As FTMs I find a lot of us are too concerned about not being big enough for many things. A lot of us aren't tall enough, have big enough hands, feet, our lower extremities aren't as big as we want them to be... etc...

But for just one moment I want to say why I'm proud to be a smaller guy.

Now, you might consider me one of the bigger FTMs because I'm 5'7", but I'm still considered short where I live. It always used to bother me but now I just don't care that much.
Girls often sigh about how they want a big tall man or whatnot, but preference is just preference and it can be changed. My current gf doesn't like her men being really tall because she is quite small herself. The truth of the matter is, they may say they want a tall man, but it's not necessarily the only thing they want.

I've got small hands, though my fingers are long. I've got small feet, though they appear to still be growing. I'm skinny because my metabolism is still working too fast. No, I don't have a penis and when I'm on hormones it will be small. But I like it that way. That's right. I don't care how big my penis is, I will be proud of whatever little thing I get.
Why? Because it's mine. A dick is only as good as the person who uses it and in my theory, if you can only please someone with a penis alone then you aren't good in bed.

I once found a grain of sand.

There are many like it, but that one is mine.

I'm not telling anyone else how they should feel about their size, but I'm saying how I feel about it. What makes me proud to be a smaller guy than the rest.

If a girl leaves me because of what's in my pants, she isn't the one for me. If a girl isn't interested in me because I'm too short? Sucks to be her. Why would I want someone who only cares about my size? I want someone to be interested in my personality and I bet anything it's my personality that gets the girl, not my looks or how big I am. Physical attraction, yes, does play a roll but I believe it plays a smaller roll than we initially realize.

The truth is, at least in my mind, that the size dysphoria that we get is only harmful to us. If we make it into a big deal, then the people around us will make it a big deal as well. If your girlfriend/boyfriend/whatever is fine with you just the way you are, then it's probably you who is perpetuating that you have a problem because you aren't as big as you'd like to be. They don't have the problem with how big you are, it's you who does. And that doesn't make it any less of a problem for you, but I've heard of guys who lose their relationships because they let it take over their relationship.

And this is why I want to hear why you're proud of being whatever size you are. Tall, short, big, small, whatever it is that you are. Tell me some things that you like about yourself, about your body. The things that you feel that make you unique, even if they really aren't.

Great post and I agree with you. I actually like being small, I'm 5'5 and pretty slim but I like it. My girlfriend has no problem with my size, she's actually about an inch taller than me but I don't mind and neither does she. I think you're right, people, not just transpeople, make a bigger deal about size and other physical things that really just aren't as big a deal as they think

"them's the breaks, for us designer fakes, we need to concentrate on more than meets the eye" - Placebo, Twenty Years
Been listening to that song a fair bit lately. I can stare in the mirror all day and find fault with my looks but it won't change them, it'll only make me miserable. (Just cause I'm a tall one doesn't mean I like it all!)
Or I can get over my need to "look" a certain way, stop caring how other people see my appearance, and just focus on living.
Don't know about you, but he later seems much more fun to me..

Self-confidence is definitely an important thing, especially when it comes to interacting with other people (dating or otherwise).

Monty, I agree with most of this post, this phrase is problematic to me.

Quotepreference is just preference and it can be changed

you cannot expect nor have your partner change anything through sheer will.  Also, it states that a preference isn't something that's concrete.  i.e. I have sex with women.  Some dude is not going to convince me to start sleeping with men because he happens to be one

My lady's $.02 is that at 5'7", she was sick of dating short guys.  She wanted the option to wear heels and to have her FTM partners "not look ridiculous" in photos.

I'm about 5"5' as well.  No problem with it at all.  In fact i like that am stout.  I'm not tall but I'm strong.  Large bloke in thickness.  Only think is wish they made more cloths for stout short guys.  Shrugs.  But my height is fine, though admit am uncomfortable around some guys who are taller than me.

Quote from: Mister on February 20, 2009, 05:49:44 PM
Monty, I agree with most of this post, this phrase is problematic to me.

you cannot expect nor have your partner change anything through sheer will.  Also, it states that a preference isn't something that's concrete.  i.e. I have sex with women.  Some dude is not going to convince me to start sleeping with men because he happens to be one

My lady's $.02 is that at 5'7", she was sick of dating short guys.  She wanted the option to wear heels and to have her FTM partners "not look ridiculous" in photos.

I suppose what I meant about preference is not something like orientation or whatnot, but rather, I've been with someone who loves my traits because they belong to me and their preference has changed by itself. Not that we can force a change in preference, but they can change.

5'3 here and I like it 

My boyfriend is 6'1 and seems to find my tinyness cute ^_^

Quote from: Jeatyn on February 20, 2009, 06:30:41 PM
My boyfriend is 6'1 and seems to find my tinyness cute ^_^

Mine is 6'1 too and calls me his little twink on occation, even if I'm an inch taller

Quote from: Miniar on February 20, 2009, 06:47:06 PM
Mine is 6'1 too and calls me his little twink on occation, even if I'm an inch taller

I can't help but associate the word twink with MMO's shota would be a more likely term for me

Also, wow you're a tall couple o_o

We are.. but we make up for it with being awesome

*sigh* I'm 5'2" and a quarter, I think. I MIGHT be almost 5'3". And I'm sorry but I consider 5'7" to be plenty tall, and I really hate being this short.

