Did you see Chaz Bono on Oprah?

Her? Is Chaz still biologically female?

I think we should be referring to Chaz as ‘his/him’, at this point. I only know a couple of people on Fluther who are female-to-male, not anyone I’ve ever met in person (to my knowledge, anyway). I assume that testosterone would have that effect, though.

An uncle of mine is female to male. I remember him as a female when I was a kid. But, through my adulthood, he’s always been male. The difference in before vs after everything was um done ..is amazing (when looking at photos across the years). With a female body, he looked very feminine and pretty. As a male, he looks very masculine and handsome. You would never know his body was once female by looking at him. Other than appearance, he seems the same person to me ..no differences in personality other than being happier.

His face, and yes, there are defiite changes to the face with testotsterone. It’s all about redistribution of bodyfat. Bodyshape changes too for the same reason; fat will go from the hips and ass, and because metabolic rate increases, it’s easier to build up muscle. As a result of all this extra metabolism, the appetite increases to keep up.

The first change though, is the voice. It starts to deepen almost immediately. Another immediate change is that menstruation will cease completely – or at least it should do if the dose is correct – it’s how the doctor can tell if you’re getting enough.

In the beginning there’s an increased chance of getting acne. You also get very horny, a lot of the time. (going through a second puberty, basically).

Increase of body hair and facial hair, although it depends on genetics and can take up to 5 years on testosterone to get to the stage of being able to grow a full beard.

Last part NSFW:
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During the first year or so, the clitoris will get bigger, and resemble a small penis (up to 2 inches long) and fully capable of erection. One of the options for genital surgery involves hooking this up to the urethra.

ETA: I know several people transitioning female to male, including myself of course!

I have a friend who is transitioning. I knew him when he was a ‘girl’, which, really.. he was so boyish even then that I wasn’t the least bit surprised when I found out he’d begun the transition. He’s been taking the testosterone for a year or so and just had his top surgery.

Pre-transition, he looked like a very, very boyish lesbian. Now, he looks like a guy. Even looking carefully at his face (and knowing him beforehand), I can’t tell he has ever been anything but. His face, body, muscle, and fat distribution have all changed.

He’s very cute. :)

I did see that show. I really admire Chaz’s courage, although I can’t even imagine for a second what that must be like. I hope it all works out for him and that he’s able to live a happy life from here on out!

I couldn’t help but see the irony that his mom is Cher, one of the biggest gay men’s icons of all time. But Cher is, after all, a mom, just like any other mom and she lost her daughter. She gained a son, but that has got to be hard. Especially after what Chaz said about her (Cher) longing to hear her “daughter’s voice” again and knowing that that will never happen. But I think Cher is going to step up to the plate and be the voice of reason in this situation.

I have an aquaintence who went from male to female. In some ways, I think that direction is easier to go. I think women tend to be more sympathetic and so when a transitioning man comes into the friendship of other women, those women (if you are lucky) are more likely to welcome that person making the change. I think your average straight guy would have a difficult problem with either sex being changed (and then having to deal with this change)

My friend was a co-worker (who came to us mid-change) and even though it seemed rather apparent to most of us who worked with her that she had once been a man, she was just so nice and everybody liked her that it ceased to be an issue or a scary problem for any of us that worked with her. But we were all a bunch of lefty leaning liberals and half of the staff were gay people, so I think that was an easier place for her to work while she was transitioning, rather than say at Fox News or some place like that.

I did have a question that didn’t seem to get addressed to my understanding. Chaz, who thought she was a lesbian and acquired a girlfriend during that period, is now a man, but the girlfriend has stayed. The girlfriend probably always considered herself to be a lesbian. Does that make her (Chaz’s girlfriend) a straight woman now? I don’t think so, myself. I still think the girlfriend still considers herself to be a lesbian, she just has a mate that has gone through a transformation.

I’m straight, but I think that if my mate decided to go through a transformation to become a woman, that would not make me a lesbian. It would make me a straight woman who’s man has gone through a transformation and if he would still have me, I would still have him. At least I hope that’s how it would work out.

I know a few transgender males and one that had surgery to become female. I also have some amazing lesbian friends that dress boyish. I don’t know any girl that became a male. It seems most rare. I think it’s A-okay. Chaz is doing something for a group that never had a famous face to look to. That takes guts.

I saw a clip. His transition seems to have gone well. I didn’t know it was a lead-up to a show about him on Oprah’s cable channel.

I remember when he was a kid, and he’s not that much older than me. He looked supremely bored whenever they brought him out at the end of an episode of The Sonny and Cher Show, he really did. My aunt would always coo over what a cute little girl Chastity was.

And now he totally sounds like his late dad.

I don’t think I’ve known any F-to-M transpeople, but I’ve met plenty of M-to-F transpeople. You’ve gotta be who you are, and to hell with everybody else, is what I think. Chaz is very brave for living his truth so publicly and owning it publicly.

Yes, I know his a mistake, sorry for the mistake, no disrespect intended, I actually know better, I am surprised at myself, my only excuse is late at night. He even seemed to smile less as a man, even though he is much happier, like it changed the muscles in his face, or the desire to smile.

I know the physical body changes testosterone will cause, but I just never heard anyone talk about the face and personality.

I don’t know about Chaz but what’s considered female softness/prettiness is subjective. I consider my partner (sexed as male at birth) to have more ‘feminine’ physical features, for example. Testostorone doesn’t do the same thing to everyone who tries it.

I was wondering what Chaz is going to do about his weight, because it has to be something his doctors have brought up as a health issue.

I’m watching Chaz on Letterman now.
He seems to be a pleasant, respectful, and articulate young man.
I certainly prefer him to his screechy and insolent mother.