I didn't have to worry about being twenty and looking twelve, but when I was in my early forties, people did think I was about fifteen years younger than I was.

Then, I started T, and people thought I was...fifteen years younger than I was. Now that I'm past fifty and am getting substantial gray, at least people now think I'm forty or so. I wouldn't call it progress because this is America, where everyone tries to look eighteen for life. And I have to admit that missing out on my young manhood really bothers me, so I would rather look younger for longer.

True story--I think I may have told it here before. I was just on the right side of fifty and had just been hired as a college professor. I went into the faculty resource room to, you know, see what resources were available for faculty. And the women on duty there suddenly became very odd and presented a sort of united front against me so that I couldn't proceed any farther. They asked me how they could help me. None the wiser, I simply said that I had never been in there before and wanted to see the place. They asked me if I was looking for anything in particular, and I said, no, I was just looking around. Eventually, I said something that tipped them off that I was a professor--not a student--and their demeanor suddenly changed.

I later realized that I looked exactly like a twentysomething community college student. Fresh haircut, no noticeable wrinkles, no gray hair, black crewneck sweater and black Levi's (teenage angst, anyone?), and a black backpack. The semester hadn't started yet, so I wasn't dressed professionally.

I was wondering why they were acting so weirdly...

I've looked young my whole life. At 43, I still get for real carded often. I have visible wrinkles! It really is getting annoying. Maybe when/if I can grow a beard, it will have gray in it.

Lol I am 19 and people always assume I am 12-17. Some kids even took me for a 10-year-old, twice. 10.years.old, can you believe it? My best friend is 11 and people think we're in the same class!!! I actually am partly at blame because I don't exactly help the situation with the teenage way I dress, which combined with my short height and my hanging out with 10-year-old kids... well, yeah... But does this get better once we're on T? or will we look so young forever?

I have a trans buddy I don't see too often. I've been too busy to hang out with him for...must be eighteen months or so. He is a few years younger than I am, maybe forty-five, and he started T when he was thirtyish. He might just have good genes, but he is VERY young-looking. He seems to be in his twenties.

I should look him up this year, at the very least so I can see how young he looks.

I too get taken for about a 12 year old, and I'm actually 21. Someone told me that I look 18 on one of the other threads, and I was actually flattered! That's much older than people normally guess.

I find what helps me is dressing as "professionally" as I can. 95% of the time, you'll find me wearing khakis and a button-up shirt. I also wear belts, ties, dress shoes, etc. And I do try to keep a haircut that's a little less "teenage boy fluffy/going all over the place" and a little more controlled and gelled down (as you can probably tell by my picture)

I'm 26 and generally get told that I could pass for 18-19.  I still get carded to prove that I'm over 18 whenever it's needed.  I'm not complaining.  I attribute it to the fact that I don't smoke often and basically never drink and have been a hermit for a few years now... I hate the sun.  I'm hoping that I end up looking younger or maintain my youthful look - return of the baby fat - when I begin HRT.  Years from now, male or female, you'll likely take that as a compliment and as a senior in high school many people look like babies still; I did.  A lot of people don't really mature until they hit their 20's...

I met my boyfriend online, and I sent him a video of me, and he had a tiny freakout because I look like a 14-year-old boy. I'm 29. I'm SIX YEARS OLDER than he is.

I get hit on by school girls, which is super awkward (extra so, because I'm not into girls, so its like, "Sorrry, I'm gay and literally twice your age), but the worst is, I have a 5-year-old, and I was at the water park with my older brother (31) and younger sister (28). And people thought that my brother and sister were married, and that my 5-year-old and I, were their kids   o_O;;  Now that I think about it, there have been quite a few times in the past where I was hanging out with friends, and instead of their equal, I was always mistaken for their child   =__=

I dress like an adult- ties and dress shirts and such -but I'm 5'6, have an epic baby face, and my personality is kidlike: I'm naive, easily excitable, sort of bouncy and energetic.

Maybe if I'm lucky, I'll look at least as old as 20, when I'm in my 40s.
My dad is the same, when he was in his late 40s, he still looked like he was in his early-mid 20s. Now he's almost 60, and he looks about 34.

Well I'm around your age and sometimes I get read as 14-15 depending on the day. I have no clue why in certain situations but anyways - I know your pain and frustration all too well. Unfortunately it's out of our control and have to learn how to deal with it . I find that certain clothes and haircuts help more than others.

