DIY transgender hormone therapy is a phenomenon where
transgender
A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth.
The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...
people obtain and self-administer
transgender hormone therapy
Gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT), also called hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or transgender hormone therapy, is a form of hormone therapy in which sex hormones and other hormonal medications are administered to transgender or gender n ...
as part of their
gender transition without the guidance of a
licensed medical provider. This may be caused by various problems accessing healthcare which transgender people face. The prevalence of DIY hormone therapy in the trans community varies between studies, from 11% to 79%.
Description
DIY transgender hormone therapy involves transgender people "seek
ngto access
ransgender hormone therapythrough friends, peers, and the internet, without consulting a health worker."
Trans people can obtain information about hormone therapy from online sources, some of which are generated by the trans community.
[
In rare cases, some transgender people have attempted DIY surgeries.]
Causes
A 2022 review article concluded that DIY hormone replacement therapy "is related to challenges finding knowledgeable and non-stigmatising health workers, lack of access to appropriate services, exclusion, discomfort managing relationships with health workers, cost and desire for a faster transition."
Prevalence
Estimates of the prevalence of DIY hormone therapy in the trans community vary significantly. One survey in Ontario
Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
found that 25% currently or formerly obtained DIY hormones, whereas for trans people of color living in San Francisco
San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
a different survey found that 63% had relied on DIY.Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...
have done the same. In between lie London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
at 31% of transgender people, and 49% of trans women in San Francisco.COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
although it had been common before.
Effectiveness
A 2022 review identified no peer-reviewed studies on the effectiveness of self-administered gender-affirming hormones.
See also
* Transgender health care
* Transgender health care misinformation
References
{{Transgender topics
DIY medicine
Transgender health care
Transgender culture