Susan's Place Transgender Resources

I have an awkward question to ask about showing your breasts while transitioning  and on hormones...

When should you start covering them up instead of exposing them as you could when you were a guy before?

I have very sore nipples and I can start seeing the formation of breast tissue after only two months now... I've been wearing a bra and covering up for the sake of ... well... being a woman.

But technically, am I still able to take my top off in public if my breast buds are just beginning?

I wonder?...

This reminds me of the time that I went to a public pool years ago. My breasts were very small but noticable, especially with a wet t-shirt on. And that's what I wore, a t-shift and some shorts. I was still presenting as male.

I think if there's any definition, even if they look like man breasts that some men have when they're overweight, etc, you shouldn't be exposing them. I wore a t-shirt, had no bra on, and felt uncomfortable because I kept getting these looks from people like, "what is going on here?", lol. After I got in the pool and came out, I had to insert my hands through the sleeve to cover my breasts because it was obvious I had some growth. Awkward experience let me tell you.

Dazzler

If you aren't overweight, they will look like breast tissue no matter they size, so it is better to cover them up. For me, when I had just the tiny buds, my nipple were already fairly different and really not male.

It depends on your tanner stage I think... But in reality, it depends on your comfort level and how your self-conscious is effected by it. I'm probably at  your stage too. Mine bounce whenever I jump but they don't quite fill an A yet. I'm at that point, for me anyways, where they don't look like female breasts, but I still don't want people to see my "moobs" (I am not overweight at all.. 5'5"ish 135 lbs). That is really just a "I don't like this aesthetically" thing, though. Shoot.. I have become more self aware about raising my arms because I don't really want ppl commenting on them!!

But to answer your question.. yes I think you are probably allowed to take your top off after only 2 months of HRT... unless you are just using every picogram of estrogen that you put into your body.

I have the cursed "12 year old girl" chest right now.
Extremely awkward when I'm wearing just a shirt.

So I just wear a jacket(boyfriend's jacket, to be specific) over everything I wear lawl.

   It depends on your age and chest size.  This is what I have to put up when I go to those week long campouts with my middle aged friends: http://www.marvelousmanboobs.com/ (http://www.marvelousmanboobs.com/)
  These celebrities don't hold a candle to some of my middle-aged friends.  I look like more like this guy: http://www.marvelousmanboobs.com/b/golf (http://www.marvelousmanboobs.com/b/golf)
  Joelene

lol... I can't wait to start wearing halter tops without having to stuff them!

So what about wearing camis or sexy tops out in public without a bra?

LOL... I didn't even feel comfortable going shirtless in public as a guy  :laugh:


That said, I would probably be okay with it at a clothing optional beach  8)  But I'm sportin' a pair of C cups now  >:-)

I'm not quite an A cup yet, but I would not be comfortable exposing what little boobs I have in public; they would most definitely be covered.

Quote from: V M on December 30, 2011, 08:24:07 PM
LOL... I didn't even feel comfortable going shirtless in public as a guy  :laugh:

Same here - I always wore a T-shirt when swimming.  If I'm around guys when I get out of the shower, I have my towel around my shoulders and hold it together in the chest area.

LOL, reminds me of going on a vacation to Alaska when I was married, with in-laws in 2005. I had already started hormones a few months previous and was budding a little, and my hair was longish. I loved being in line to board a plane, and being called Miss.

I didnt really feel the need to wear a bra until one day we had to work on a Saturday. When I was checking to see how long was left on the press job run the operator turned around, saw me, looked at my chest and said, very loudly I might add, "DAMN JOHN, YOU'VE GOT SOME TITS!! I THINK THEY'RE BIGGER THAN MINE!"
I turned bright red, explained to her that yes, this is what hormone therapy is supposed to do and walked away shaking my head.

Well I haven't gone bare chested in public since I was 13, but I was always scrawny and rather self-conscious. I would suggest covering up starting now. Your going to have to get used to it sooner or later, so why wait until you have an awkward moment (like Keaira did)?

I needed a personal opinion in real life - so i asked my best friend to take a look at my breasts... 'I showed him and he said, "yes, i am starting to see outlines of breasts now" so i guess i cant expose them anymore lol

lol i never had that problem because I always wore a tshirt no matter what.

However, the advice I would give is this:

If you are presenting female, covering em up...no matter how flat chested you think you are.
If you are presenting male, do whatever you want.

At least in the United States, this is norm.

This made me think of an incident that occurred in Delaware at a beach some years ago -

Some transwomen were accosted by security for being topless at the beach.  :police:They argued that they were technically men so they could be "shirtless". They won.

:embarrassed:

Quote from: MsDazzler on January 01, 2012, 01:50:31 PM
This made me think of an incident that occurred in Delaware at a beach some years ago -

Some transwomen were accosted by security for being topless at the beach.  :police:They argued that they were technically men so they could be "shirtless". They won.

:embarrassed:

Yup, I remember that. Took place at Rehobeth Beach. Those people pissed off quite a few transgender people there. They strived so hard to be seen as women but when they got caught for going topless they played the "race card" (transgender style).

If I was there, I probably would have b**ch slapped them.

This reminds me of this article of this trans woman who was denied the ability to change her gender at the dmv
she protested by standing outside and flashing everyone!
She was arrested! Brilliant, no? 