We've got this thing going on where we want  to stand out from the teenagers (because we're older and think we're way more mature) and getting read as anything younger is punch to the pride. Trans or not. It's a hard pill to swallow and a big insecurity to most people our age *a little extra trans folk*.

I get the same thing pretty frequently, mostly at work. I'm 22 and people seem to think I'm around 17, maybe even younger at times. It doesn't bother me much usually but it can get annoying sometimes. The most frustrating thing is when people don't seem to take you seriously because they assume you're a kid. I really can't wait until I can grow some decent facial hair to help me look closer to my age. If I let what I have now grow out it'd probably backfire since it just looks like puberty facial hair (which is pretty much is haha).

i have mixed feelings about it. i'm twenty, but i look like i'm about fourteen. when i tell people i'm a senior in college, it blows their minds. i get carded every time i try to buy cigarettes. even when i present as female, i look really young, but most of the time i just look like a fourteen year old boy.
anyway, i just look at it as a good thing! twenty years from now, i'll be glad for my baby face. although i haven't started T yet, but i hear that fat redistribution in my face might change things. i don't know.

Yeah, I get the same stuff.
I'm pre-everything yet, when I present as male I always am read waaay younger.
Recently I signed up for a P&P RPG group and the DM had a hard time believing I was as old as I am.
But surprisingly I never get carded when buying beer (you have to be 16 to be allowed to do that in Germany). o_O


Edited for personal info.

Yea... it does put a damper on some things.  I started grad school 2 years ago and many people I met thought I was an incoming freshman.  It sucks applying for jobs because whether people actively recognize it or not people tend not to take you as seriously, or consider you immature despite whatever your words and actions may say.  Then again I'm a scruffy fellow, so it may just have been that.

Other than not being taken seriously in some situations its never bothered me.  I'll look old some day.  I can wait. 

As far as considering/priding yourself on being mature... I'll try to keep my comments brief, but I've had many friends who had this outlook about themselves.  Many of them were more mature than their peers for one reason or another, but I've always found the outlook of seeing one's self as "more mature" has more detrimental social effects than positive.  You're a senior in high school.... relax a bit.

Quote from: kdbrrw on August 06, 2014, 09:17:02 AM
I find what helps me is dressing as "professionally" as I can. 95% of the time, you'll find me wearing khakis and a button-up shirt. I also wear belts, ties, dress shoes, etc. And I do try to keep a haircut that's a little less "teenage boy fluffy/going all over the place" and a little more controlled and gelled down (as you can probably tell by my picture)

I know you can only do so much with clothing alone, but how you dress is super important. I'm not comfortable wearing khakis or button-up shirts most of the time, and the clothes I prefer strongly cue people to believe I am a very young person. When I dress up for special events or professional situations I get treated more like an adult.

I'm 26 and I get told I look 12 allll the time. I mean, that's cool in a when I'm older I'll look young way, but still annoying. I find nice t-shirts without logos on them and nice pants up my age to around 17. I still hate the "you'll love it when you're older!" quote.

Quote from: kdbrrw on August 06, 2014, 09:17:02 AM
I too get taken for about a 12 year old, and I'm actually 21. Someone told me that I look 18 on one of the other threads, and I was actually flattered! That's much older than people normally guess.

I find what helps me is dressing as "professionally" as I can. 95% of the time, you'll find me wearing khakis and a button-up shirt. I also wear belts, ties, dress shoes, etc. And I do try to keep a haircut that's a little less "teenage boy fluffy/going all over the place" and a little more controlled and gelled down (as you can probably tell by my picture)

Great advice. I've been doing my hair in a less young guy style. I need to work on the clothes.

From an old guy who still looks younger than his years: you will appreciate this when you are older!  Trust me.  As annoying as it is right now, you will be thankful.

Jay, you're not old. If I'm not old, then you aren't old. We're middle-aged. Mature. Seasoned.

And I don't mean salt and pepper!!!!!

i went all through highschool as female and you believe how many people thought i was a freshman or WORSE, a middle-schooler! i was a damn senior Dx

Last week I took my kid to school and her classmates thought I was her brother. She told them that I'm her dad, and one of them told me that I look 19. This actually was a confidence boost, as high school aged people usually mention numbers smaller than 19 when they guess my age.