The Official 'Do I pass?' topic (Ver 4.0 - in 3-D)

[Crow]

Nick, you definitely look like a guy, but you do look very young (like, middle school age). I feel like you look a little older in the second picture than the first, but equally male in both.

I just got a haircut, so I have some new pictures to share as well!




Also, a video so you can hear what my voice is sounding like lately:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VMmDNla61M&feature=youtu.be

[Darrin Scott]

I know I pass, but for how old? I'm 27 so I hope I'm close to that lol.

[Crow]

Thanks! Haha, I work with middle schoolers a lot, and have a long history of my students thinking I'm one of them.

Darrin, I'm not great at pinpointing exact ages, but I would say you look like you're in your early to mid 20s.

[spacerace]

I know I pass, but for how old? I'm 27 so I hope I'm close to that lol.

~24

[DriftingCrow]

Crow your new haircut looks great, and your voice is sounding deeper too. 

[birdline]

QUESTIONS AND PICTURES. SO. I try to cover my head/face with a hat and my glasses. Maybe makes a difference in that I feel more covered up and therefore secure... Does the hat/glasses even make a difference in the way of hiding feminine features? I probably need the glasses, I'm working on getting a slightly more masculine pair, which is hard when you hate little square glasses you can see straight past, with a tiny square of clarity. I like them big and dorky so that I can you know, see everything. Tips from you guys with specs?






*edit: go figure I didn't post the hat n glasses one.


I guess I'm okay with being a pretty guy so long as I can pass as a guy. I'm pretty sure I just look female or androgynous. I'm insecure about it all, because I get people asking "Why would you want to be a guy? You're such a pretty girl!"

Makes me feel like I only make an attractive girl, which would be okay, but that's not entirely/at all what I'm going for :/

And I guess I have to ask since I'm pretty settled on the name; Do I look like an Eliot? Not that I care, I like it, but my friend said it suits me. Yay/nay?

[Liminal Stranger]

Second pic passes to me, first not so much. Hat/glasses combo definitely helps. I'd say you could look like an Elliot, though if that's what you've settled on go for it.

Disregarding the hair, pass? (Note: Yes, those are indeed wrinkles, I should probably take another pic to show it but my phone died.)

Close-up shot after attempting to fix some of the many wrinkles in that shirt:

[spacerace]

I think you pass well for a guy your age Liminal.

birdline - I actually think the glasses hurt rather than help - they emphasize the size and smaller shape of your face and draw attention to your eyes/eyebrows, which are probably the most feminine feature on your face. Eliot is a good name choice.

[Erik Ezrin]

Guys, looking awesome! And passing for sure.
I don't know about voices though, as those can be make-or-break, as I experienced last week.

You see, I cut off my dreads (for lots of reasons, including passing better), I miss them, but it was the thing that had to be done. Last week I was on university intro. I was too sheepish to introduce myself as a guy (especially because EVERY form says "Miss *birthname*" or something of sorts. ARGH). I have been gendered as male on first sight multiple times, but each time when I came closer or spoke people came back from it and were like "Ohhh, sorry Miss!" (I really wanted to shake them and say "DON'T SAY SORRY! YOU DID IT RIGHT!!!" lol) and especially the girls gave me a "Eww, is that a lesbian" look quite a few times. 'twas pretty unsettling. Which frustrates me most is that I cannot do much about my voice until I get on T, which will take a LONG time. I wish I wasn't such a wimp and would stand up for myself more. I'm seriously thinking about finding an LGBT group (mainly for the T part) and meet fellow transpeople to talk about stuff, and get into therapy to accept myself as a TRUE guy. Not some wannabe, weak, worthless guy.

But anyway, sorry for the rambling. Just had to tell that for a sec. This is how I look now;

Starting to look more guyish, eh?

[Liminal Stranger]

Indeed you are, Erik! Sorry to hear about all the misgendering with paperwork and all, you should definitely get in touch with an LGBT group and find out if you can get something done about it as well. The first step is the hardest, though, so good luck!

And thanks, guys. I wasn't sure if it'd be okay considering that's a kids' shirt and I'm not binding at all but it seems to work alright.

Hopefully with their starting size plus whatever shrinkage T will eventually provide, I can just get peri and not worry about scarring (EDS doesn't make that very pretty, which is why DI would provide an amount of worry since I do seem to have at least some skin involvement in the disorder). Keeping my fingers crossed, ladies, gents, and others!

[DriftingCrow]

Not some wannabe, weak, worthless guy.

Don't ever think that.

(btw the short hair looks good and you pass to me)

[musicofthenight]

Liminal, the difference between a shirt and a blouse is how often it sees an iron. 

Erik, I like the long-haired look and you won't be misgendered once you can grow that goatee.  (Sorry.  Not helping, I know.)

More constructively, I think you should go for shorter, rectangular eyeglasses in a metal or black frame when you can.  Something like


Maybe fill in your eyebrow arches, though I really hate to give advice on makeup.

Voice... this is just my opinion, but FtM voice practice doesn't get as much attention as it deserves.  I should start a topic on this, but at 5'5" or taller, almost everyone is capable of masculine resonance if not pitch.  And the male pitch pattern... is so straightforward even a caveman can do it. (Monotone.  It's almost a perfect monotone.)  Those two will make you sound like a teenage boy whose voice hasn't broke yet, confidence then sells it.

