Feminization Therapy: The Concepts Behind The Process
Feminization therapy is the process of teaching males how to act like women and dress like them. It’s a popular treatment for transgender people who want to live as a female but don’t need or want surgery.
At their core, all transgender people are born with gender identities different than the sex they were assigned at birth. They will identify either as “male” or “female,” but their body doesn't match that identity. If you're unsure about your gender identity, it's possible that you just haven't been exposed to concepts on what it is or how different variations exist.
With that being said, how does one know if they've been exposed to concepts of gender, or what's commonly referred to as "gender roles"?"
It’s hard to answer that question in general. Most people are familiar with the idea of gender roles and/or stereotypes, and most people don’t identify as transgender so they probably aren’t aware of any variations. That's why it's important to note that not all transgender people have any exposure to the concept of being trans or gender variance in general. Many people assume that anyone who is trans must have some kind of exposure to gender variance.
But trans women don't have any exposure to being trans?
Nope. That's also why it's important to think about the term "trans woman." Why is that word specifically chosen as opposed to "gender nonconforming?" And why aren't there "trans men?" Again, the term transgender was chosen for a reason. It communicates that most people who think they're trans aren't actually understanding what it means to be transgender and therefore they might benefit from these services without knowing they're transgender. The term is also politically charged as many people believe that transgender just means "male to female" and you can't be a transgender man.
I talk to so many men who say they're talking to someone about their "gender issues." I think it's pretty common for men who aren't trans to seek out some kind of help for what they see as a "gender issue," but what are the most common issues? Can you describe the ones that you tend to see the most often?
The most common issues are about men who are afraid of becoming gay. They have an intense fear of being perceived as gay or having a gay sex life. Most of the time they don't realize that transgender people aren't gay. So, most of them don't want to go through any kind of surgical procedure to change their male genitals to female and that's where the feminization process comes in.
What does it mean for a man to be "feminized" or supposed to act like a woman?
It means he's no longer expected to act like a man. He's expected to act more like a woman - have feminine mannerisms, wear makeup/varnish, dress femininely, and talk in a more ladylike voice. The goal is this; he should look and sound less masculine than most cis women.