After reading several posts on here tonight, this question came to mind.
I chose my first avatar because it matched what I perceived in my fantasies and dreams. It was a close up of a girl, and since my body image was always so horrible I left out that characters body to prevent me from pondering how I really looked. That anime face had no relation to the real me. Only to what I was inside. Just as my current avatar has me partly hidden by my wig, and only shows what I find acceptable.
Kathy
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1353.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fq663%2Fkathybottoms%2FJemunefille_zps54f93774.jpg&hash=73801f8505c291d337ed827e5995a34bd870eee2)
The character (Kino) I have chosen relates rather closely to my personality and how I view the world.
I didn't want to put up a picture of myself as I want to be anonymous on the site, exept for if I am talking privat with people and such things, but I still wanted something who could decribe me abit.
I like anime/comics, so I wanted it to be a comic character and I just really liked this way this one is drawed.. kinda beutiful/cool/androgeny style..
also its a catguy, and my username is "natkat" which mean "cat of the night" so its matched the name.
I just think its cute, I use a real pic of me on FB though.
I like her personality.
I perfer to show me instead of an Anime avatar. Plus I couldn't find anything that represented me( I'm not big on Anime avatar's, just a personal thing, I like the art side and skill that it takes to draw them though.)
I don't want to hide, been doing that for far too long!
My character is Yukiko Amagi. I was playing Persona 4 at the time I first came out as transgender. The themes of the game resonated really well with what I was going through at the time. Also, I didn't have any good pictures of myself at the time.
While I don't have an anime avatar, this does remind me that I used to watch Sailor Moon growing up and remember loving it. Interesting that it just now comes to mind.
My avatar is from the anime Welcome to the NHK! - he's the main character. I picked it for this forum randomly, and I really like that anime. It felt nice to use a male image to represent myself, and I am sorta paranoid about having a real picture as my avatar, so I have just left it.
My avatar isn't anime. :D
But having said that, I don't really want to put my ugly mug up as my avatar because I don't even come close to passing. Hell, the first time I posted on the 'will I eventually pass' I delete the post because I was too embarrassed. Second time is still there if you really, really want to take a look, but I warn you: You'll have nightmares for the next few nights. :icon_blah:
Quote from: Angela??? on March 14, 2013, 05:28:44 PMI don't want to hide, been doing that for far too long!
I couldn't show the me that used to exist. But finally shaved, started getting happy with myself and opened up my new world. But the original Anime avatar is still first in my Kathy photo file.
Quote from: Shodan on March 14, 2013, 09:13:03 PM
...... I don't really want to put my ugly mug up as my avatar because I don't even come close to passing. .......
I can't stand mirrors now, and it was far worse before I got to this point. Cried a lot of nights while going to sleep because I'd still look the same in the AM. So what if the old avatar reflected the girl I wanted to be for all those years. It let me dream.
Kathy
Kathy
I use my picture. But at one time I did have Sephirah-style avatar.
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi397.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp59%2FJanet_Lynn_54%2Fmistress2.jpg&hash=1a87eb9bcfd4b3f2b3be62ede6295f6b1fabe5b6)
mine isn't necessarily anime, but it's just a profile of a girl I painted from imagination. I don't really think it has much bearing on my personal perception.
I choose Rena-san from Higurashi. She is so awesome, and I love the red hair. She basically appears all cute and innocent but she also has a dark crazy side that comes out every once in a while. I also like Nana from Elfen Lied. But I just feel more like a Rena now. I don't want to post a picture of myself because its the internet and I don't trust it. One day I might though.
I guess I went with Nausicaa (from the Studio Ghibli film "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind,") because I relate to her. Like me, she's a lover of nature, a very calm soul, pacifist, always tries to see the best in people, and I love those scenes in the movie where she's just out in the forest, walking around, and taking deep breaths as she appreciates the wonders around her. I totally do that all the time! (Plus I wish I could fly like her, but oh well...)
If you mean why I chose her over a real picture of myself, though, it's just because I'm VERY early in HRT, and still really uncomfortable about my "girl mode," so I'd just rather have a picture that is completely female already rather than me in some awkward between-genders state. This may change once HRT has worked its magic, but for now I just feel better going with Nausicaa. It feels like she's actually a better representation of my true female self than reality is.
I went with Tenchi from Tenchi Universe, because he's a sweet guy. I think there are many shades to masculinity like there are to femininity and I think he falls somewhere on the soft/masculine side of the spectrum. He's masculine but it's toned down almost to the point where he's androgynous. I think that best represents me, and I dont want to use my face for privacy reasons so he's perfect.
Hi and thank you all for your responses. I've been fascinated by Anime for many years, and a few of the characters are intriguing. I swear one day I'll attend an Anime convention in Sac or SF, just to see what it's like.
To close out here's a youtube link that was sent to me a couple years ago by a friend who's in the Air Force in Japan. I had never seen it before but then a few people said "Oh ya, that's been around for a while." Guess I am old. :D
Caramell - Caramelldansen (Japanese Version) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPQbdeUfalI#)
I use an anime avatar because I don't really want to have to look at myself every time I read one of my posts.
Lucy is much easier on the eyes.
Quote from: Kelly J. P. on March 16, 2013, 07:40:14 AM
I use an anime avatar because I don't really want to have to look at myself every time I read one of my posts.
Lucy is much easier on the eyes.
Oh god, do I relate. I fight to leave mine up.
K
Why use an anime avatar..?
