Do I Pass? **Video Edition**

[Jamison]

Maybe some are too dysphoric to post a video, but I think it's nearly impossible to give much constructive criticism without seeing a person's mannerisms about if they pass.

Anybody think this is a good idea?
People can post their update videos or an intro video via youtube below if they want advice.

Just to get the ball rolling, I'll post my last update vid. I pass, but you can criticize me if you want :p

FTM: 7 months on T update

[spring0721]

Yes you 100% pass, you look GREAT.  As far as facial hair, I don't know what you'd look like with it, but really look nice without it.....facial hair may just make you look a bit older. Hope your energy goes up soon, and yes your voice already is pretty deep:)

[EllieBud]

Hell yea you pass and you look absolutely amazing!

p.s. you're in Egypt?! Must be beautiful there! My boyfriend (FtM) is Egyptian, I already told him he has to take me lol.

[Jamison]

Yes you 100% pass, you look GREAT.  As far as facial hair, I don't know what you'd look like with it, but really look nice without it.....facial hair may just make you look a bit older. Hope your energy goes up soon, and yes your voice already is pretty deep:)

Thanks spring. For me it's not as much the facial hair as the stubble or shadow of it. I have thick black hair, so unless people think I just have a damn good razor, they usually assume that I just can't grow it.

And I'm hoping getting out of the "city that never sleeps" will help with the energy. cheers.

Hell yea you pass and you look absolutely amazing!

p.s. you're in Egypt?! Must be beautiful there! My boyfriend (FtM) is Egyptian, I already told him he has to take me lol.

Thanks Ellie. And yeah, I'm in Egypt. There's definitely better places here to be than Cairo, but if you go with him, you'll definitely have a great experience. Has he ever lived here? I received a bit of a backlash from the gay community  here when bringing up trans topics (didn't even come out).

[EllieBud]

Thanks Ellie. And yeah, I'm in Egypt. There's definitely better places here to be than Cairo, but if you go with him, you'll definitely have a great experience. Has he ever lived here? I received a bit of a backlash from the gay community  here when bringing up trans topics (didn't even come out).

My boyfriend is pre-everything, so to the outside world he is still female identifying for the most part, but he's opened up more about being trans to some people. His whole family is over there for the most part, but the last few times he's gone he never indentified as male. I'm not sure how he dressed either, but I'm pretty positive it was the same as he's always dressed (masculine). He never lived there but when he goes he stays months at a time. His family doesn't know he is trans, and before when identifying as female he stayed away from the gay topic. He's Muslim, which also brings a lot more stress into our relationship because his mother is rather a traditional Muslim woman, although pretty Americanized. He's getting to the point of telling her that he is trans though, not sure how well it'll go. Who knows, maybe it'll go over better than him coming out as a lesbian a few years ago.
Do you live in Egypt btw?

[Ms. OBrien CVT]

Damn why are all the sexy FtM so much younger than I am.

[Jamison]

Damn why are all the sexy FtM so much younger than I am.

I've pointed a lot of ladies here over to transqueernation.com. There's lots of ftms there (and a smaller minority of mtfs), various ages. The place is not nearly as lively, but its also not public and I've met plenty of good buddies on there.

Just saying. Oh and thanks for the round-about compliment 

cheers.

[Jamison]

My boyfriend is pre-everything, so to the outside world he is still female identifying for the most part, but he's opened up more about being trans to some people. His whole family is over there for the most part, but the last few times he's gone he never indentified as male. I'm not sure how he dressed either, but I'm pretty positive it was the same as he's always dressed (masculine). He never lived there but when he goes he stays months at a time. His family doesn't know he is trans, and before when identifying as female he stayed away from the gay topic. He's Muslim, which also brings a lot more stress into our relationship because his mother is rather a traditional Muslim woman, although pretty Americanized. He's getting to the point of telling her that he is trans though, not sure how well it'll go. Who knows, maybe it'll go over better than him coming out as a lesbian a few years ago.
Do you live in Egypt btw?

I don't live in Egypt, but I came to study when I was 3 months on T. I'm now at 7. My voice had dropped, and that was enough for me to decide to go stealth the entire time I'm here. Things can be difficult at times, but I can't imagine being trans in Egypt with a history of people who knew you beforehand. Harassment is bad enough as a female, and the culture can be very "macho" at times. I would not suspect that him coming out could go very well. The only cases where it seen as somewhat acceptable is when it's considered a hormonal imbalance/ chromosome disorder. However, even that is not always tolerated. I would think it'd be best to start transitioning abroad and simply lie to his parents about the diagnosis if he doesn't have one of these conditions. I would say this is better than coming out as gay.

[unknown]

This is such a great idea Jamison! I was atually thinking about that. I rarely pass in a picture, but I nearly always pass in person.

