Signs Your Daughter May Be Shooting Up Testosterone Behind Your Back

“This is by no means an authoritative or exhaustive list & does not constitute medical advice. I’d like to crowdsource this thread with help from any detransitioners & ROGD parents willing to contribute. 

[For] context, earlier I posted this…https://twitter.com/sometherapist/status/1698008582095311179 

In response, someone asked for further clarification.

Let’s start by clarifying the signs this young woman gave away in this video. Here’s what she told us, & how we can make sense of it.  

Fact: She’d been taking T for 2+ months without her parents knowing.  

Insight: This is possible; your daughter may do the same. Look for: unexplained co-pays, pharmacy charges, or cash spending; unexplained time away from home she could’ve made a trip to Planned Parenthood; etc. 

Fact: In 2 mos of T injections, she fell ill 3 times.  

Insight: Here are some of the potential negative effects of testosterone on the immune system: Decreased number of CD4+ T cells, increased risk of infection, reduced ability to fight off disease, and suppression of the inflammatory response. 

Fact: Her voice started to deepen, but she attempted to cover that up around her parents by artificially raising her voice.  

Insight: Is your daughter putting on an act? Could she be avoiding conversation or speaking in a stilted tone around you? Try to catch her off guard, make her laugh 

Insight: Has your daughter had frequent sore throats? This may be the result of not only increased susceptibility to infections, but changes in the lining of the throat. Numerous detransitioners have reported painful throats as a result of growth/thickening of vocal cords in the larynx. (See original tweet for photos)  

Besides what this young woman has said, here are a few more things you might want to look out for, based on what I’ve learned from listening to detransitioners & ROGD parents + studying the impacts of cross-sex hormones on physiology. 

Insight: Skin changes: T can make skin more coarse, oily, & acne-prone. Note that this may be indistinguishable from normal pubertal changes. It comes down to knowing what’s typical for your daughter. 

Insight: Changes in mood & energy. This could look several different ways: -elevated mood, energy, drive, ambition -increased aggression & angry outbursts -emotional blunting & numbness or becoming more even-keeled -more reckless behavior & sexual acting out -fatigue/energy depletion. Again, it comes down to knowing what’s normal for your daughter, including her range of highs, lows, & triggers. Being familiar with your daughter’s typical menstrual cycle will help contextualize this. More on that later. 

Insight: Changes in hair texture. While some unfortunate females will begin to experience hair loss or a receding hairline early on, others won’t. Body hair may grow thicker, though; notice her arms. Facial hair is an obvious red flag. Notice if she’s shaving or plucking her face. 

Insight: Changes in body mass/muscle/fat distribution. -Is she getting stronger/buffer without increased strength training? -Is her body fat migrating toward her abdomen & back, away from her hips & thighs? -Any other significant unexplained weight loss, gain or redistribution? 

That’s enough to get this thread started. Please feel free to add or clarify. In my next thread, I’ll discuss the advantages of being familiar with your daughter’s menstrual cycle, & how that connects to this. 

Here’s one I forgot to mention earlier: edema. Some detransitioners, like @catcattinson in our film @2022affirmation, report that testosterone caused painful & unsightly swelling. Look for puffiness, bloating, or shiny, taut skin.” (See original tweet for photos)