I should start a topic on this.

[charlie85]

Just wanting to see if I am passing, I am now 2 and a half months on T!

[Vincent]

I had a very difficult time passing before I began Testosterone. I am 6 months and 15 days on Testosterone. I'm not sure how much I have changed since then or if I pass much better or not (other than my voice has gotten completely passable I know)
Before T:

After T:

Most recent photo:


My puffy lips and chubby face will be the death of me. Also I'm only 5'3'' and have gained quite a bit of weight since starting T.

[Erik Ezrin]

@ Vincent, if your voice is low, you'd pass to me. There were guys at my study who looked more feminine than you do (but they had a deep voice which made clear they weren't women)

@ Charlie, I think you pass. First pic is hard to see, but in the second I see a guy.

Erik, I like the long-haired look and you won't be misgendered once you can grow that goatee.  (Sorry.  Not helping, I know.)

Haha, I know But yeah, I like it myself too. In my dreams I have long hair/dreads and a badass goatee (probably dreads, cause they are easier in upkeep and more awesome), but right now that's out of question. :/
I'm also thinking about experimenting with weird colours, like blue, orange, green, etc. but I'm afraid that it will make me look too 'punk'-ish, and sub sequentially more like a lesbian (some girls thought I was a lesbian already. Which was kinda annoying...), what do you guys think??

More constructively, I think you should go for shorter, rectangular eyeglasses in a metal or black frame when you can.  Something like

I'm not entirely sure about my glasses either, but my mom tried to ship me with super feminine ones, so I'm glad I ended up with a sort-of unisex pair. I cannot get new ones though, unless I want to pay them myself (they paid the first pair, and the rest is for me), so I'll just stick to these for a while.

Maybe fill in your eyebrow arches, though I really hate to give advice on makeup.

That works, yeah. I mostly do it, but I have to hone my crappy makeup skills, lol. I always end up with two different eyebrows!

Voice... this is just my opinion, but FtM voice practice doesn't get as much attention as it deserves.  I should start a topic on this, but at 5'5" or taller, almost everyone is capable of masculine resonance if not pitch.  And the male pitch pattern... is so straightforward even a caveman can do it. (Monotone.  It's almost a perfect monotone.)  Those two will make you sound like a teenage boy whose voice hasn't broke yet, confidence then sells it.

Practising it. When I'm relaxed it sort of works out, but when I'm excited my pitch goes all over the place... ugh! But practise makes perfect!

[SaveMeJeebus]

Starting to look more guyish, eh?

You look so different to when you had dread locks. Pretty spiffy glasses . It sucks to hear how everyone was. I think it is a great idea to find an LGBT group and find a therapist. Good luck.

Dinosaur! What does your t-shirt say? And who is that gorgeous guy on your right? 

Most recent photo:

Sweet, blue hair!

[spacerace]

You see, I cut off my dreads (for lots of reasons, including passing better)

Your short hair looks really good, and you pass well with it. The recommendation for glasses with a smaller frame is a good one.

Just wanting to see if I am passing, I am now 2 and a half months on T!

If your voice has started changing, I bet you pass in person without a problem most of the time.

I had a very difficult time passing before I began Testosterone. I am 6 months and 15 days on Testosterone. I'm not sure how much I have changed since then or if I pass much better or not (other than my voice has gotten completely passable I know)

Your face squared out noticeably - while your face is fuller and you did say you gained weight, I think T did change your facial structure, making you have some of those subtle changes that are hard to describe, and your face definitely passes better than the pre T pic.

[BrotherBen]

Hey guys, I know I don't pass but I didn't want to start a whole new post just to post these pics.

So... Yay! My first binder! Obviously it can only do so much with all 240lbs of me, but still! It feels great

[Shantel]

Hey Ben,
         You look good, like a real cute chunky guy!

[Adam (birkin)]

Guys, looking awesome! And passing for sure.
I don't know about voices though, as those can be make-or-break, as I experienced last week.

You see, I cut off my dreads (for lots of reasons, including passing better), I miss them, but it was the thing that had to be done. Last week I was on university intro. I was too sheepish to introduce myself as a guy (especially because EVERY form says "Miss *birthname*" or something of sorts. ARGH). I have been gendered as male on first sight multiple times, but each time when I came closer or spoke people came back from it and were like "Ohhh, sorry Miss!" (I really wanted to shake them and say "DON'T SAY SORRY! YOU DID IT RIGHT!!!" lol) and especially the girls gave me a "Eww, is that a lesbian" look quite a few times. 'twas pretty unsettling. Which frustrates me most is that I cannot do much about my voice until I get on T, which will take a LONG time. I wish I wasn't such a wimp and would stand up for myself more. I'm seriously thinking about finding an LGBT group (mainly for the T part) and meet fellow transpeople to talk about stuff, and get into therapy to accept myself as a TRUE guy. Not some wannabe, weak, worthless guy.

But anyway, sorry for the rambling. Just had to tell that for a sec. This is how I look now;

Starting to look more guyish, eh?

I miss those epic dreads, lol, but you look good either way.

I mostly responded just to tell you I really feel for you on all you said. I pass most of the time now and I STILL get that exact same feeling. It's hard, and being misgendered makes it harder.