ftms and earplugs

[ace]

when I look at pictures or "vlogs" of ftms I have noticed that that many have earplugs
there's nothing wrong with having earplugs but it strikes me that so many of you have earplugs
is there something special with earplugs like these?
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kzybiu9Vv11qbpriao1_500.jpg

[Anon]

Just so you know, an 'earplug' is a device meant to inserted into the ear canal itself to protect it from loud noises, water, etc. The word for the short cylindrical pieces of jewelry worn in stretched earlobes is simply 'plug'.

I think you are coming across this because most of the trans people you're seeing online are under 30, and body modification in general seems (to me) to be much more popular with this age group. It doesn't really have anything to do with the fact that these people are transgender.

[Nygeel]

I think them looking cool is what's special about stretched lobes. I have stretched lobes. I started stretching them when I was a teen and stopped going further in my early 20s. I liked the process of changing myself in a way that made me happy.

[wheat thins are delicious]

Just so you know, an 'earplug' is a device meant to inserted into the ear canal itself to protect it from loud noises, water, etc. The word for the short cylindrical pieces of jewelry worn in stretched earlobes is simply 'plug'.

I think you are coming across this because most of the trans people you're seeing online are under 30, and body modification in general seems (to me) to be much more popular with this age group. It doesn't really have anything to do with the fact that these people are transgender.

This.  I've noticed a large number of people under 30 (cis or trans, myself included) have plugs. 

[Sharky]

When I was 16 I was a 0 gauge. It's a common thing to do. I think it also gave me a sense of control over my body.

[anibioman]

gauges? a lot of people have pierced ears and a lot of 'lesbians' have gauges and then come out as ftms. im glad i never got my ears pierced, except for a cartilage piercing that i took out last year and is closed up.

[Nathan90]

Stretchers, as we call 'm here, have become quite popular the last few years. Especially with a lot of somewhat.. 'alternative' guys. And I see a lot of transguys being a bit 'alternative'. (wrong word but I can't think of the right one) I think the open mindedness that a lot of transguys get about a lot of things makes them fit in the alternative bit quite well. I've noticed a lot of guys having the stretchers as well. But I wouldn't call it a trans-thing.

(I've got two holes in my left lobe, my right is clean, though they're rather small. I don't do gauges sizes like the rest of the world (Netherlands) but they're 5 and 3 mm)
I personally feel that only a few people look good with the big plugs, but to each his own I suppose.

[wheat thins are delicious]

gauges? a lot of people have pierced ears and a lot of 'lesbians' have gauges and then come out as ftms. im glad i never got my ears pierced, except for a cartilage piercing that i took out last year and is closed up.

What a lot of generalization.  Having stretched ears doesn't mean you will come out as ftm.

[anibioman]

What a lot of generalization.  Having stretched ears doesn't mean you will come out as ftm.

im not saying just because they have gauges they will come out as ftm. what i ment is that they are popular among lesbians. so trans guys that used to identify as lesbians often have them, i dont know any guys who didnt identify as lesbians that now have gauges. if you get what im saying.

[Sam-]

im not saying just because they have gauges they will come out as ftm. what i ment is that they are popular among lesbians. so trans guys that used to identify as lesbians often have them, i dont know any guys who didnt identify as lesbians that now have gauges. if you get what im saying.

you say you don't know any guys who didn't id as lesbians that have gauges. i never identified as lesbian but i had (and am working back towards) stretched ears. small sizes, but stretched nonetheless. i also know MANY cisguys that have stretched ears, and i'm fairly certain they were never lesbians    i agree with those of you who said it's just a thing with our generation, especially alternative kids.

[wheat thins are delicious]

The term is plugs, not gauges.  Ugh that is my pet peeve.  Most of the people I know with stretched ears are straight cis men.

[Anon]

The term is plugs, not gauges.  Ugh that is my pet peeve.

Yeah, this
A gauge is a unit of measurement, it is not a verb. You guys might as well be saying "I see a lot of people with centimetred ears".

[Wesley_33]

I just got mine done. Mostly because I couldn't till now.

I like that haha I got my ears centimetered.

[Ryan]

Quite a few of my friends have stretched ears. Mine are currently at 8mm and 6mm. It's just the youth of today.

[jxpx]

I have my ears stretched.  Just wanted to agree with everyone suggesting that it has more to do with popularity of plugs among younger people rather than it being an ftm "thing" or any other "thing" directly related to one's gender identity/sexuality/etc. 

My mom had my ears pierced when I was 4 but I never wore earrings growing up.  Somehow, they stayed open all of those years and I started stretching my ears about 9 years ago.  It's interesting to me how popular it's gotten.

[Dane]

I had one ear at 0g and the other at closed. xD But I ended up taking the pincher out, and letting that one close up too, because of ROTC, my mother, and the expense of tea tree oil, jewelry,  and ptfe tape. :/

[wheat thins are delicious]

Probably for the best anyway.  Tea tree oil should never be applied to a stretched piercing or any piercing for that matter, it's way too harsh.

[~RoadToTrista~]

I always see guys with guages. I think they look ugly, unless they're small enough, then they're just meh. And they're a bit more damaging than just piercing.

[Dane]

Really? A bunch of people told me to cut it with some witch hazel and olive oil and massage my ear with it. o.O

[wheat thins are delicious]

And they're a bit more damaging than just piercing.

Not if you are doing it right.

Really? A bunch of people told me to cut it with some witch hazel and olive oil and massage my ear with it. o.O

Witch hazel is also pretty harsh, seeing as it's an astringent.  Really you don't need any of that other than maybe some vitamin E oil.