FTM
'FTM' stands for 'female-to-male' and describes a person with a female birth sex who has undergone or is undergoing a transition in a male direction. The abbreviation comes from English-language medical literature and has been in common use at gender clinics and within community organisations for decades.
What is meant by it?
FTM usually refers to a full social and/or medical transition from woman to man: pronouns, clothing, social role and — in medical transition — testosterone, mastectomy and sometimes phalloplasty.
Distinction and overlap
FTM and transmasculine overlap, but are not identical. FTM implies full transition to man; transmasculine is more recent, broader and includes non-binary AFAB pathways. 'Transgender man' is common in public usage; FTM is sometimes experienced as 'clinical'.
Social and practical context
The abbreviation FTM appears in medical files, research and on forms. For FTM persons the usual considerations apply in medical pathways: side effects of hormones, fertility and the nature of surgical procedures — which are considerably more invasive and complex in FTM than in MTF.
Critical perspectives
The rise in FTM referrals since around 2015, especially among adolescents, is striking. Researchers have pointed to factors such as social influence, online media, comorbid problems (autism, eating disorders, depression) and internalised sexism in girls — see also the Cass Review. An honest differential weighing is extra important for this group because the medical steps (especially phalloplasty) have lifelong consequences.
Sources
- Hembree, W.C. et al. (2017). "Endocrine Treatment of Gender-Dysphoric/Gender-Incongruent Persons." JCEM, 102(11). DOI
- Cass, Hilary (2024). Independent Review of Gender Identity Services for Children and Young People. NHS England. Text
- Littman, L. (2018). "Parent reports of adolescents and young adults perceived to show signs of a rapid onset of gender dysphoria." PLOS ONE, 13(8). DOI
- Kaltiala, R. et al. (2015). "Two years of gender identity service for minors: overrepresentation of natal girls with severe problems in adolescent development." CAPMH, 9. DOI
- Shrier, Abigail (2020). Irreversible Damage. Regnery.