A Utah woman has discussed how she lost 3 inches of height during her gender transition.
Shaye Scott, 39, underwent facial feminization surgery in April 2023, following her medical transition three years earlier.
The public first became aware of Scott’s transition in a viral video she and her wife Amanda shared on social media, which highlighted the lesser-known effects of testosterone therapy. The couple, who have been married for 13 years and have three children together, overcame challenges brought on by their Mormon religious background as they navigated Shaye’s transition.
“Coming out to Amanda in 2019 was difficult due to our religious backgrounds. However, she has been very supportive, so we decided to share our story with those who might not be aware of our experiences in order to humanize transgender people,” Scott told Newsweek.
Three years after starting her transition, Scott discovered that her height had changed. Before beginning her transition, Scott stood at 6 feet, 5 inches. She has since lost two shoe sizes.
Can Hormone Therapy Change Your Height?
Scott explained that hormones can cause changes in the body’s soft tissues, including cartilage, tendons, and ligaments, which can slightly affect height. “I wasn’t sure what to expect personally, but I knew that some trans women reported changes in their height and shoe size after taking estrogen for some time.”
Documented changes in foot size and height have occurred during hormone treatments. These changes are due to alterations in the muscles and posture of the legs and spinal column, rather than actual bone change. The extent of these changes can vary from person to person, with some reporting a loss of 1 to 3 inches in height and shoe size.
While measuring their 5-year-old’s height one day, the couple began to wonder how much height Scott had lost, if any.
They decided to make a video as they were active on social media: “I thought, ‘That might make for a fun video,’ so we quickly filmed it,” Scott said. “My wife and I like to share moments from our lives on social media to humanize transgender people for those who haven’t had much exposure to us. We were amazed by how many people watched the video on TikTok, as well as Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.”
The video on TikTok was viewed by over 3.2 million people, and thousands of people commented in surprise.
One commenter said, “This is really so interesting,” and another wrote, “Oh wow! That’s fascinating! And she’s beautiful!”
Scott expressed her contentment with the change, saying, “I am happy to be a little shorter. Most of us just want to blend in and live our lives. At 6 feet, 2 inches, I still feel like I draw attention, but not nearly as much as I did at 6 feet, 5 inches.”
