I transitioned, MtoF, in 1993 San Diego. I had just over two years of weekly, one to two hour sessions with a liscensed, board certified, clinical psychologist who was very experienced in the area of gender dysphoria and LGBT issues in general.
We followed the WPATH standard of care, which has been around for fifty years or more.
I’ve had no regrets and, at 63, am quite content with my life and my gender.
I was lucky to have never had brow ridges or a square, heavy, jaw, and was always tall and thin, "passing" as an unusually attractive woman within the first year. I didn’t require surgery on my face or chest. My body seemed designed for estradiol and changed quickly and easily.
My sexual orientation has vacillated from hetero to lesbian, but I’ve never doubted myself. I guess I’m bisexual…
I did return to living as a man of sorts for about ten years because my daughter, 14 at the time, wanted to come and live "with my dad". The strain was so hard on me that I returned to alcoholic drinking during that period.

The thought of taking testosterone turned my stomach and was not an option.
That period of having no sex hormones of any kind gave me osteoporosis.
Back on a 2 mg per day dose of estradiol, by patch, for several years now, my hip pain is improving and almost gone, and I still have "my looks", albeit at a more mature age.
While living as a man for those years I was able to simply put on a wig and a bra with normal clothes and, rather than getting strange looks, get smiles and the privileges afforded to attractive women everywhere.

I’m what I call an “inclusive feminist”, as, over those decades, I’ve suffered every indignity that any woman does, the whole gamut, including sexual assault, and I think that feminism, writ large, should work for everyone who suffers at the 'hands' of the Patriarchal Dominance Hierarchy and it’s attendant rape-culture, gender binary and cis-het sexuality dictates.
It continues to be quite a relief to be able to live my life as my real self.
All of my friends are cis women. Some know that I’m transgender and some don’t. The subject never comes up.
My daughter is 35, and says she still loves me very much.
If people are really getting hormone therapy and even surgery without the proper preparation, as set out in the WPATH standard of care, I’m shocked and disappointed.
If the standards are not being followed it’s not surprising that there is regret and possibly tragic consequences.
Gender misalignment is a real thing, but it’s uncommon and should be corrected very, very carefully.
That’s why there is an official standard of care that has been around for fifty years.
Any physician who does not follow that standard should have their liscense permanently revoked.
I was 35, and quite sure, when I transitioned. I suppose that setting an age limit of twenty five years old would be an uphill climb, but it should be set, at the very least, to the age of eighteen, the age of legal majority.
I realize that my opinion would not be well received, to say the least, so I haven’t explored the subject in an essay, but there you have it. Until I summon the audacity, it’ll have to reside in the obscurity of this response.
I think that your essay treated the subject fairly and objectively, without the hysteria of some of the opponents gender transition.
Kudos to you!
Thanks for a great essay.
--weezi--💜🌈🙏🏼🌻