Some trans guy tips from your dad
Don’t try that mascara/arm hair shit. I’ve been passing for more than a year with short, blond arm hair. It’s not an important secondary sex characteristic.
Board shorts (without pockets in the front) do wonders to minimize the width of your hips. Always choose board shorts over swim trunks. Choose them over cargo shorts if it’s appropriate.
Speak from your chest, never from your head.
The goal of binding should not be an entirely flat chest; you should bind for your body type.
GC2b makes the best binders out there, and their products are designed specifically for trans men/transmasculine people.
It might seem useless if you’re pre-T, but working out can be a big help for dysphoria.
Eyebrows are really important to passing pre-testosterone. Muss that shit up. Make them look unkempt.
When you ask for a haircut, make sure the edges in the back are squared, not rounded.
If you have peach fuzz, I would advise shaving it. Cis guys shed theirs when they go through puberty. Shaving can also help with facial hair dysphoria.
Don’t ever buy a binder from Amazon. They run in strange sizes (I was an XXL even though I’m a M in GC2b) and take weeks/months to come. It’s also difficult to breathe in them after a few hours.
@shyguyshiloh @kuchenkat
Spread the word, especially for the board shorts thing!!!!!! They do WONDERS for making hips appear slimmer!!!!!
@cloudstreamer
for my masculine children :-*
Adding a couple things.
-Patience is a virtue you need to come to terms with. Even on T, things take time. My voice dropped immediately, but my cycle continued for 6 months. We’re all different.
-In the summer, HYDRATE YOURSELF. A binder is an extra layer, and mine have always been very warm.
-When its not too hot, layers are your friend. You’d be surprised what even simply an undershirt can do to smooth out your look.
-You are going to get misgendered. This is a fact, and it sucks. Learn to politely correct people. Remember you might be the first (openly) trans person they meet, so be a good ambassador.
-When you start T, your smell will change. You will sweat like you’ve never sweat before, and it WILL STINK. Adjust your bathing habits accordingly.
*coughs in direction of my trans friendos*
If you have a really large chest you might do better with Underworks binders. They aren’t pretty, they’re not soft, but they do a good job and were the first on the market for a very long time. I couldn’t stand gc2b so if you’re like me, try Underworks.
Don’t double bind.
DON’T USE DUCK TAPE. I still have scars from a dumb decision I made as a teen and I’m 31 now.
When the time comes for top surgery, shop around. Find someone who will tailor your chest to your needs. Look at their portfolio. Compare surgeons. See if you can find someone who will work with your health insurance if you have it.
Be safe. Be healthy. Take your time. It’s not a race or a competition.
*incoherent screaming* MY TRANS MEN/ TRANS MASCULINE FOLLOWERS, L O O K👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀
I know a lot of my friends are Trans men so look!!
@romeo-appreciation-squad @sxft-bxy-mlm @existential-pasta @undervaluedagent hey guys look
If you don’t mind, I’d also add
Resting the bottom of your shirt on the waist of your pants- similar to French tucking- makes your torso look more boxy and helps reduce the appearance of your chest. It works best with sweatpants
Stand with your legs a little further apart than you’re used to. It makes your hips look more proportionate to the rest of your body.
Standing straight up (mostly when binding or using other methods of visually reducing your chest) makes you look more masculine.
If you don’t have a packer, use a bunched up pair of socks.
Pushing your jaw forward gives you more of a visible jawline. Just don’t go too far, other wise it looks a little odd.
Basketball jerseys help visually minimize your chest. Just throw on a jacket/flannel to hide bras/binders from the sides.
These are all I can think of at the moment, but they really helped me
Oh, hey, nonbinary AFAB here! Would like to add that if you live in a country where medical prescriptions are cheap and you don’t have to jump through millions of hoops to get one, going on the Pill if you can’t get a testosterone prescription works wonders for period-related dysphoria (and it’s probably easier most places to get that prescription if you inquire about it because of ‘painful periods’). Also, I knew a trans guy who when he was pre-T learned contour in order to sharpen his jawline and honestly when he perfected it I genuinely didn’t recognise him for three solid minutes until I noticed his backpack.
