Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Hi everyone. I'm feeling really depressed and bitter lately. My transition is going fine and I pass.  But I've got another problem. In addition to being transgender I'm also albino. I have type OCA1 albinism. My skin and hair are white as paper. My eyes have a really light blue tint but they still look really strange. It's weird but being albino didn't bother me that much before I transitioned. But now it's totally depressing me. I can't understand why fate cursed me so bad by making me both trans and albino. People always have stared at me but it bothers me a lot more now than before I transitioned. Before I always knew why they were staring but now I'm not sure anymore.  I just want to look like a normal girl but I can't. I've tried self tanning lotions but I think your skin has to have some color to start with. On me they always looked totally orange. Then once I decided I would try to look normal with cosmetics. I bought a honey blonde wig and I used flesh tone foundation and body makeup on my hands. I looked totally stupid and still got stared at. My friends are always telling me I was born this way and to own it but that's a easy thing to say when you're normal. I can't even wear colored contacts to cover my weird ugly eyes because my eyes are really sensitive and contacts really bother them. I have to be like really careful with makeup because if I use anything but light colors I look like a clown for real. I can go out during the day but only if I wear lots of sunscreen,long sleeves, a big hat, really dark glasses and gloves. After I had skin cancer on my hand last year I had to add gloves. Wearing all that stuff makes people stare too. Just once in my life I would like to be able to go to a park or something with my friends without wearing all that stuff. Forget ever going to FL for spring break or ever getting to see a beach . I'm also starting to feel bitter towards my brother cause he is normal. I keep thinking why did he get to be normal. And that's like really wrong.  My brother has always been there for me and always defended me when I was little and other kids would make fun of me. As far as older brothers go he's always been sweet to me. But still I can't help being jealous of his normal coloring sometimes. It makes it worse that a lot of people don't know anything about albinism.  Once at work this guy asked me if I was wearing body makeup or if I had had my skin bleached. I wanted to cut off his ear. (I was cutting his hair) like I would look like this if I had a choice!! I will be starting college this fall and really I'm not looking forward to it. Being trans and albino just seems totally too much. I just feel like I want to hole up someplace and turn into a hermit. Sorry I know this is like really rambling. I'm just venting I guess.

Edgar Winter is albino and he did a sort of non-binary shot on an album.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/49/Ewgroup.jpg


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I think people with albinism can be attractive. I would say work it instead of covering it up. Rock it.


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Everybody on the site has their appearance issues however some may be more difficult to deal with than others. If you want to go without sun protection, about two hours after sun rise and two hours before sun set normally have a pretty low UV index. You can check the weather report to get more accurate information on this. As far as makeup, that is a bit more difficult however you might want to get a professional makeover at a MAC store. It also possible a corner makeup store might be able to help you work with your skin type.

While my skin is pretty normal, I to have to be very careful with base selection. If I am out of the sun, I need a lighter base than when I am spending more time in the sun. Without a close match no matter what your skin type, makeup will have blending problems.

One last though is you might experiment with accessories. Hair bands or clips, jewelry or scarfs around the neck or in your hair might allow you to add color and break up the monotone skin color without looking false.

I do not know if this would help and I am sure you researched this and I am sorry if t sounds naive but did you try a spray tan? Also, when I was in college I use to take canthaxathin which gave me a nice skin color ( I took 2 capsules every time I ate).

Also, there are different types of contacts that are permeable and you may tolerate them better.

You are very young and may respond very well to HRT. 

I hear you Julia.

... no advice you haven't asked for ... no tangential comments ...

I just hear you and I hope you keep talking ... I want to listen ... this helps me too.

Whatever is good for you ... please have it.

https://i2.wp.com/www.styleyetu.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Nastya-Zhidkova.jpg?resize=500%2C1024

https://www.google.com/search?q=albino+female+model&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS718US718&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjp04X0vrbUAhUL6WMKHZC8AxsQ_AUICigB&biw=1265&bih=678#imgrc=S3z-ZOI-kBfGMM:

So you think this is ugly?  Not even close. Use what you got. I'm sure it's just different, not a curse. Attitude is everything.
Beauty is what is in the heart, not the package it comes in.  This woman is gorgeous, I bet you are too.

+1.  Own what you have and celebrate your own uniqueness.  And make hats part of your personal style.  I started collecting hats after I got squamous cell skin cancer on the base of my neck.  I have several fedoras from my old male life that are making their way into my female wardrobe.

Quote from: DawnOday on June 11, 2017, 02:13:48 PM
https://i2.wp.com/www.styleyetu.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Nastya-Zhidkova.jpg?resize=500%2C1024

https://www.google.com/search?q=albino+female+model&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS718US718&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjp04X0vrbUAhUL6WMKHZC8AxsQ_AUICigB&biw=1265&bih=678#imgrc=S3z-ZOI-kBfGMM:

So you think this is ugly?  Not even close. Use what you got. I'm sure it's just different, not a curse. Attitude is everything.
Beauty is what is in the heart, not the package it comes in.  This woman is gorgeous, I bet you are too.

Most of them look gorgeous!!

Writer & photographer Meredith Talusan is also albino and a trans woman. She also happens to be Filipina-American, which adds an extra dimension of intersectionality to her life.

Perhaps you might like to check out some of her stuff, or contact her to see if she has any advice for you? She's based in New York.