Stupid question. XD

[Silas]

I've always heard that pre-T, ftm's tend to pass for waaaaay younger than they are. (Like, a 16-year-old looking like a 12-year-old boy.)

So, do mtf's tend to pass for older than they are?

(I'm sure looking at the passing boards would help answer this, but. I'm terrible at telling ages. I've just always heard the ftm one as being generally accepted.)

[JungianZoe]

Not necessarily... I'm regularly mistaken for anything between 21 to 24, and the people who do that become my new best friends.

[Nero]

I've always heard that pre-T, ftm's tend to pass for waaaaay younger than they are. (Like, a 16-year-old looking like a 12-year-old boy.)

This is unfortunately (or fortunately depending how you look at it) true post-T as well.

[LordKAT]

It has made no difference for me, I'm as grey haired as I ever was and look just as old.

[Silas]

Not necessarily... I'm regularly mistaken for anything between 21 to 24, and the people who do that become my new best friends.

Hahahaa, that sounds lovely

This is unfortunately (or fortunately depending how you look at it) true post-T as well.

Hm, might be alright. A bit annoying in some cases, I'm sure.

[sunny-side]

I wonder if the same holds true for androgynes or not.  I'm physically female and look at least 5 years younger than I am, going by what most people tell me.

And there's nothing wrong about looking younger than you are!  True it might be a bit frustrating when you get carded but it also means that you have the upper hand later on when you keep getting older and still look young and hot X3 lol

[RhinoP]

From what I've seen, it's not always a pattern, but MTF's who have not taken hormones tend to be mistaken as much older females or obvious crossdressers, while hormones in MTF's seems to take decades off their appearances and truly tends to soften things up. Then with FTM's, it seems that pre-hormonal FTM's seem to be seen as very young teenage boys or just "butch", and then after hormones, most do not seem to truly look older than their natural age (if so, it seems to be slight) but they truly seem achieve a male image very starkly.

I guess the real pattern is that some folks truly transition at remarkable physical rates and features, while some folks just don't transition well and may need facial or body surgery instead (or, extreme case scenario, may be better off 'choosing' an alternative identity.)

[Cindy]

People tell me I look to be in my early 40's and they are definitely my new besties (Thanks Zoe). I'm 58. But I'm also lightly built, quite fit and look after myself. Well try to

Cindy

[Padma]

Right now, people are generally clocking me at 10 years younger than I actually am - but I put that down to being (a) clean-shaven, and (b) very happy at the moment - which takes years off . I probably dress quite young too, and don't speak or move my age in a lot of ways (I mostly managed to avoid turning into a grumpy old bastard whilst watching a lot of my friends heading that way ).

[Cindy]

Good point Padma,

Being a grumpy old bastard really does age people in my opinion, in either gender.

Act young, think young, look after yourself, don't smoke and eat a good diet and life can be tackled. Especially with a handful of S, P and E  thrown in for good measure

Cindy

[Keaira]

well, pre-HRT I used to get asked who's class I was in when I would drop my step-daughters off at school. that was just last year. I'm 32.How old do I look?

[V M]

I have allot of injuries that bother me and so I stay active because I don't want to have my body freeze up on me

Most folks are shocked when I tell them my age, I'll be 50 in October but most folks tend to think I'm in my mid thirty's these days... Not sure if HRT has much to do with that or if it's because I ride my bicycle and do other exercises and avoid junk food

[justmeinoz]

I surprised my Gender Therapist on Friday when we were talking about passing.  He couldn't remember how old I was, so asked me.  He was surprised when I said I was 57.  He guessed I was about 10 years younger.
Other people have said the same.

I can recall reading something to the effect that FtM's had softer, younger looking skin and less facial hair, and MtF's have a bone structure that has the same result.

I don't care how. I just like it!!

Karen.

[Ann Onymous]

As others have noted, I am routinely guessed to be at least 10 years younger than I am.  I have an ADA who I do lunch with that is ALWAYS begging me to tell her how I keep my skin looking so good. 

And when I do some coloring to disguise the gray that has crept in, it has been rather common for people to actually put me closer to 30, if that old, when they estimate age.  And no, I don't 'dress young.' 

[Silas]

The fountain of youth must ooze with estrogen (and dieting/exercise and love XD). Hahaa.

Never considered androgynes, though, that'd be an interesting study.

[Ann Onymous]

The fountain of youth must ooze with estrogen (and dieting/exercise and love XD). Hahaa.

probably more that I never spent enough time in the sun to thoroughly destroy my skin...and the fact that I started HRT some twenty-ish or so years ago when I was still *IN* my 20's. 

[Cindy]

...and a hottie.

[pebbles]

No it's because the male facial structure changes as time gose on with the heavy jaw and brow bossing ect a male lacking these traits tend to look juvenile. A female with these traits tend to look mannish.

[Natkat]

for me people always thought me younger.
I got a baby face and big light eyes, are pretty childlish.
I dont like to have my hair to short because people think I would be a 12,
so I keep it half long who make me pass for 16.. (im 18)

I think I might look alittle older with T, I already seen to be more mature looking..

[Luna!]

On my nineteenth birthday, I (jokingly) promised myself I'd look that age forever, and it seems to be working so far. ^_^
Generally speaking, people who see me on the street think I'm around seventeen (I'm actually 24). This extends to actual highschoolers, too; it's interesting when they ask me what high school I go to, and I give them the name of my university.

I wonder now and then though; some people have thought I was closer to 28 or 29. They based it on conversations, though; I'm a little more philosophical than the average early twentysomething, which might explain some of it. Perhaps people just see what they want to see.

...I'm now struck by the strange coincidence of having Fruits Basket's Momiji for an avatar; he's about 15/16 there, but he himself is frequently mistaken for a child of six or seven years younger. ^_^