Well, I'm not on HRT yet and only have slight "moobs" (nothing out of line for a man my size and age, etc.), but I don't ever go topless outside the house regardless of how I am presenting. It just feels like too intimate an act for the general public. Even when at home in the sweltering heat of summer (up to 95F inside my house due to poor insulation, 10F hotter outside), I usually wear a t-shirt, tank, sport bra, cami, whatever.

I think.. when you nipples start looking like a womans then its time to cover up..

I never had this problem, as I starting transitioning during the winter and by the time summer can, I was past the point where I needed a bra so I just covered up.

Theres no way that I would go to the beach now without a shirt. I still need to lose a few pounds but they are very noticeable without a shirt. I just bought a rash guard that fits looser like a t-shirt for my trip in February. I'm wondering whats going to happen when it gets wet, it could end up being very interesting.

I've always been overweight so I've always had quite big moobies. So I've large, dark clothes to cover them up and make them less obvious. Now my boobies are actually already quite big, even after 3 months. Gynecomastia rocks.

I haven't been overweight since the seventh grade, but I've had 'moobs' with puffy nipples ever since then.  I felt very awkward about them as a boy, so I haven't gone topless all that often.  Now, with a large A cup, I wouldn't consider it at all. 

When I'm with friends, though, I do like to flash them nonchalantly.  :D  Like, if we were sitting around gabbing and their attention was away from me, I might pull one out and act like nothing was unusual.  It's fun to see how long it takes them to notice.   >:-)

When your SO says she is jealous of them, it is time to cover up.

Quote from: JoanneB on January 07, 2012, 08:48:48 AM
When your SO says she is jealous of them, it is time to cover up.

*giggles* 

Quote from: Keaira on December 31, 2011, 01:03:33 AM
I didnt really feel the need to wear a bra until one day we had to work on a Saturday. When I was checking to see how long was left on the press job run the operator turned around, saw me, looked at my chest and said, very loudly I might add, "DAMN JOHN, YOU'VE GOT SOME TITS!! I THINK THEY'RE BIGGER THAN MINE!"
I turned bright red, explained to her that yes, this is what hormone therapy is supposed to do and walked away shaking my head.

Lol, I had a similar experience.  Sometime after I started HRT I was playing basketball (which I still like to do)with my friends and was wearing light summer tank top thing.  One of my friends suddenly look at my chest and commented a bit in shock: "_____ your nipples are hard!"  (To make matters worse at the time--but so great for my long-term interest--I have very big nipples for a non-genetic female.)  That was a wake up call.  From that day onward I wore one of those tight, binding athletic under (?) garments under my main top whenever exercising or involved in recreation; and presently I (still stuck in guy mode) wear one of these tops, with a light sports bra under that!  Could be a little hot during the summer.

Well after 10 months on HRT I can't say these are man-boobs. they're too big and I'm not overweight. But still not big enough for my taste.

I was in a similar situation I was budding after 3 weeks a firend was REALLY insistant that his birthday presant be that we go swimming. I reluctantly agreed at that stage I didn't pass at all but I only had buds and slight nipple enlargement. I got away with it without any significant amounts of stareing. However he wanted to go again 3 months later at that stage my nipples were even larger (doubled in size) thus were no longer in "male" territory and I had noticable breast tissue (a-cup or so) in terms of passing I was highly ambigious, pepole couldn't tell what gender I was.

In that case I went with a 1 peice swimsuit + swimming trunks on top to cover all bases.

Quote from: patstar on January 08, 2012, 08:03:39 PM
Lol, I had a similar experience.  Sometime after I started HRT I was playing basketball (which I still like to do)with my friends and was wearing light summer tank top thing.  One of my friends suddenly look at my chest and commented a bit in shock: "_____ your nipples are hard!"  (To make matters worse at the time--but so great for my long-term interest--I have very big nipples for a non-genetic female.)  That was a wake up call.  From that day onward I wore one of those tight, binding athletic under (?) garments under my main top whenever exercising or involved in recreation; and presently I (still stuck in guy mode) wear one of these tops, with a light sports bra under that!  Could be a little hot during the summer.

Ditto similar experience for me. that was when I realized I wasn't really able to go without a bra anymore :/ even if I am only small on that front lol. (Well small in overall mass not small on how much nipple growth I got O.o)

I can relate to both of you.  Transitioning "mid-stream" is such an ambiguous state.  This while also still being too small up front to suit one.  Oh well, it's much better than the alternative(s).

Quote from: Robertina on December 30, 2011, 09:24:16 PM
Same here - I always wore a T-shirt when swimming.  If I'm around guys when I get out of the shower, I have my towel around my shoulders and hold it together in the chest area.

Me too..  ::) I used to worry that guys would see through to the real me (they did anyway of course). I developed little breasts (before HRT) so that was also a motivating factor to cover up.

Quote from: Akashiya Moka on January 09, 2012, 06:30:34 AM
Me too..  ::) I used to worry that guys would see through to the real me (they did anyway of course). I developed little breasts (before HRT) so that was also a motivating factor to cover up.

That's a very good point.  Undoubtedly some people know, or will know.  One of the things is to avoid that big awkward moment where everything is out in the open and everyone is uncomfortable.  Also, I don't want be in a position where I have to discuss my situation with certain (most?) individuals from my "prior" life.