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Comment by rottencupcakes | Hacker News Reader

As interesting as it is that he concludes that he "can’t deny that testosterone has changed [his] behavior," I can't help but wonder how much of that personality change was due to his own gender stereotypes, societal expectations and generally just feeling like a man.

I've heard very similar things from pre-op transsexuals who aren't on hormones and are just dressing the part. Dressing like a man makes you feel like a man in much the same way wearing a suit instead of sweatpants reflects on your behavior, poise and how other people interpret you.

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eh, I don't know. I think testosterone does alter feelings and behavior in fairly shocking ways, far beyond what you see when you dress differently. Do you remember puberty? I went through puberty later than most of my peers, as far as I can tell (I didn't get shoulders until I was well out of high school, and the shoulders corresponded with developing a sex drive and other feelings one associates with puberty. Now, I don't know if it was a coincidence or not, but this was also around the time that I started eating meat.)

And yeah, the aggression was pretty shocking at first. I can remember feeling like the hulk. "my god, I'm huge!" I'd break things by accident because I was stronger than I expected. by that time, I considered myself an adult with a job and I was surrounded by people who were forty plus years old, so I didn't actually pick fights with people, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to.

As far as I can tell, this isn't particularly unusual for young men (except, maybe, for the timing)

But then, I think gender stereotypes and social expectations shape the the way all men function.

I'd imagine that in this particular circumstance, without testosterone, being accepted as a man would be far more difficult for the author - because the physical changes wouldn't have occurred.

I have the belief, largely anecdotal, that transgendered people tend to adhere to stereotyped gender roles rather more than people in general.

Just me speculating here, but it makes sense to me that it would be that way. Men who are born men don't really worry about being "convincing," as they've never doubted it. They may worry about appearing homesexual, but that's still different than worrying about appearing female.

That could be so, but then - perhaps short men adhere to stereotyped gender roles more than people in general too? I think adherence to these rules relates to the way people counter perceived feeling of inadequacy.

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