Do we look young for our age?

[true]

I would have to agree with this statement based on what I've experienced myself. I think HRT definitely is a contributing factor. I am 30 now and people usually guess 24-27. 6 months into HRT and I get carded more often now than when I was 27. There might be a genetic component but I am not certain as my brothers express it differently. Both are younger and the middle one looks older than I do (yeah, still involved with my family right now as I have not told them anything and they haven't asked. It isn't for financial reasons or anything but pure cowardice I assure you). This definitely could be something to look into.

[Nikki]

I'm almost 27 and continually shock people with my age. Although I don't get carded much because I tend to be very regular at bars so after the first couple times at a new place I tend to be well known and not carded. Although the funniest one happened last year. I went out and forgot got to put my ID or money in my pocket so I arrived at the door with nothing but keys. I'd known the guy at the door for years so I just explained the situation and promised to pay for this week next week. Walked in went up to the bar and asked the guy for a glass of water. Go figure I got some new guy and he responded "I need to see some ID." *jaw drops* you want ID for a glass of water?!?! "Yes I have to ask for it." Fortunately at this point the wife of the guy that let me in walks up and says he's ok give him his water. Around here you have to be 21 to drink alcohol but 18 and older can go in. Since I was asking for water I can only guess he thought I was under 18. lol

[Laura91]

I have always looked young for my age. Once I started HRT that became even more so than before. It's funny considering that even though I am now just over 30 that I STILL get carded at liquor stores. The last time I was in there, the woman behind the counter said to me "you do not even look old enough to be in here" hehehehehe (although the only reason that I go in there is for my aunt when she does not feel like going in because her hair may be messy or something.  ) I stopped drinking just before I started HRT since mixing alcohol and hormones is a very bad idea.

[lady amarant]

I'm 29, 30 in August. My brother is four years younger than I am, but he always got taken for the oldest, people putting him around 27-28, and usually placing me between 21 and 23.

~Simone.

Posted on: 23 May 2008, 08:31:49As to the idea of not having "grown up" properly as my biological sex ... YEAH. That's for sure.

~Simone.

[annajasmine]

I'm 33 and will be 34 in July with HRT and my weight loss I been told I look a lot younger. When I started to look my age is when I turn 28 that when my body hair and my facial hair started growing more rapidly I use to only shave like once a week. Which I think shaving is horrible for the skin and made me look my age. I can't wait for laser.

Anna

[Melissa]

Yep, this is definitely the case for me both before and after transition.  I think the age gap was even more significant before transition though.  For instance, when I was 26, I was in a musical and played a 16 year old.  It also caused some awkwardness with my ex-wife who was about 9 years older than me, and a lot of people thought I was her child!

Now after transition, I'm currently 30 and I have yet to have anybody guess my age right even though I tell them ahead of time they won't guess right.  I think I've had about 10-15 people try and guess so far (and a couple of them even did it professionally).  Just about everyone guesses I'm in my mid-20's, which works out well since my boyfriend is younger than me, and yet I look younger than him.

[Veerle]

I'm not on estrogen yet, only anti-hormones.

Apparently I don't look old or young for my age. Cause i was at the doctor today, and a girl an I started to talk, I was wondering how old she thought i was (And somewhere I was hoping she guessed it wrong aka younger.) She said: I think you're 22
She was completely right, I became 22 this may 

[cindybc]

Hi Veerle, Well you are still young and I have always believed that this is an asset to anyone planning on undergoing transition. It certainly is not the easiest thing for someone to go through, but when you do and you come out the other end you will still have most of your life left to live as  Veerle, and you will be quite amazed as to the effects HRT will have on your physical body.

Cindy

[feliciahawthorn]

Well, I'll just say I look a lot younger than I am and always win the "Guess Your Age" prize at theme parks. Unfortunately, as a female, I am also much less emotionally mature than I have been as a male. I wrote an article explaining my perspective on this phenomenon.

You can see the article I wrote for GenderEvolve by going to this link:
http://genderevolve.com/features.html

Looking under "Trans Life"

At the article "Lifespan Development and Aging in Transgendered Persons"

[joannatsf]

Well, I'll just say I look a lot younger than I am and always win the "Guess Your Age" prize at theme parks. Unfortunately, as a female, I am also much less emotionally mature than I have been as a male. I wrote an article explaining my perspective on this phenomenon.

