Hi, I need some, correction ANY, advice on what to do in a pool?
Okay now I LOVE to swim! I think it has something to do with my Zodiac Sign, Aquarius :), but I HATE going in pools! I had to for canoeing and I thought, 'Okay, I'll wear the swimsuit and be on my way. One day won't hurt right?' Wrong. Oh, so very wrong. I felt so uncomfortable it was ridiculous! I am in a class full of dudes, there are about 6 females, and even though we talk and chill and hang out, I felt so uneasy and just off around them wearing my swimsuit I got from the gym teacher. To make matters worse, I HAVE to go to the pool again next semester for track practice and when my weight lifting class goes in. I love the pool and swimming, but hate swimming in a female swimsuit and around people who can see me in it! It frustrates me to no end. I can't even enjoy myself, I'm so uncomfortable.
Now don't get me wrong, I've been told I have a beautiful body and am quite comfortable with my self-image (besides the breasts and whats missing down there) but I just hate being seen as a female! I have swim trunks and was beyond delighted, and even giddy to a point where I was wearing them in the house, when I got them but what about up top? I don't really want to but am facing a sad fact that I either gotta avoid pools in public or wear a female bra. I know I sound whinny, but can anyone offer up some advice on how to deal with this? I know I have to for a long time until I can start T or anything cause I'm young and just now doing the therapy thing.
Wear an old binder and a rashguard shirt on top if possible.
Rashguard? What is that?
Pretty much just a shirt made of swimsuit material. If you can't find one (they're easy to find online), just get one of the cheap quick-dry workout type shirts at walmart for like 10 bucks. That's what I swim in, and two of the people I went swimming with a couple weeks ago later asked me incredulously "You still have your BOOBS?" when I said something about binding.
Yeah a rashguard is a great idea. I've had top surgery and I still wear one just because I'm not comfortable enough yet.
I feel like a rashguard is the best solution, but I understand that's kind of not really a solution. People use them for surfing mainly and they do attract attention in a normal swimming pool. What I used to do was wear a female swimsuit with trunks over it. It didn't look right and it meant I couldn't be exactly stealth, but I felt like even when my swimwear outed me it also sent a clear message about my gender. Strangers tended to use my preferred pronouns when I wore that combination. There were times I went swimming in just trunks and my binder, and that went okay. It's hard for me to know what all contributed to how people treated me because I usually had to choose a locker room, and that cued anyone who saw it more strongly than anything I was wearing in the water.
I love swimming too so I feel you on this problem. There are body-friendly swimming events where I live, which might be a good solution for you if you can get to one. That kind of gathering makes it even less likely that you'll be read as a typical male, but they are safe spaces at least.
Hey, I like to swim too. I'm pre-t and everything, and I absolutely don't pass fully dressed or not. But I too feel horrible in a swimsuit. My solution right now is to wear men's swimming briefs (if that's what they're called - the not-baggy kind) and a very tight (hence binding) sports bikini top (the very plain, bustier like type - not girly at all).
I sometimes think about getting a neoprene suit like triathletes wear (there are ones with short sleeves). In one of my pools there is team practice for triathletes and they all wear neos. But it may look weird in an indoor pool, I suppose.
I didn't swim for 6 years.
I'll try both a rashguard and the swimsuit under trunks thing as well as see which one feels better. I understand the whole still wearing a swimsuit method might be SAFEST for me, considering where I live at currently and I don't know HOW these people could react, but I'll still try a rashguard. I'm actually scared simply because Brainerd isn't exactly accepting towards transgenders, but I've noticed they seem fine towards gays (somewhat). Just as a safety reason is why I haven't told many people I am transgender but a few friends know and honestly already are planning my future regarding future visits with kids and stuff :D
Still, I'll go looking for the shirt and in case I don't like it, I know my size with female swim suits so I'm prepared for that much. I got swim trunks for hopefully I can feel a bit more comfortable in that too.
For what it is worth...I have 3 CIS brothers - they all wear rashguard shirts swimming, surfing, boating. It is becoming much more common. Although we all spend a lot of time in other countries and on the ocean so I realize that makes a difference, but frankly they have just become accustomed to it and I do it as well just about anywhere. Between kite surfing "burn" and the sun I just don't think about it any more. In fact, I wear one often on the boat just because I spend so much time on the water and I know the sun is pretty harsh. So I would think something under a rash shirt should be pretty normal, or frankly those folks don't do a lot of water sports. Just my humble opinion...
I wear a rashguard over a binder or a tanktop over a binder. And trunks. They look kinda unisex on me which is cool. People still can't tell if I'm either gender but that's good because it's embarrassing to pass when I'm at the beach with friends (though it feels right on the inside). But yeah..
Well I looked at a few rashguards and I personally liked a lot. I am going to go and see to buying one or two. I knew what yall meant when I saw what it looked like, and not only agree but feel it'll look nice on me, haha :)
Thanks for all advice! I don't think I'll really NEED a binder though. If the shirt is compressing like, that'll work on it's own. I'm flat chested basically and like it that way.
The shirts on their own aren't compressing no, they're just fast drying.