Transgender Dundee man Cole Morton has told of his “difficult” wait for hormone treatment to support his transition.
Cole, 20, has launched a fundraiser for hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
The medication will help with Cole’s medical transition from female to male.
He is hoping to raise £1,110 – which would cover three one-hour sessions with a private GP and an initial prescription of testosterone.
Cole, who grew up in Perth and Dumfries, was first referred to a gender clinic seven years ago.
Long NHS waiting lists
But long waiting lists mean he has turned to private treatment.
The Abertay University student said: “I decided many years ago that I wanted to do this.
“I got referred when I was 13 or 14 because I wanted to start hormones as soon as I was legally allowed to.
“But then the long NHS waiting lists meant I couldn’t do that.
“I thought if I can raise some money to go private, I might as well do it.
“I don’t really know what triggered the decision [to get HRT] as I never really thought much about it.
“I just knew I wanted that and I’ve known for so long. It didn’t really feel like a big decision.
“For a lot of people, it’s a harder decision to make because of the pros and cons. But at this point I’ve been waiting so long that even the cons are pros.”
Hundreds of pounds have already been donated, leaving Cole in tears at the support he has received.
‘Stuck with nothing’ while friends get results
He said: “Everything is moving so quickly, I’m not used to it.
“I’m excited but also nervous because the fundraiser got a lot of money the first week or so, but now it’s slowing down – so I’m worried I won’t have enough for my next appointments.”
Cole says it has been “difficult” to face such a lengthy wait to go through the treatment.
“I have friends who have been on the same waiting list and seen the same doctors and they’ve been on hormones for nearly two years,” he said.
“I haven’t even started yet, so the hardest part is waiting and seeing others get the results they want while I’m stuck with nothing.”
Cole says trans men are usually required to be on hormones before accessing surgery, where breast tissue is removed.
He added: “The hormones redistribute fat in your body, so sometimes it can make your chest smaller.
“So they don’t want to do the surgery too early so the results don’t look strange.”
What is HRT?
Masculinising hormone replacement therapy is used to induce the physical changes in the body caused by male hormones during puberty.
It is usually the first step in a medical transition.
Transgender men are prescribed the male hormone testosterone, which suppresses menstrual cycles and decreases the production of oestrogen from the ovaries.
If HRT begins before female puberty, female secondary sex characteristics – such as the development of breasts – can be avoided.
The treatment can make gender dysphoria less severe and improve a person’s quality of life.
However HRT can affect fertility and sexual function, as well as increase the risk of cardiac dysfunction.
