How important is packing to you?

[Joe.]

I'm curious as to how important packing is to people. I understand it's a sensitive topic which some people may not feel comfortable talking about publicly therefore I have decided to make a poll so people can vote anonymously if they wish. If you would like to explain your answer please do so.

I want to stress that you don't have to pack in order to contribute to this thread. If you are unable to pack at the moment for any reason then please base your vote on if you could pack and how important it would be to you if you could. For example, I can't pack at the moment but when I can it will be quite an important thing for me.

[spacerace]

I don't pack and doubt I ever will. Mostly because of anxiety - I would worry about the position of it constantly, and I know that every day I put it in I would obsess over it trying to get the bulge to look natural.

[Tossu-sama]

When I was pre-op packing was quite important to me along with binding. Kinda gave me that little extra confidence in myself to make me believe that I actually appear like a guy to other people. A very young guy but male nonetheless.

Now that I've had my top surgery done I've been thinking to test the durability of my confidence and not wear a packer in the public. So far I haven't gotten to it yet... I think it's because I once forgot (yes, I'm serious) to wear it when I a quickly went to get some groceries and got stressed out like no tomorrow, thinking everyone will magically get x-ray vision and see what I have and don't have in my pants. @_@

[King Malachite]

Joey thank you for being so inclusive.  I really appreciate that. 

I'm unable to pack in public due to living as a female right now, but when I do transition, I doubt I will pack in public anyways.  It's just too much red tape to deal with trying to get it in the right position and making sure it doesn't fall out etc.  That's too much stress for me on top of other trans-related and life issues.

Now when I'm at home, I pack on occasion because I like to feel the buldge in my pants and oftentimes my bottom dysphoria can flare up.  For me, I think it's important to keep a packer.  I don't use it daily, but when I need it, boy am I glad it's there.  Before I had a packer, I had to use other items to act like a packer and let me tell you, having an actual packer is better than packing a rubber chicken.

So yeah I voted average.

[Joe.]

Thanks for the votes and responses guys. I'm in a similar position where I want to pack to give me confidence and just have a bulge down there. I also worry about it falling out and people thinking wtf? I was gonna give socks a go since I can't get a packer yet but that worries me even more about them falling out.

Joey thank you for being so inclusive.  I really appreciate that. 

No worries mate. Treat people how you want to be treated, that's the motto I live by

[Simon]

I never pack. It's just an inconvenience for me that I don't need. I wear baggy cargo shorts most of the year so visually there would be no difference either way with the way the zippers lay on those types of shorts. I understand guys who do it because it helps them deal with dysphoria but if anyone is just doing it for society there really isn't a point, imo.

[DriftingCrow]

I voted "i just want to see the results".

I don't pack now, and probably won't after hearing Simon's and a few other guys stories on packing. If I did pack, it would probably only be at home. I don't know how important it would be to me, how much I'd savoir the time I packed art home, our if it wouldn't do anything for me.I do like the tought of packing, I'd love something to be there.

[yaka]

It's a love-hate thing because while I enjoy having a cock and balls down there to shuffle around/play with, it's also a salient reminder of what I don't have.

[Arch]

I understand guys who do it because it helps them deal with dysphoria but if anyone is just doing it for society there really isn't a point, imo.

...unless you tend to frequent gay spaces...

[CursedFireDean]

I mostly do it for dysphoria.
Plus, once I'm passing as male all the time, while I don't want to have an obscene bulge or anything, people are going to assume I have a dick so if I've got it positioned a little wrong and you can see there's a dick there, it's really no problem to me. I'm sure cisguys have positioning issues sometimes too. I'll go fix it for sure, but it won't cause me much anxiety.

[mangoslayer]

Well i'm posted but I answered for when I was pre op. It was super important, i packed 24/7.

[Kreuzfidel]

I would pack more often if I could find a decent harness - right now I just use a home-made one and it hurts because it digs into my hips and rubs the "wrong spots". 

[Liam]

I pack whenever I can and I sort of attach a lot of meaning to my packer. Feeling it in my underwear means a lot to me, that there's something there and I feel like it's part of me.

[ZombieDog]

I don't pack often because my harness is uncomfortable and I worry that it's in the wrong spot and looks weird.  I wear it more around my house and almost never when I go out.

[aleon515]

I like to pack but I react to the packer even if the packer isn't touching me (i.e. in a sock). Might be more of a heat reaction, as I got a test for silicone (most packers aren't made of this). I have a prosthetic and can't really use it due to that. Being on T has helped my lower dysphoria some.

--Jay

[Frank]

I pack all the time with the small Limpy that everyone seems to have a problem with and it works fine. I've gotten used to it so I would feel naked without it but I also work with men or am otherwise around them and they like to hit and touch so having it is basically necessary. I'm already terrified as it is of someone hitting me in the chest and feeling...things.

Also, to anyone having a problem with positioning but would like to pack, try tranzwear. I haven't actually bought from them but I borrowed the idea and sewed my own pouch to underwear. No skin irritation, no pube grabbing and no packer falling out issues! :p

[Adam (birkin)]

It is important to me, but there are times where I've had to forego it because it's been too hot outside.

[Nygeel]

Not that important. I pack when I leave the house and remember to do it.

[Gene]

Not at all important. I don't feel the need to have a bulge in my pants as a testament to my manhood, and I have been told stories from other guys in my support group about leaks and the increased risk of UTIs.

[Arch]

Not at all important. I don't feel the need to have a bulge in my pants as a testament to my manhood, and I have been told stories from other guys in my support group about leaks and the increased risk of UTIs.

I think they're pulling your leg. Unless you pack with a homemade device with hair gel or something similar (or rice--one of the guys had a very funny story about that), you shouldn't need to worry about leaks. The UTI concern seems very remote as well, although I should point out that I'm not a medical professional. But it seems to me that even if the packer is right next to your skin, you shouldn't have a problem unless maybe you never clean the packer. (And that's just, to put it in an adolescent way, ewww...)