Me/transition/overview

It's amazing how long it can take to figure out crucial things about yourself.

I was born in a body which was biologically (and to all other appearances) male.

I was never happy with this, and always felt that something wasn't quite right, but I nonetheless believed – for decades! – that the outward appearance of maleness meant that I was, in fact, male inside and out. As I got older, I figured out that I had some kind of issue regarding gender that was making my existence miserable in a lot of ways, but I didn't know what it was; the obvious conclusion – i.e. that my gender was not what it appeared to be – was something that I believed to be logically impossible. I came up with some other theories, but none of them really fit the facts.

It turns out I had some key facts wrong, and it turns out that what I have is called "gender dysphoria". To put it very briefly: my brain is wired to be compatible with a female body and a female social identity, not a male one. It's unhappy being in a male body and unhappy being seen as male.

I figured this out in January of 2000, but due to circumstances I could do very little about it for many years. Finally, in July of 2016, I was able to start taking substantial corrective measures – mainly taking hormones and getting facial electrolysis, with the guidance of a therapist and a nurse practitioner who are both specialists in gender issues and transitioning.

The effects of the hormones have mostly been pretty subtle but pretty much entirely positive.

What you might need to know

• I (still) prefer to be called Woozle.
• It makes me happy to be addressed as female, but I won't take offense if people forget or choose to address me as male.
• I'm not expecting to make any dramatic changes to my presentation (clothes and so forth).
• The hormones will change my physical appearance somewhat, but only very slowly. See hormones for more details.
  • (Maybe I should offer a prize whenever someone notices specific changes!)