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Overview
A medical transition
In 2019, Te Papa collected a small group of objects that reflect key moments in the life of a young, transgender New Zealander as he transitioned, both socially and medically, in the late 2010s. Assigned female at birth, he identifies as non-binary and trans masculine, and uses he/him pronouns.
This box of Sustanon 205 testosterone was owned by Will Hansen, a young non-binary person. Will began the social and medical transition at university, and began taking testosterone in 2016. Of the experience he says:
'It happened so gradually it was almost imperceptible. I started fortnightly injections of testosterone on September 13th 2016, which have given me everything from a deeper voice to thicker eyebrows to an impressive amount of chest hair. Creepy men who used to stare at my chest begun to call me "buddy" and offer unwanted, "manly" advice. Everyone refers to me with my accurate pronouns without me having to ask.
‘I can use the men’s restroom (mostly) without being stared at. I can walk down the street and know that I am finally being seen for who I really am. It is so incredibly freeing. I went from looking in the mirror and feeling uncomfortable and hopeless, to looking in the mirror and feeling that I was seeing who I had always dreamed I would see. It is a very surreal experience - it feels as though I am meeting myself for the first time! Without testosterone, I simply do not know how I would find life possible.'
Sustanon 250 is a blend of tetosterone propionate, phenylpropionate, isocaproate and decanoate, and is only available by prescription.
Medsafe New Zealand describes it as follows:
'The active substances of SUSTANON 250 are turned into testosterone by your body. Testosterone is a natural male hormone known as an androgen. In men, testosterone is produced by the testicles. It is necessary for the normal growth, development and function of the male sex organs and for secondary male sex characteristics. It is necessary for the growth of body hair, the development of bones and muscles, and it stimulates the production of red blood cells. It also makes men’s voices deepen. Preparations containing testosterone are used to replace testosterone in a person who has low or no natural testosterone (a condition known as hypogonadism). SUSTANON 250 is also used in men for the treatment of osteoporosis caused by androgen deficiency. SUSTANON 250 is used in female to male transsexuals for development of male sexual characteristics.'