Girls checking me out in a different way...

[JessicaSondelli]

I started to notice a different behavior in women since I started presenting female. I wonder if others noticed that too.... I tend to check the eyes of people (men and women) who pass me and I've noticed that most women, look me in the eyes, smile and then - especially when I'm wearing a skirt or shorts - their view goes down my legs to my feet.

I never ever noticed this behavior while presenting male.

Hugs
Jessica

[Virginia Hall]

Agreed. Women look at each other and smile--the international women's hello.

[Rachel]

Woman now look me in the eye and smile with a sometimes good morning. Yes, I have had the foot check and occasional question of where I purchased (that happened just yesterday).

[Stephenie S]

I get the same.
If they look at your feet it's to see what your taste in footwear is.
I tend to wear pretty basic shoes so I probably read as conservative.

[SidneyAldaine]

Have anyone noticed this before transitioning? I have quite a few experiences like this but it always ends up awkward because I'm not transitioning or anything. It is awkward only after girls notice their behaviour. It's strange, like some unspoken law of understanding or something.

[Christina308]

I've noticed this behavior as well as seemingly long pauses, like i'm supposed to say something? I'm only two months into a full transition cocktail, and my dress is fairly androgynous with a few feminine highlights. I thought that the cause was that my gender may be less obvious, as a result of HRT. Maybe it's just a female thing i never noticed before? It's kind of nice though.....

[JessicaSondelli]

I get the same.
If they look at your feet it's to see what your taste in footwear is.
I tend to wear pretty basic shoes so I probably read as conservative.

I think you're totally right. I live in Florida so I'm mostly wearing open-toe shoes and it's strange but I feel I have to have my toenails painted or I feel totally naked. It must be the estrogen flowing through my body.... lol

[barbie]

Yes. You will notice different reactions from women.
The physical distance between me and women became very close, and they touch me easily.
Some of them even grasp my hands when asking the way. Women no longer fear you.
Both men and women will look you in eyes for longer time: this is what women have experienced every day since they were a little girl. Bot men and women watch girls and women, but no so much boys and men.

barbie~~

[kaitylynn]

There are different sorts of glancing look-overs too that I have started to recognize.  There is the 'checking me out' and then there is a "CHECKING me out!" glance.  More of an energy I guess, but you can see it in the eyes.  I have also come to see more that men tend to communicate their state of mind through posture and women in more subtle facial expressions. 

[Sophia Sage]

Yes. You will notice different reactions from women.
The physical distance between me and women became very close, and they touch me easily.
Some of them even grasp my hands when asking the way. Women no longer fear you.
Both men and women will look you in eyes for longer time: this is what women have experienced every day since they were a little girl. Bot men and women watch girls and women, but no so much boys and men.

barbie~~

This.

Sometimes there are compliments.  "Oh, I love your earrings!"  Or a top, a hairstyle, even those shoes.  It's always about something that we picked out -- a choice.  When men give uninvited "compliments" it's always about how "pretty" or "beautiful" or "lovely" you are -- if, indeed, you're pretty, otherwise there's none of this.

[DawnOday]

If you get wolf whistles along with the stares, when you pass a construction site. Just remember if you were a coconut with fiber on top you would get the same looks and whistles. Horndogs will be horndogs.

[EmilyAlyssa]

Just starting out, but now I have another thing on my list to hope for...that sort of interaction...being treated like one of the girls! Thank you for this observation. Pretty nifty.

Alyssa

[Debra]

Yep the smile is a thing. Girls don't really smile at guys (for fear that we'll attract the wrong kind of attention) but we do smile at girls. It's kinda funny.

[Kylo]

It's a shame, after being largely ostracized most of my life, I finally find people willing to be friendly to me... and now I must go on male hormones and get the dagger-eyes of a different sort, I suppose.

Well, if people are going to fear me, they'll at least bother me less. I hope.

[Vervain]

That's definitely an acceptance as one of the girls. Women, I've noticed, smile at each other, and sometimes compliment each other. When walking around out and about, I always smile at other women, and if one is sporting a particularly cool dye job or a nice outfit, I will compliment her on it. Women feel much safer with each other than with men, because there are too many cis men who expect something in return if they make a compliment -- and I mean something more than just, "Thanks!" Cis guys can be pretty sleazy. (Not all, certainly, but enough that women have to make threat analyses with interactions. Yes, it's messed up.)

[PrincessCrystal]

I have to have my toenails painted or I feel totally naked.

I know exactly what you mean: I think it has to do with the feminizing aspect of painting toenails...