support groups.

JellySlice · 07/06/2021 19:41

From the very beginning Scarlett talks about how being a gay, feminine boy (ie gender nonconforming) was viewed by the adults around them as a problem, something to be treated, something to be changed.

And when Scarlett self-diagnoses and finally gets counselling and wants to explore their past and current confusion, it doesn't happen - everything is explored only through the 'trans' lens.

So dammed sad. So screwed up.