[EllieBud]

I don't live in Egypt, but I came to study when I was 3 months on T. I'm now at 7. My voice had dropped, and that was enough for me to decide to go stealth the entire time I'm here. Things can be difficult at times, but I can't imagine being trans in Egypt with a history of people who knew you beforehand. Harassment is bad enough as a female, and the culture can be very "macho" at times. I would not suspect that him coming out could go very well. The only cases where it seen as somewhat acceptable is when it's considered a hormonal imbalance/ chromosome disorder. However, even that is not always tolerated. I would think it'd be best to start transitioning abroad and simply lie to his parents about the diagnosis if he doesn't have one of these conditions. I would say this is better than coming out as gay.

A few years ago he came out as a lesbian to his mother, and that never went over to easy. We live in NYC and it's pretty diverse here but we still get states and gestures thrown our way. I know transitioning as an FtM is going to be a lot different for him when he decides to tell his family, especially his mom since she is very much about how her family perceives her (a lot of people are that way). And since most of his family lives in Egypt, he worried that she'll be ashamed or get bad criticism from her family.
But I will bring that up to him. I brought up us relocating when he starts T, at least to make the change a little easier, especially since he won't be around his moms criticism while it's happening. He has already been diagnosed with a hormonal imbalance, (he has higher levels of testosterone) so even without taking T he is pretty hairy, and hardly menstruates (This has all been a plus for him). & maybe he can use that to help his family abroad and his mother understand.

[DriftingCrow]

Great idea, it's so hard to tell from pictures alone.

BTW, what are you studying in Egypt? And do you speak Arabic? I was studying the Eastern Dialect awhile back and really enjoyed the language, but have forgotten most of what I learned now. I want to start learning it again.

[ty.to.the.man]

jamison this is a great idea! heres my most recent update on youtube from about a week ago

[Jamison]

jamison this is a great idea! heres my most recent update on youtube from about a week ago

Hey man, I remember seeing your photos on the other thread. I def think you pass, but for like a 13-14 year old guy. You look a bit older in your photos. Of course, passing for a young dude is better than not passing at all. The only way I could see you not passing if you were in an age specific atmosphere, but your voice is deep enough and I didn't catch on any effeminate mannerisms. I know you we're talking about getting definition in your vid, but don't underestimate working out to get that bulk. It will do wonders for passing older.

cheers.

[Jamison]

Great idea, it's so hard to tell from pictures alone.

BTW, what are you studying in Egypt? And do you speak Arabic? I was studying the Eastern Dialect awhile back and really enjoyed the language, but have forgotten most of what I learned now. I want to start learning it again.

Yeah, for sure- plus I mean, most people want to know if they pass for social situations, not a simple glance down the street.

In Egypt I was taking some intensive Egyptian Arabic courses and working independently on my thesis. I've been here for 6 months (going home to finish my degree soon) so I needed it to get around, shop, live...I'll go back to learning FusHa when I go home for reading and writing. There's so many different dialects it's almost impossible to get it to stick unless you're in the country using it (or at least hearing it) daily.

[PHXGiRL]

Pass 110% no way in heck I would ever question. You look great and sound great!

[ty.to.the.man]

Hey man, I remember seeing your photos on the other thread. I def think you pass, but for like a 13-14 year old guy. You look a bit older in your photos. Of course, passing for a young dude is better than not passing at all. The only way I could see you not passing if you were in an age specific atmosphere, but your voice is deep enough and I didn't catch on any effeminate mannerisms. I know you we're talking about getting definition in your vid, but don't underestimate working out to get that bulk. It will do wonders for passing older.

cheers.

thanks man! thats fine for me cause im that age anyways, yeah i wanna bulk up a little but i like having definition rather than bulk personally. plus im not allowed to use weights yet (my doc says im too young) which really sucks haha

[Jamison]

thanks man! thats fine for me cause im that age anyways, yeah i wanna bulk up a little but i like having definition rather than bulk personally. plus im not allowed to use weights yet (my doc says im too young) which really sucks haha

Oh good. I was afraid you were like 22 or something, haha. Some guys in their 20s take T for 6 months just to look 15.

[ty.to.the.man]

haha yeah i know

[DriftingCrow]

In Egypt I was taking some intensive Egyptian Arabic courses and working independently on my thesis. I've been here for 6 months (going home to finish my degree soon) so I needed it to get around, shop, live...I'll go back to learning FusHa when I go home for reading and writing. There's so many different dialects it's almost impossible to get it to stick unless you're in the country using it (or at least hearing it) daily.

I was doing Pimsleur for awhile, and I thought it worked great. I rememberd most of it for a really long time after I stopped. I started learning Portuguese through Pimsleur not too long ago, and a bunch of the Arabic just came back, so now I keep answering it in Arabic instead of Portuguese.

Once you started transitioning, did you find it hard to start switching over to using the male forms of words or did you start learning after you already were presenting as male?

[MaidofOrleans]

Yes you pass