I am a transman. Please can you provide information on transitioning?

The long answer

Thanks for your email asking for information about transgender hormone therapy.

After a person turns 18, they can begin the process of transitioning. There are facilities in hospitals in Gauteng, Eastern Cape, Free State and KwaZulu-Natal, but it is generally agreed that the best public facility is the Transgender Clinic at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town. You can be referred to the clinic by a doctor and you can receive hormonal therapy there for a small fee, once you have been assessed by the clinic.

In the case of a transman, you would be taking the male hormone, testosterone, which you would have to take for the rest of your life. The majority of people who take hormones are satisfied with how they feel and look on the hormone therapy, but for those who don’t, there is the option of surgery at the clinic. Unfortunately there is a 25-year waiting list for genital and breast surgery, as there are not enough surgeons who are able to do it, and it is extremely expensive.

But as transgender organisations become more visible and transgender people speak up, more doctors will become aware of the demand for the surgery and opt to specialise in it.

The rights of transgender people are protected by the Constitution, but there is still a lot of prejudice on the ground, and transgender people need to access as much support as they can. Here are the contact details of a support organisation based in Cape Town that you could contact for more information:

Gender Dynamix
Collingwood Building
10 Anson Street
Observatory 7925 Cape Town
Western Cape
Tel: 021 447 4797
info@genderdynamix.org.za
www.genderdynamix.org.za

All the best on your journey.