You can see the article I wrote for GenderEvolve by going to this link:
http://genderevolve.com/features.html

Looking under "Trans Life"

At the article "Lifespan Development and Aging in Transgendered Persons"

Than you, I enjoyed your article.  I see it more from a social psychology perspective.  A large part of the reasons for my presentation are based in impression management.  By causing people to believe things about me by the use of costumes and props I can exercise a level of control over there reactive behaviors towards me.  I believe passing is the result of visual cues, the combined weight of which define gender in the minds of others.  Being read when reality fails to meet the viewers expectations (age, dress, mae-up, etc.) creating a state of psychic disequilibrium. (cognitive dissonance).

While I would love to have been a beautiful young woman but my transition came long after I could successfully play the ingenue.  A stylish and somewhat hip middle-aged woman is my reality and that's the role I assume.  Because of my experience I'm acutely aware of the linear and finite nature of my lifetime.  I can't relive my youth.

[Just Mandy]

Well, I'll just say I look a lot younger than I am and always win the "Guess Your Age" prize at theme parks. Unfortunately, as a female, I am also much less emotionally mature than I have been as a male. I wrote an article explaining my perspective on this phenomenon.

You can see the article I wrote for GenderEvolve by going to this link:
http://genderevolve.com/features.html

Looking under "Trans Life"

At the article "Lifespan Development and Aging in Transgendered Persons"

That is a great article and sums up what I feel... a rush to cram about 40 years in the next 20. I've not seen
that web site before... looks like a lot of good things to read. Thanks for sharing that Felicia.

I think Cindy Jackson is an inspiration for anyone older than 40... she is mid fifties and looks
maybe 30-35. And she started out average looking and now after a lot of work is beautiful
in my opinion.

http://www.cindyjackson.com/photo_album.php

Amanda

[cindybc]

"Wow!!" She is a very pretty woman for being in her fifties, I would never have guessed it. She's been all over the place and been with all kinds of celebrities, I believe that achieved much in her life and should be an inspiration to us.

Well I ain't done traveling yet. Y'awll have a wonderful day, may God bless.

Cindy

[feliciahawthorn]

Well, I'll just say I look a lot younger than I am and always win the "Guess Your Age" prize at theme parks. Unfortunately, as a female, I am also much less emotionally mature than I have been as a male. I wrote an article explaining my perspective on this phenomenon.

You can see the article I wrote for GenderEvolve by going to this link:
http://genderevolve.com/features.html

Looking under "Trans Life"

At the article "Lifespan Development and Aging in Transgendered Persons"

Than you, I enjoyed your article.  I see it more from a social psychology perspective.  A large part of the reasons for my presentation are based in impression management.  By causing people to believe things about me by the use of costumes and props I can exercise a level of control over there reactive behaviors towards me.  I believe passing is the result of visual cues, the combined weight of which define gender in the minds of others.  Being read when reality fails to meet the viewers expectations (age, dress, mae-up, etc.) creating a state of psychic disequilibrium. (cognitive dissonance).

While I would love to have been a beautiful young woman but my transition came long after I could successfully play the ingenue.  A stylish and somewhat hip middle-aged woman is my reality and that's the role I assume.  Because of my experience I'm acutely aware of the linear and finite nature of my lifetime.  I can't relive my youth.

Thanks Claire, you make a number of excellent points. I agree that we can't relive our youth but also have to make the best of what we have left. Take care.

Posted on: May 26, 2008, 12:42:39 AM

Well, I'll just say I look a lot younger than I am and always win the "Guess Your Age" prize at theme parks. Unfortunately, as a female, I am also much less emotionally mature than I have been as a male. I wrote an article explaining my perspective on this phenomenon.

You can see the article I wrote for GenderEvolve by going to this link:
http://genderevolve.com/features.html

Looking under "Trans Life"

At the article "Lifespan Development and Aging in Transgendered Persons"

That is a great article and sums up what I feel... a rush to cram about 40 years in the next 20. I've not seen
that web site before... looks like a lot of good things to read. Thanks for sharing that Felicia.

I think Cindy Jackson is an inspiration for anyone older than 40... she is mid fifties and looks
maybe 30-35. And she started out average looking and now after a lot of work is beautiful
in my opinion.

http://www.cindyjackson.com/photo_album.php

Amanda

Thank you Amanda. Actually the GenderEvolve site has gone dormant over the last six months or so. It would be nice to get some new blood into the organization if you or any of the others here would be interested in joining.

