Xiao Ming has not had breast implants but hoped to enlarge her breasts by taking
contraceptives: “I heard other girls say taking contraceptives would make your breasts
grow, so I bought some. My breasts did grow a bit after I took the medicine, but it
made me sleepy and bloated so I stopped taking it.”167
Hormone use can also affect the mental and physical health of transgender people.
Lacking the advice and oversight of medical professionals, they suffer more from
side effects. Some are compelled to stop taking
hormones because the side effects are too
severe. Wang Litao took soy isoflavones and
“In all of China, there are
contraceptives. She says, “Aiya, I felt like I was
fewer than ten medical
going crazy! I had heart palpitations, dizzy spells,
establishments that
blurred vision, nausea and fatigue.”168
can provide specialized
instructions on hormone
Tian Yuyao experienced breast growth after
use.160 Public hospitals lack
taking hormones, but it affected her health: “I
professional knowledge
developed a very violent temper. I couldn’t get
regarding sex change,
hard any more, and it took forever to ejaculate.
and are not only unable to
The semen I ejaculated was very watery and
provide professional advice
scant.”169
to transgender people but,
Erectile dysfunction is a side effect of hormone
use and can increase the risk of HIV infection, as
it becomes more difficult to use a condom. Tian
according to our interviewees,
also often respond with
discriminatory attitudes.”
Yuyao said, “What bothered me the most was
that when I was with the man I love, I couldn’t get hard. I was always limp and couldn’t
ejaculate, and this made me really sad.”170
In some cases, erectile dysfunction is never completely reversed, even after stopping
medication. When Yuner was taking hormones, “I always felt nauseous, I felt sick
every day and couldn’t get a normal erection.” After stopping the medication, “I
wasn’t nauseous, but my erections didn’t return to normal 100 percent, only 80 to 90
percent.”171
Transgender women often take hormones incorrectly if they are not under medical
167 Interview with Xiao Ming, Shanghai ,April 29, 2014.
168 Interview with Wang Litao, Beijing, June 4, 2014.
169 Interview with Tian Yuyao, Beijing, April 12, 20 M