Damn Legs...

[aydan_boy]

Hey guys! Need some help for a small but troubling dilemma...

Im practically a board for my top half, due to my almost (man)anorexic tendencies, but i have fat, curvy legs. I pass as a guy which is good, no one seems to notice, but maybe its cuz im always wearing pants 5 sizes too large? I'm into the whole baggy jean thing, but where i live it can get reeeeaaaallllly ->-bleeped-<-tin hot. Should i even contemplate wearing shorter pants? I've never seen a guy with chubby legs, but a muscular top half. Thats more of a chick body type... In my neighborhood, only a couple of people know about me, and im hoping it will stay that way. So, does weird body type= not a guy, in most peoples eyes?

[Ender]

How 'bout long baggy shorts, the kind that come down to your knees.  That should help hide the curves, as they usually happen on the upper part of the leg.

[Lachlann]

How 'bout long baggy shorts, the kind that come down to your knees.  That should help hide the curves, as they usually happen on the upper part of the leg.

That could work. Besides, unless you're a chick, longer shorts seem to be more in fashion anyway.

[kyril]

Yeah, North American guys under 30 typically never wear shorts that end more than an inch or so above the knee in public unless they are (a) a Marine or a Navy Seal, (b) in an athletic team uniform, or (c) openly gay and trying to flaunt their cute butt. If you're from somewhere else, the fashions might be different, but I'm sure longer shorts are still at least an accepted option (else all the young American expats would throw a fit - they feel naked if their thighs show).

As far as looks, loose knee-length shorts work just fine. There are differences between men's and women's calf musculature, but not really more so than our forearms and necks, and we show those all the time and pass.

[Lachlann]

There are differences between men's and women's calf musculature, but not really more so than our forearms and necks, and we show those all the time and pass.

Even then, it's the same muscles.

[kyril]

Yeah, they're the same muscles, but they do look a bit different though (specifically, women's calf muscle seems to extend proportionately lower than men's - this can cause some issues in things like ski boot fitting).

[Nicky]

I don't think people will notice, especially if you have some leg hair going on. I think the long baggy shorts is a good idea.

Plenty of guys have weird bodies, I think it just makes them seem more like guys. Women go to a lot of trouble hiding that kind of thing, guys seem to just let it out.

[Lachlann]

Yeah, they're the same muscles, but they do look a bit different though (specifically, women's calf muscle seems to extend proportionately lower than men's - this can cause some issues in things like ski boot fitting).

Yeah, I've not seen this during my anatomy studies.

A man's calf might be more developed due to testosterone but they are not higher up than a woman's. They're about the same.

[Ender]

Yeah, they're the same muscles, but they do look a bit different though (specifically, women's calf muscle seems to extend proportionately lower than men's - this can cause some issues in things like ski boot fitting).

Actually, I've noticed that this does happen--except, rather than being an exclusively female trait, it happens to anybody (male or female) with short legs.  I tend to people-watch a lot; I focus on anatomy (art background).  The shorter a person is, the shorter the distance between the ankle and the beginning of the calf muscle.  It doesn't seem to be a case of the calf muscle being positioned lower on the tibia/fibia, but of the tibia/fibia being shorter overall.

Interestingly, it seems that muscle size doesn't necessarily scale to limb size--hence why it's easier to build muscle bulk on short limbs, whereas people with very long limbs may have a harder time achieving bulk (the muscle is stretched over a longer distance), even if they are lifting the same amount as their short-limbed compadres.

Having a short ankle-to-calf distance may seem to happen more to women, but they are generally shorter than men.  Take a look at the legs of a short guy--the distance between their calves and ankles will be quite short as well.

To the OP: I wouldn't worry about any of this in regards to passing.  Letting your leg hair grow would be my only recommendation.

[Dante]

If you don't want to wear pants, go with baggy cargo shorts. Works the same as a baggy pair of jeans but less hot. Only difference is if you have really girly-type lower legs. I think the biggest concern there is the lack of hair on your legs if you're pre-T.

[aydan_boy]

Thank u pplz so much! I'm pre T though so the hair on my legs is pretty fine...but what the hell. Its better than getting another repeat on last summer. Heat stroke. Blegh.
Is it possible to dye leg hair? I've never heard of someone doing this to make it darker

[Lachlann]

Thank u pplz so much! I'm pre T though so the hair on my legs is pretty fine...but what the hell. Its better than getting another repeat on last summer. Heat stroke. Blegh.
Is it possible to dye leg hair? I've never heard of someone doing this to make it darker

Don't worry about it, there are guys who have fine hair. My brother-in-law had fine hair body hair all over his body.

[GnomeKid]

That could work. Besides, unless you're a chick, longer shorts seem to be more in fashion anyway.

gotta butt in and say when I see long shorts on a someone with the body type you've described I instantly jump to butch lesbian.  Being entirely stereotypical here [because honestly our society is] I'd avoid wearing dickies[*cough* dykies] or cargo shorts.

[Lachlann]

gotta butt in and say when I see long shorts on a someone with the body type you've described I instantly jump to butch lesbian.  Being entirely stereotypical here [because honestly our society is] I'd avoid wearing dickies[*cough* dykies] or cargo shorts.

I honestly don't because I know plenty of straight girls who wear the same kind of shorts because they find them comfortable and no one else thought otherwise. Looking at Aydan's pictures in another thread, he wouldn't even come across as a butch lesbian, maybe a tomboy at the most.

And if their shirt in those pictures is a reflection of where they live, then I see no problem. Toronto has diverse population, a straight guy could wear women's jeans and still be read as straight for instance.

[Ender]

Don't worry about it, there are guys who have fine hair. My brother-in-law had fine hair body hair all over his body.

I concur.  My comment was more meant as: if you have leg hair that's visible, let it grow 'cuz it may help.  If it's blond and not visible, don't worry too much.  It's still not a deal-breaker, particularly if you look like a young teen male (as many of us do).  A lot of them (and full-grown guys) don't have particularly visible leg hair.

gotta butt in and say when I see long shorts on a someone with the body type you've described I instantly jump to butch lesbian.  Being entirely stereotypical here [because honestly our society is] I'd avoid wearing dickies[*cough* dykies] or cargo shorts.

True, but... any female-bodied person wearing mens clothes of any kind will potentially be thought of as a lesbian.  Until a guy is passing 100%, it kinda just goes with the territory, unfortunately.

And Aydan, from the pics you posted, you look like a pretty convincing teenage male (young, 15-ish), even with the long hair. 

[aydan_boy]

I'm really trying not to come across as a butch lesbian, but i might as well try out a pair of cargo shorts or something. Im on vacation in India in a few weeks, and i'm going to need them. Maybe just a pair of extremely shredded jeans or something.

I find it typical that im the least hairiest out of my family, even compared to most of the women...its like god/whoever just decided to give me a bit more ->-bleeped-<- to work on.
But T will work that out, right? Anyone know the age limit to start T?

Ender: Thanks bout that! Thats actually a year older than i am, which is a slight but good sign 

[Lachlann]

But T will work that out, right? Anyone know the age limit to start T?

18 to take it without parental consent.

[aydan_boy]

18?  yipes. I dont think i can wait that long, which is kinda selfish. How bout with parental consent?

[Lachlann]

18?  yipes. I dont think i can wait that long, which is kinda selfish. How bout with parental consent?

I'm fairly certain that as long as you've started puberty they can give you hormones. Though they'll probably put you on blockers if it's early on or before puberty.

[aydan_boy]

hell ya! Thanks Lachlann. Looks like i'll be havin a little talk to my parental unit.