Tranwestia

authorities have not found the danger of such effects to be a mag- nitude justifying the non-use of contraceptive drugs. But obvious- ly there has been no prolonged study of the effect of estrogens on males.

EXPECTATIONS: A great many TVs have the idea that the ad- ministration of estrogens to a male will infallibly grow breasts, broaden hips, raise voice pitch, soften skin, increase scalp hair, help nails to grow, etc. They also feel that somehow taking hor- mones is going to magically make a "girl" out of them.

Breast growth is the one thing that is reasonably likely to occur out of this list of expectations. However even this cannot be as- sured. There are many flat chested girls who would like very much to have soft rounded breasts but hormones do not bring it about Likewise whether they will work in a male is dependent as it is in flat chested females on their own physical constitutions and hered- ity. With appreciable and effective dosages one will tend to put on weight because females have a layer of fat under the skin that males ordinarily do not. This increase is most noticeable (and un- desireably so) on ones stomach. Again depending on the individ- ual, the dosage and its duration, the skin texture may change due to this same fat deposition but this is not something that will nec- essarily will be very obvious (except on the tummy). So skin tex- ture and contour will likely remain pretty much as is. Fat deposits on the hips, which widen them, is again pretty individual and not predictable as an automatic result.

The larynx (voice box) and the bony structure have long since solidified into their permanent shape and will not be appreciably changed by hormone administration. Your voice will remain the same as far as hormones are concerned though you may yourself with practice, modify it to some degree. Your beard will NOT dis- appear on estrogen therapy. While it might become somewhat lighter in color or texture this is not necessarily detectable and it will certainly still require shaving, although if it grew slower (no satisfactory evidence however) it would not need shaving so often. The only effective control of beards is by electrolysis and even this is expensive, painful and long drawn out.