For more information on possible health risks from being on testosterone, check out Hudson’s FTM Guide and as always, talk with your medical provider. Regular checkups and blood tests during your transition are important and should be done if you can access care; this is for anyone of any identity undergoing hormone replacement therapy. The Howard Brown Health Center in Chicago not only provides scripts for hormones but also performs blood work, pap smears, etc. Although these tests do carry their own risk of dysphoria and discomfort, I urge you to be good to yourself, take care of your body. Take a trusted friend, celebrate with self love after the appointment–do whatever you need to do to stay healthy while you are transitioning. Stay strong.
Transtastic: Life on the Side of Fabulous
About the author
Van is a queer Chilean trans man who lives on the side of fabulous. He has been actively involved in trans* advocacy for two years, with his most recent endeavor being the founder and facilitator of Soy Quien Soy: Trans Empowerment Collective. SQS is a source of strength and support for trans* people of all colors, and holds its meetings in Pilsen as a way of extending trans* resources outside of the Boystown area. In addition, Van is a volunteer (and soon to be board member) of PrideCall Inc., an LGBTQ hotline based in Woodstock, IL. Drawing and doodling since the age of three, Van is first and foremost an English geek. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in English—with a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies—from Roosevelt University in 2010. One of his senior projects—entitled “The Van that Came Out of Somewhere”—incorporated web comic media and trans*/queer theory to promote a new trans* narrative. This narrative supports trans* pride and confident self-image. Since beginning that project, he has continued to work on web comics centering on his experience as a Latino trans man, and he is incredibly excited to work with xQsí.
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