This is something I never understood. How come adults can never clock super passable girls but children can? I never understood this. Can someone explain?

I think it has a good deal to do with the fact that as kids we see someone inside more than the outer. Kid's are not jaded adults yet and they have innocent eyes and hearts for the most part. I believe it is possible they might see your possible lack of self confidence or see something in your eyes. I know I just went to church last week, I still look like a male, but i as dressed up and let my confident self shine, a little girl saw it right away.  My 2 cents.   

Because they are soul stealing little demons.

Kids also lack the filters that adults have that prevent them from saying anything. Just because adults don't say anything is no reason to assume they haven't noticed anything. And there are some kids who don't see it, my 10 and 12 yo granddaughters didn't see it.. The elder one did when she saw an old pic of me.. The younger still has no clue.

I expected to be outed by every child I saw in public... hasn't happened yet. Knock on wood!

Quote from: marsh monster on March 25, 2015, 06:27:42 PM
Because they are soul stealing little demons.

Yes.

Just because a kid is looking at you doesn't mean you're being clocked.  It could mean that they just think you're non-threatening and want to interact with you. 

Kids used to take one look at me and burst into tears from sheer horror, now they smile.

I haven't had that issue... its been the opposite for me I think... maybe adults are just being polite?

Im not trying to brag and maybe Im just delusional but the only time I ever really fear being "clocked" is when Im around little kids... They simply say it like it is and they dont hold back especially if they dont know you...

I have been clocked before by little kids and for a long time I was afraid of them... Lately Ive also been 100% accepted by friends and their kids have done the same

Quote from: marsh monster on March 25, 2015, 06:27:42 PM
Because they are soul stealing little demons.

I suspected as much!

Quote from: Jill F on March 25, 2015, 06:35:06 PM
Just because a kid is looking at you doesn't mean you're being clocked.

Couldn't have said it better.
I think often we imagine people are figuring us when maybe they're just looking at our facial expression or body language.

When someone stares at me, I immediately smile back. And when I smile back, I'd say 7/10 times, the person smiles back. Other three times they think I'm nuts for smiling.

Well, as someone who has experience in drawing, I have a theory that in part it has to do with the angle they're seeing your face from.  I think our more masculine features tend to be more obvious from a lower viewpoint.

Also, it may be that you aren't actually passing to the adults, they just see someone who is more androgynous and can kinda/sorta tell, but have the common kindness not to say anything.  Kids aren't as discreet.

Then again, one of the first people to not read me as male was this little kid at my school...he was like eight or ten, really sweet.  I was seventeen, and he walked up behind me and asked me if I was a boy or a girl, because I was wearing this very androgynous purple sweater with knee-high boots.  Of course, when a teacher told him "that's not a boy, it's a MAN!" it got less cute pretty fast, but still...kinds aren't as bound up in social convention.  That's important to remember.

Kids clocks people when something is out of proportion.   Big hands are one way.   Large bones are another way.  After a number of years and lots of human contact,  people realize that there is a huge variation in structure so they look at other thins like the way a person walks or other mannerisms.

Passing is more than just looks and getting clocked by a kid as unusual isn't the end.  When one gets clicked by a kid, ignore it and keep going. After a couple of meetings they accept a person in the gender they are presenting as.

Jennifer

I've had lots of little kids ask me in my lifetime whether I was a man or a woman. It's usually at a star party where it is a moonless night and they can't really see my shape but my voice is odd to them and they are confused. What's funny is to see their parents scramble to shut them up and apologize.

Cindi

I think most the time kids are not clocking people. They are just curious and tend to stare more unaware of the social taboo of doing this that adults have learnt. They did this to me just as much in my previous existence as they do now if not more.

Ohhhh, that's another good point!  Adults will probably see you before they hear your voice; for kids, it's the other way around!  I think that might explain why kids gendered me correctly first, but many amazing LOOKING girls who don't have perfect voices tend to get misgendered by them!  I think that might be it, actually.  The voice thing.

Only one kid so far has "clocked" me and that's one whose parents told her.

Suffice to say I'm not friends with those losers anymore.

Heck even my kids say I look like a girl...

honestly I think kids are a really good test of passability....also chat roulette cause its a bunch of piggy straight men wanking and they will be honest if they think your a guy... its weird cause ive passed both those "tests" but yet im pretty sure I got sired for the first time not too long ago so I have no idea if I pass anymore and its causing me a lot of anxiety with going out or interacting with people and even looking in mirrors..

Quote from: Annabolton on March 25, 2015, 08:28:10 PM
honestly I think kids are a really good test of passability....also chat roulette cause its a bunch of piggy straight men wanking and they will be honest if they think your a guy... its weird cause ive passed both those "tests" but yet im pretty sure I got sired for the first time not too long ago so I have no idea if I pass anymore and its causing me a lot of anxiety with going out or interacting with people and even looking in mirrors..

Funny thing is I went to my kids classroom (preK, 4 years old) to read Horton hears a Who by Dr Seuss. I dressed up as a guy I think, with a long fleece to cover my butt and baggy enough to hide my boobs. I am not out to the school yet, so they know me as a guy.*

At the end the teacher said, "Tell mr J thank you for reading to the class today."

Nearly the whole class said, "Thank you Mrs J"

The teacher panicked and said, "No it's MISTER J"

I almost bust out laughing and said, "no it's OK... lol"


*Sometimes I wonder. Nobody has said anything to me but some of the school staff has given me weird looks. Some of the parents who don't know me treat me like one of the moms. It's weird but satisfying.

It's simple. Kids pay very close attention to things. Compared to us adults, who spend half our time worrying about our own problems.

If your wrist is a little big, or your proportions are just a little bit different ... a kid is *going to spot that*. Little buggers!

I suppose the thing to do is to stay away from them. Or, perhaps you could borrow a baby for a day and they'll think you are the mother.

Cindi