The question is, why not use one? To show one's face to strangers on the Internet feels quite weird to me. And even weirder if I don't like my face. I see no reason whatsoever to do that. Not only would it have a chance of outing me to anyone at any time, but it would feel awful. I don't like to show my face to people in everyday life, but I have to. Why would I do that on the Internet if I can do otherwise? Do you make your game characters to be like you or how you would like to look?
I think that rather than needing a reason for not putting one's face up, someone should need a really special one to do put it up. Defaulting to posting a picture sounds backwards to me.
Quote from: A on March 16, 2013, 02:14:51 PM
Why use an anime avatar..?
The question is, why not use one? To show one's face to strangers on the Internet feels quite weird to me. And even weirder if I don't like my face. I see no reason whatsoever to do that. Not only would it have a chance of outing me to anyone at any time, but it would feel awful. I don't like to show my face to people in everyday life, but I have to. Why would I do that on the Internet if I can do otherwise? Do you make your game characters to be like you or how you would like to look?
I think that rather than needing a reason for not putting one's face up, someone should need a really special one to do put it up. Defaulting to posting a picture sounds backwards to me.
Well A, I understand completely, and I'm sure a whole lot of the other girls agree.
But deep down it seems like part of me wants to be outed to everyone I haven't told. So many years have gone by in this loneliness that it would be a whole lot easier that way. Anyway, trying to explain myself to all those cousins and their kids would be a nightmare. I'm free in my family now, and lacking that freedom with my extended family is killing me. The fear and hurt has gone on way too long, and I can't hide anymore. I'm tired of it.
What I do in life from now on isn't going to be self destructive. But a way to grow.
Kathy
Yeah, well, age might be a factor in that. At my age (and considering my rather limited social interactions) I don't have so many people I have to come out to. And once I'm out and full-time, I wouldn't want any more people knowing I'm trans. I admire activists and openly trans people in a sense, but to me, being just a girl is a more attractive idea.
Now, more complicated situations bring more complicated issues...
You would think that with me being an artist I would have an original sketch or so of myself, but even though I don't like showing my face, I actually like and don't mind showing the rest of me in assorted avatar pics :)
I use an abstract picture, because basically, other then this very website, I'm stealth. I transitioned years ago and feel no need to show myself or leave a trail on the internet outing myself. Maybe I lose some credibility by doing that, but so be it. Some here have seen photos of me but what they see is under my control and I'm comfortable with that.
But really, people in most forums, that I frequent anyway, do not use photos of themselves for their avatar.
Quote from: AusBelle on March 17, 2013, 02:42:14 AM
I use an abstract picture, because basically, other then this very website, I'm stealth. I transitioned years ago and feel no need to show myself or leave a trail on the internet outing myself. Maybe I lose some credibility by doing that, but so be it. Some here have seen photos of me but what they see is under my control and I'm comfortable with that.
But really, people in most forums, that I frequent anyway, do not use photos of themselves for their avatar.
Protection under the Eye of Horus (Ra). I like the symbolism.
If it wasn't for age and a large, religious, conservative, but fairly activist family I probably would have liked to go stealth in the future. But that'll never work out sine I'd have to sever the ties to my loved ones.
Stay happy out there AusBelle.
K
I fight with the avatar issue everytime I join an online community :S
I had an anime one once even though I don't watch anime myself. A one of an unarguable gorgeous blonde character, too, even though IRL I'm the opposite of that, except for the blonde part. I love Japanese culture, though, and she looks like what I want to look like, toned down to real life limitations of course.
I don't use my face because I have a legitimate(confirmed by every orthodontist and orthognatic surgeon I've seen) deformity, also I believe what one's face looks like has a lot to do with what people perceive them as, and sociological studies have always backed that up. I have to deal with that IRL, I don't want that to be a factor online. Not even in a forum as welcoming and friendly as this one, I don't want to risk it.
Quote from: A on March 16, 2013, 05:02:12 PM
Yeah, well, age might be a factor in that. At my age (and considering my rather limited social interactions) I don't have so many people I have to come out to. And once I'm out and full-time, I wouldn't want any more people knowing I'm trans. I admire activists and openly trans people in a sense, but to me, being just a girl is a more attractive idea.
Now, more complicated situations bring more complicated issues...
I dont think it's got anything to do with that,
I am pretty young and would say im an activist, yet I dont really show my face on susan unless its privat talk or something like that. I just dont find it nessesarry, I see the point in dating sites, or if your to meet up with people, I also see the point to show your face in ex the passing thread, but for regular talking I dont feel it nessesarry for people to see me or show them a pic of me, my look shouldnt matter.
my first avatar I used was Melfina from Outlaw Star. It seemed to work for me as Melfina's back story was one I could related to in some ways as in her know knowing her purpose in the scheme of things.
Quote from: Natkat on March 17, 2013, 01:26:21 PM
I dont think it's got anything to do with that,
I am pretty young and would say im an activist, yet I dont really show my face on susan unless its privat talk or something like that. I just dont find it nessesarry, I see the point in dating sites, or if your to meet up with people, I also see the point to show your face in ex the passing thread, but for regular talking I dont feel it nessesarry for people to see me or show them a pic of me, my look shouldnt matter.
Uhm, maybe I didn't express myself properly, because from what I understand, you're pretty much saying the same as me..?
My first avatar was Hikari from Strawberry Panic. I suppose i picked it because i related to the character but also there was something somewhat nondescript about an anime avatar that appealed to me.
I then moved onto pictures of myself first with my face shown to prove to myself i am not ashamed of myself then with face unseen just because i do prefer being a bit anonymous.