Pre-op sisters: Public swimming

[Urban Christina]

Suppose your best friend asks you to go with him to a local blue hole (popular river/in-ground cave for swimming) sometime this summer. It's not the trustworthy friend you're worried about but you're a little nervous about anyone and even him being there to see all of you even that he says nobody would be there at 8am. What would you do?

[enigmaticrorschach]

i wouldnt go with the person if they arent trustworthy. they might end up causing a scene that could land you into a disastrous mess

[Urban Christina]

i wouldnt go with the person if they arent trustworthy. they might end up causing a scene that could land you into a disastrous mess

Thank you but I did mention that I'm not worried about the FRIEND. I've known him for over 10 years, he doesn't give a ->-bleeped-<- what others think and always stands up for me- that's what I like about him. But it's about being seen. I swam my whole life but never have as a pre-op woman yet.

[enigmaticrorschach]

oh, well thats something different. idk actually. i'm forced to take the summer off from the water which is killing me. have you tried wearing swimming shorts and a shirt for now? i'd say just test the waters a bit until you get more comfortable.

[suzifrommd]

Be proud of who you are. You have just as much right to that swimming hole as anyone else who would be there that morning. If they clock you, hold your head high. You are trans. That doesn't mean you're not human. Show them the face of transgender is competent and proud. Don't let the possibility of being clocked keep you from living your life.

[Lady_Oracle]

I wear a swim dress and it covers my bottom half really well so I don't even have to tuck at all. Swim dresses are expensive but you might find one in a thrift store for cheap.

[iKate]

Swim skirt but I can tuck with a 2 piece fairly well.

[LeaP]

Limiting myself to your actual question ... what would I do? ...

I wouldn't.  Period.  My issues proceed from my own discomfort with my body, not someone else's discomfort with my body. 

[Teela Renee]

if your worried about downstairs showing in wet cloths, when I go swimming, I go in really baggy guy swimming trunks and a bikini top,  its a popular beach look for women where I live, so it works well to hide the unwelcome body parts.

[Urban Christina]

Thanks all.

[Sabrina]

I wouldn't go at all. While I'm comfortable walking around in skirts with or without makeup, I'm nowhere near ready for swimming in public even with my friends. My advice is to be vigilant. But having the right bathing suit might make things easier to deal with.

[marsh monster]

I've been to public beaches and the national seashore near me wearing a two piece, but it had a skirted bottom. No one attacked me or laughed that I'm aware of.

[Shawn Sunshine]

I know theres some cute tank top and tank bottoms that barely resemble what men wear to swim in, but I saw them at a few stores, they have this extra fluffy thing in front to help hide anything. Also maybe a wetsuit would work as long as it was not tight fitting in that area.

[Sapphire87]

I went swimming last year in just a regular 2 piece bikini no frills or anything. That was only 8 months after i had started to transition, 3 months into HRT. I had no problems at the beach with just a regular tuck, no tape. No body is really looking down there to begin with and unless you're legs are wide spread out no body is really going to see anything anyway.
I was even in Mexico for a week at New Years, so in bathing suit practically all the time, no issues had at all.

[Laura_7]

if your worried about downstairs showing in wet cloths, when I go swimming, I go in really baggy guy swimming trunks and a bikini top,  its a popular beach look for women where I live, so it works well to hide the unwelcome body parts.

I think that style looks good.
A possibility would be another bikini bottom underneath the trunks.


hugs

[kariann330]

You can always take a page from my sister's playbook which seems to work for her. Since having a baby she has had parts that she isn't comfortable showing off in a bathing suit so she will wear a slimming one piece, and a matching pair of running/basketball shorts. She has even suggested the combination to me and said that if I want  to ensure that things stay hidden, hop in the shower with the bathing suit and shorts on so if they cling to anything, it will happen at home, not out in public

[iKate]

I wear a swim dress and it covers my bottom half really well so I don't even have to tuck at all. Swim dresses are expensive but you might find one in a thrift store for cheap.

I've seen them on Amazon for around $30.