THREAD 🧵
#Trans or #nonbinary? Perhaps questioning your #genderidentity?
Want to know more about #HRT or #transitioning in the #UK? Maybe you just want help working out your gender identity?
I've compiled some hopefully-helpful resources, links and guides to help you know where to get started.
My DMs are also open to anyone who wants more personalised help 
Just be patient with me if I don't respond quickly please 😅
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For anyone questioning their gender identity, I highly recommend a Discord server called The Orchard.
It has loads of resources to help you out
https://reddit.com/r/lgbt/wiki/discord
If you want to read more about what gender dysphoria is and other burning questions, I highly recommend checking out The Gender Dysphoria Bible.
2/
For UK people, I highly recommend the Gender Construction Kit. It's an amazing & highly-accessible guide for any trans person, tailored to the services & options available in the UK.
For more resources focussed on the UK, check out the "Links & Resources" section on https://reddit.com/r/transgenderUK.
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If you're after information about how to safely get & manage DIY HRT, I'd recommend:
https://www.reddit.com/r/TransDIY/wiki/index
I also highly recommend the DIY HRT directory.
For help in relation to surgeries, I recommend:
https://www.reddit.com/r/TransSurgeriesWiki/wiki/index
For trans fems wanting to read more up on the science behind feminising HRT, I highly recommend:
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Reddit gives you the best of the internet in one place. Get a constantly updating feed of breaking news, fun stories, pics, memes, and videos just for you. Passionate about something niche? Reddit has thousands of vibrant communities with people that share your interests. Alternatively, find out what’s trending across all of Reddit on r/popular. Reddit is also anonymous so you can be yourself, with your Reddit profile and persona disconnected from your real-world identity.
Transfemine Science has some really cool additional guides/tools under "Misc", including a dose calculator, an injection simulator, & a handy approx. chart for different estradiol methods.
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My knowledge of transitioning outside the UK is limited, but I can say that it varies wildly from country to country.
Many countries heavily gatekeep care, rather than allowing informed consent. It's a geographical lottery 😞
Even in the UK, care varies by region & by which nation you're in (i.e., England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Island).
Please note that my own personal experience with NHS England may not apply to other nations.
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In the UK, NHS GPs will sometimes agree with work with private clinics on a "shared care" basis, where the GP:
• Arranges blood draws/tests.
• Issues NHS prescriptions for recommended meds.
...& the private clinic:
• Reviews your blood test results.
• Recommends meds.
You can find a list of NHS Gender Identity Clinics (GICs,) NHS pilot schemes, and private clinics here:
https://genderkit.org.uk/resources/gender-services/
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Another amazing website is TransActual. Their trans health guide is especially amazing:
https://www.transactual.org.uk/healthcare-trans
Of course, even with all this information, you may have trouble getting any support from your NHS GP 😥
To this end, you can find maps of known "trans-friendly" GPs in the UK (or at least less-trans-hostile ones) here:
https://transhealthcareintel.com/trans-friendly-gps
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TransActual UK offer information on trans inclusive healthcare, access to NHS Gender Identity Clinics (GIC) in the UK, information on waiting times and waiting lists, transition related support and information on transgender people's mental health. There's information for trans men, trans women and
If you're in England, you can find details about the process for updating your name or gender on the records at the below:
In terms of changing your name & documents, I highly recommend reading this section of the Gender Construction Kit:
https://genderkit.org.uk/category/id-documents/
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In relation to voice, I'm not an expert on this, but you'll find commonly-shared resources on r/TransVoice, especially on their wiki.
https://reddit.com/r/transvoice/wiki/index
While a lot of people find popular voice coaches like TransVoiceLessons or Zoey Alexandria helpful, I have sadly found neither beginner-friendly or helpful if you're not musically-trained 😢
10/
(voice continued)
The video guides by Nicole Gress are much simpler & shorter, but the paid service she runs (Undead Voice) is incredibly expensive, especially when free voice training Discord servers are available.
I honestly hope to have sufficient funds (& energy) to return to training with voice coach Louise-Milner Smith sometime. At £60 GBP an hour, she's more affordable than most & so very kind 💟
11/
The basic routes for trans/NB people to access HRT in the UK are:
1. Solely via the NHS.
2. Solely via private clinics
3. "Shared care" between a clinic private & the NHS.
4. DIY.
1. Solely via the NHS.
This route is the cheapest, but you will be waiting for years, possibly even decades, to receive care. The costs are low, as your meds are NHS prescriptions & surgeries are free, but there are severe limitations & waits.
https://nhs.uk/conditions/gender-dysphoria/treatment/
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2. Solely via a private clinic.
HRT costs are higher, but you will get access to HRT much faster than the NHS. If you're under 18, your only viable option is GenderGP. All private surgeries are very expensive 😢
3. "Shared care" between a clinic private & the NHS.
Upfront costs are high, but you then receive HRT as NHS prescriptions. A bit slower than solely going through a private clinic (to get NHS GPs to agree), but saves HRT costs, while you stay on the NHS waitlist.
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4. DIY.
In terms of HRT med costs, it's very affordable if you go for monotherapy injections. GnRH agonists will be too expensive for most people, but injections & anti-androgens/estrogens aren't out of reach for many. Many cannot afford this, of course 😞
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I personally went through GenderCare to get started on HRT.
However, if I'd known then what I know now, I'd probably have just started with DIY HRT injections.
Don't get me wrong: going part-private has had advantages, such as:
• Private diagnosis will help me apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate sooner.
• I got a letter to update the gender flag on my passport.
Whether this is worth the money to everyone is highly subjective.
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Laser hair removal is a whole, complex topic in itself, but you should check the clinic uses a machine that has a suitable laser mode for your skin tone:
• Alexandrite (755 nm) - light to olive skin tones
• Nd: YAG (1064 nm) - darker skin tones
• "Diode" (810 nm) - most skin types
Popular high-end machines include:
• Candela - GentleMax Pro / Pro Plus
• Alma - Soprano ICE Platinum / Soprano Titanium
• Cynosure - Elite+ / Elite IQ
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Evie 🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈⚢💍
🚧 Karina, Builder 🏳️🌈
Metalhead84
Dr. Sasha Göbbels