Look. You just gotta sit that pretransition trans girl down and make it absolutely clear to her that there is no essential, fundamental barrier that separates her from the hot girls she’s envying. She can do that. They were exactly like her, often less than three years ago. It is fully possible.
Do not let her be scared by the research saying she won’t see much results from HRT. She is safe to get help from you, and you will protect her from underdosages by the doctor.
#please op i really really really hope this is true
Ok so there are famously several real issues that work in our favour as well informed, modern-day, community-supporting transfems:
First, research on feminizing hormone therapy is generally speaking Shit. Aside from mental health indicators which have been extensively mapped, far beyond what’s reasonable to continue investing effort in, very little work has been done on the physical side.
The studies that do exist generally share a few noted flaws:
- Old school dosage regimens and medications
- Very short study durations, often less than two years
- Poor standardization and small groups
You see the problems here. A puberty should generally have enough hormones and time to, you know, work. It’s a bit ridiculous to draw conclusions about the likely results a trans woman can expect based on the two-year timelines of some poor girls who were kept at levels where, if a cis girl had them, it would qualify as an endocrine disorder.
Now, as for guarding against this. Here’s the thing: You can double check your dosages. You can demand that the results of your blood tests are shared with you, and compare them with, for example, Wikipedia’s Reference Ranges For Blood Tests, under “Sex hormones”.
Now, when underdosed, you can refer to the data and say you’re not in the right range. By standards of care, you should be. If your doctor won’t cooperate, make it a problem for them. You are a woman, demand to see the manager. Get a different doctor. Pursue alternative means.
The trans community has your back and can help you figure out the details. Make sure you have friends who’ll protect your bodily autonomy.