How long will I be able to continue to pass for (without hormones)?

[Harry_1]

I'm 17 and a trans guy. I pass roughly 70% of the time, I'd say, when I'm binding. Through various things people have said (e.g. some guy once told me I must have a couple of years until I do my GCSEs, when I did them last year, etc), I've worked out that the reason I pass is because people assume I'm about 13, and pre-pubescent. I've recently been worrying about how long I'll be able to maintain this. Because, while I won't develop any further than I already have, I assume I'll start to look older. And it's quite hard to imagine passing as a 13 year old when I'm, say, 25.

I'm currently not persueing medical transition (for complicated reasons), but even if I was to begin to persuade it now, it'd be at least 4 years before I could begin it, due to waiting lists. So essentially I'm concerned that I'm coming to the end of the period of my life in which I can successfully pass. I'm wondering if anyone has any idea whether there's any chance that I will continue to be read as a pre-pubescent boy into my 20s? Also, have any trans guys on here managed to pass as a post-puberty guy, pre-hormones?

[Britt116]

From what I've learned, there is not right time to transition. There are people who have transitioned a lot later or earlier in life. While the people who transition at a younger age tend to pass better, it doesn't mean that you wont be able to pass later on. Hormones to FTM work wonders... anyone with a beard and deeper voice will pass no matter how feminine they are.

[TransAm]

I will say right off the bat that, at seventeen, you definitely will develop further. That isn't meant to be discouraging but it's the reality of the situation. The changes will be a lot more subtle and less jarring than they were in the throes of the initial onset of puberty, but they'll still occur and they'll occur in the direction of your body's hormone output. Hip spreading would be one of those changes that happens with age beyond your teenage years.

The one huge benefit that women usually have is that their faces tend to remain youthful in appearance a lot longer than men's (IE: a 25 year old female might still 'pass' for a teen, but a 25 year old male may already look 40+) so you may continue to pass as a very young male for a while yet. The issue with that would be job searching and the like, obviously. In the streets, though? It could work.

As for your other question, some guys manage to pass after puberty and pre-t. Typically not 100% of the time--voice and breasts being the two biggest culprits--but a decent percentage, at least.

[Harry_1]

From what I've learned, there is not right time to transition. There are people who have transitioned a lot later or earlier in life. While the people who transition at a younger age tend to pass better, it doesn't mean that you wont be able to pass later on. Hormones to FTM work wonders... anyone with a beard and deeper voice will pass no matter how feminine they are.

Thanks for your reassurance  What I actually meant was, is there a chance I'll continue to pass if I don't take hormones. But thanks anyway

[Harry_1]

I will say right off the bat that, at seventeen, you definitely will develop further. That isn't meant to be discouraging but it's the reality of the situation. The changes will be a lot more subtle and less jarring than they were in the throes of the initial onset of puberty, but they'll still occur and they'll occur in the direction of your body's hormone output. Hip spreading would be one of those changes that happens with age beyond your teenage years.

The one huge benefit that women usually have is that their faces tend to remain youthful in appearance a lot longer than men's (IE: a 25 year old female might still 'pass' for a teen, but a 25 year old male may already look 40+) so you may continue to pass as a very young male for a while yet. The issue with that would be job searching and the like, obviously. In the streets, though? It could work.

As for your other question, some guys manage to pass after puberty and pre-t. Typically not 100% of the time--voice and breasts being the two biggest culprits--but a decent percentage, at least.

Ah, thanks. Oops, should've considered that. Thanks, that's great Thank for your help!

[kk]

Hi! I'm 24, no HRT, and I tend to pass a lot of the time even when I'm not binding. I wear men's clothes and act very mannish (I've always been "overly masculine" long before figuring out I'm trans, so it's very natural to me). People tend to think I'm a teenage boy most of the time. I am very butch though and not femme at all; more feminine guys may have a harder time passing. There's nothing wrong with being a femme guy, just that it might make passing more difficult depending on where you're from. I've seen/heard about people using makeup to look more masculine but haven't tried it myself. Don't know if that would work for you.

I'm from a small redneck town and the "guy uniform" tends to be plaid flannel, jeans, trucker hat and boots. I wear them most days and pass with strangers. Guys around here also have a certain way of talking that I picked up from my dad and brothers and that helps too. People who knew me when I was a kid are slowly starting to figure out I'm not a sweet little country girl like they thought, lol.

[Kylo]

As someone in their 30s who only just stopped being carded for drinks and razors, I'll say there will come a point at which your age will begin to show through and then you'll stand out to people. They'll note your youthful face if you have that look, but its undertones of age as well and they will tend to point it out (sometimes with zero tact).

Looking younger than you are can come with its own set of drawbacks. Being treated as a teenaged boy will have people assuming you don't know much about the world, or perhaps have them wondering about your competence and experience. That does not tend to happen with a beard or evidence of stubble. Depends on for how long you mind or don't mind being assumed to be young. If you enjoy it, you may get some mileage out of it. If it becomes tiresome, you are going to require hormones to finish the job. Trust me, being in your late thirties and having people think you're a clueless young bozo when you aren't does get old.

[Harry_1]

Hi! I'm 24, no HRT, and I tend to pass a lot of the time even when I'm not binding. I wear men's clothes and act very mannish (I've always been "overly masculine" long before figuring out I'm trans, so it's very natural to me). People tend to think I'm a teenage boy most of the time. I am very butch though and not femme at all; more feminine guys may have a harder time passing. There's nothing wrong with being a femme guy, just that it might make passing more difficult depending on where you're from. I've seen/heard about people using makeup to look more masculine but haven't tried it myself. Don't know if that would work for you.

I'm from a small redneck town and the "guy uniform" tends to be plaid flannel, jeans, trucker hat and boots. I wear them most days and pass with strangers. Guys around here also have a certain way of talking that I picked up from my dad and brothers and that helps too. People who knew me when I was a kid are slowly starting to figure out I'm not a sweet little country girl like they thought, lol.

Thanks, that's really reassuring I don't think I've picked up the way of talking part yet, but that will probably come with time have a good day!

[Harry_1]

As someone in their 30s who only just stopped being carded for drinks and razors, I'll say there will come a point at which your age will begin to show through and then you'll stand out to people. They'll note your youthful face if you have that look, but its undertones of age as well and they will tend to point it out (sometimes with zero tact).

Looking younger than you are can come with its own set of drawbacks. Being treated as a teenaged boy will have people assuming you don't know much about the world, or perhaps have them wondering about your competence and experience. That does not tend to happen with a beard or evidence of stubble. Depends on for how long you mind or don't mind being assumed to be young. If you enjoy it, you may get some mileage out of it. If it becomes tiresome, you are going to require hormones to finish the job. Trust me, being in your late thirties and having people think you're a clueless young bozo when you aren't does get old.

Ah, ok. That's sort of what I imagined. And yeah, I'm finding being mistaken for really young very annoying already, so I'm sure I'll be absolutely sick to death of it by the time I'm in my 30s haha. Thank you