I think Cindy Jackson is pretty incredible too and an indication that life does not end at 50. Take care.

[Eva Marie]

"Wow!!" She is a very pretty woman for being in her fifties, I would never have guessed it. She's been all over the place and been with all kinds of celebrities, I believe that achieved much in her life and should be an inspiration to us.

Well I ain't done traveling yet. Y'awll have a wonderful day, may God bless.

Cindy

Yeah, I shared that link with the wife. She could not believe that she could look so hot at her age LOL... but the fact that she has it going on is pretty cool....

[Just Mandy]

Cindy Jackson shows me that none of us needs to look our age and it's not too late in your
forties and fifties to be the cute, vibrant, attractive women you should have been in your twenties and
thirties.  If you take care of your skin and body and don't give up on yourself you can look like you
feel young probably into your sixties or further. I know several women in their 50's that
are as hot and young looking as they were when they were 25. They exercise, take care of
their skin, eat right, wear young trendy hair styles and you could never guess they were 50 plus.

I really think SO many men and women stop caring about life around 40 as the first signs
of aging start to show and with just a little effort it can be delayed or prevented.

Amanda

[Kate]

"Wow!!" She is a very pretty woman for being in her fifties, I would never have guessed it. She's been all over the place and been with all kinds of celebrities, I believe that achieved much in her life and should be an inspiration to us.

Awl, not to be a party-pooper and all, but I've always thought she was one of those people forever chasing something she should have found WITHIN, rather than through an accumulation of "trophies" and surgeries. I see her more as a "don't let this happen to you!" *warning* than an inspiration for me, lol.

Not that I don't want to be pretty and all, but... well, if you took away all her trophy people and trophy encounters and trophy looks... what's she got left?

Or maybe I'm just jealous

~Kate~

[Just Mandy]

Awl, not to be a party-pooper and all, but I've always thought she was one of those people forever chasing something she should have found WITHIN, rather than through an accumulation of "trophies" and surgeries. I see her more as a "don't let this happen to you!" *warning* than an inspiration for me, lol.

Not that I don't want to be pretty and all, but... well, if you took away all her trophy people and trophy encounters and trophy looks... what's she got left?

Or maybe I'm just jealous 

~Kate~

Kate you are so grounded... so real... so comfortable with who you are... lol... I'm SO jealous of you.

Me? I just want to be pretty and shallow... I'll take trophy looks any day over what's inside. LOL. Because
what's inside is OK, it's the outside that's the problem.

LOL... but I get your point... but it seems we are all chasing that perfect exterior... it's just some of us are
willing to go to extreme measures to achieve it. And some of us need those extreme measures... opposed to you
Kate, you are so lucky in that regard.

Amanda

[cindybc]

Hi Kate hon, as for her *Cindy whatever her last name was,* looking 20 years younger, who wouldn't envy her, but to have a successful career which I did at one time nothing as grand as this lady but I felt pretty good about myself and my accomplishments working as a social worker. I am once again working on rebuilding myself to that position. I was also thinking about the traveling this kid *Cindy* has done, I traveled a lot when I was younger and I enjoyed it, and certainly don't regret any of that part of my life.

But surgery? I am not interested. I believe one surgery in my life time is quite enough for me. I never got FFS, I'm just happy with what results I got from HRT. I am not the prettiest looking mature female, but hey, I am 62 years old, "What the Hell!!!" I ain't never going to be a beauty queen. But hen I ain't dead yet either, nor am I about to give up the ghost any time soon. I love and enjoy life to it's fullest. I don't realy know what tomorrow will bring, but I pray it's all good. Just as you are in my prayers everyday Kate sweets.

I have some realy nice photo's of the Vancouver sky line and Stanley Park along with a couple of photo's of me and Wing Walker. You can find them in the Entertainment section,  *A photo sharing thread* Thanks for help from mods.

Cindy

[Krystal]

I think a lot of us do look young for our age. I know I do at 39 I still get carded  every time I buy wine and have had folks ask me what  I am majoring in in college. LOL  When asked how I stay so young looking I just smile and tell them I get lots of beauty sleep. I don't know if thats why but I do love my sleep.

[amberwish]

I don't know if I look younger but I sure feel a heeluva lot younger.  And that is what counts isn't it?  I start hormones June 10th.
Amber