somewhere different now

2nd February 2012

Post reblogged from we need a little glamour & glamour arrives with 63 notes

PSA

gender-queer:

mattachinereview:

gender-queer:

mattachinereview:

It is great if you are a trans guy who wants to boost your testosterone levels with herbs, holistic methods, and anything else, as an alternative to going on T! But please stop calling it “natural transition.”

Calling it that implies that using testosterone is “unnatural.” I am using testosterone; I am transitioning naturally. My testosterone-using transition is a natural transition.

/public service announcement

Natural is simply a term that refers to TYPES OF MEDICINE. Natural refers to supplements taken directly from plants. I’m not sure what the term is for chemical medicine? But this has nothing to do with the transitioning or referring to testosterone as unnatural - it’s simply ‘unnatural’ in the sense it is created in a lab or altered or whatnot. So is lots and lots of medicine that people take every day, that people need.

You taking testosterone is natural. You transitioning is natural. The chemical process of creating testosterone is not natural, but there is nothing wrong with that.

Okay, I get where you’re coming from, but—

No, “natural” isn’t simply a term that refers to “types of medicine.” It’s a word with multiple definitions, and while you may mean “supplements taken directly from plants,” that isn’t what the word means. You’re looking for a different term, because “natural” simply isn’t accurate. It’s far too loaded and broad a word. Try something more specific and correct.

Really, there’s just no reason to say “naturally transitioning” when you could say, for example, “transitioning with herbal supplements.” And if you’re hurting people by calling a herbal transition a “natural” one, for god’s sakes why continue?

Wondering if anyone can come up with / if there are shorter terms for “transitioning with surgery and/or T” and “transitioning with herbal supplements”. (No other commentary, I agree with what you’re saying :).

Good question! I feel like saying “going on testosterone” or “going on T” work pretty well to describe what I’m doing. “Transitioning with herbal supplements” does feel a little clumsy and long, but I can’t think of anything better. Does anyone else have ideas?

What about just “herbal transition” or “transitioning herbally”?

Source: mattachinereview