Quote from: Jeatyn on February 20, 2009, 06:56:31 PM
I can't help but associate the word twink with MMO's shota would be a more likely term for me

Also, wow you're a tall couple o_o

WoW has forever tainted that word for me.

Quote from: Elwood on February 20, 2009, 07:26:00 PM
*sigh* I'm 5'2" and a quarter, I think. I MIGHT be almost 5'3". And I'm sorry but I consider 5'7" to be plenty tall, and I really hate being this short.

I think there may be something in the water where I live that makes everyone so tall. I guess I missed out or only took half a sip, har har.

I know you hate being short, but at least you have the potential to be more agile than someone who is taller. I mean, they gotta be tripping over their own limbs, right? I mean, if we're going to be stuck this way we might as well find a way to be content with it and, maybe, a little bit proud.

Not every short guy is considered to be 'cute' because of his size. I think it's more of an attitude that defines that.

Cute, weak, submissive. That's what people assume.

Quote from: Monty on February 20, 2009, 07:39:33 PM
WoW has forever tainted that word for me.

Wow has ruined a LOT for me.

Quote from: MontyI mean, they gotta be tripping over their own limbs, right?

As (apparently) (one of) the tallest bloke(s) here, I can safely say, banging your head on low hanging signs, being asked to fetch people things off the top shelf, tripping over your own feet, walking into children (and anyone else who is below the line of sight), banging your head on low hanging anything else (chandeliers, cabinets, low door frames, etc.. etc.. etc..) Really gets old fast.
Besides, when you're over 6 feet tall, if you fall and hit your head, that's far enough to kill you, as a result of that, me and all my taller than 6 foot relatives have one thing in common. We're all deathly afraid of heights.

Quote from: Elwood on February 20, 2009, 07:53:02 PM
Cute, weak, submissive. That's what people assume.

People usually assume a lot of things that aren't true. The trick is to prove them wrong.

For example, stereotypes about being trans. If you're in a situation where you're out and open to people about it, they're going to assume things based on the negative stereotypes. That's where you show them that you aren't one of the stereotypes. It applies to a lot of things really.

People who are taller than me don't assume I'm cute, weak or submissive because that's not me. They get a pretty good idea that I'm not a push over by my actions and that's not to say I'm a jerk or overly aggressive, I'm actually quite the gentleman. It's the confidence and my willingness to prove that there's more to me that meets the eye.

Quote from: Monty on February 20, 2009, 07:39:33 PM
I think there may be something in the water where I live that makes everyone so tall. I guess I missed out or only took half a sip, har har.

You should move up here to Wisconsin.  I swear half the guys I work with are no more than 5'6".  You'd be downright tall here. 

Quote from: Miniar on February 20, 2009, 07:53:41 PM
Besides, when you're over 6 feet tall, if you fall and hit your head, that's far enough to kill you, as a result of that, me and all my taller than 6 foot relatives have one thing in common. We're all deathly afraid of heights.

Huh, I never thought about that one.  I'm quite low to the ground myself (5'4") and kinda like it...  there's something agile about it.  Granted, I've never been in a 6' body, so I can't truly compare, but I think I'd be a lot more cautious with myself doing certain activities (mostly sports where falling down is inevitable, or mountain biking where there's low clearance under tree branches).  I've been learning to snowboard, and not having a long way to fall is definitely a good thing...  Come to think of it, the lack of height is also good when trying to fit comfortably in an airline seat. 

My lack of height does get on my nerves sometimes, though--mostly when trying to reach something up high.  Or when I encounter non-adjustable car seatbelts that were designed for someone 5'8" (sadly, it's still pretty common to design for "average male height," even though shorter men, women, and children past carseat age also need to use seatbelts).  I've had belts go across my neck in some cases and it's downright dangerous.

My flatmate is around 6'3" and has whacked his head on things a fair number of times XD doesn't sound that awesome but I can't speak cause I'm about 5'8" and am average height for dudes in my country it seems *shrugs*

I'm 5'4/5'5 and never really had a problem with my height. Of course I sometimes wish I was a little taller, ok, at least 6 foot, but I am what I am. I get thrills out of seeing bio dudes shorter than me, my own inside thing. Nothing wrong with them, but I guess you can say it boosts my ego a lil more. Being on the short spectrum is going to suck no doubt, but see it from a little person's point of view, they'd give anything to just be 5 foot.
It really IS all about confidence. You can be 5 foot, and carry yourself as a 7 foot beast. Maybe it's just me. My friends always give me duece saying I have "short mans syndrome". I'll happily take the title.
Also NEVER dated a girl taller than me. My height, an inch or two shorter, and now my gf is a good 2-3 inches taller. Bugged me at first, but the fact she could give two dueces definitely shattered my insecurities with it. Transmen, Bio Men, whatever the difference..we all come in all different shapes and sizes, and whether we like it or not..we're stuck with it for life, might as well get comfortable.