Seriously, I don't get it. Is it just because someone can't pass that they do this? Why not just say they don't want to show a picture?
It's one thing to photoshop to make your own photo look more flattering I guess, but to just pass off a random photo of a stranger as yourself?
What could somebody possibly get out of that? It can't get you a better job or date because then you're shown to be dishonest, so what's the point?
Why do people do this? Is it a passing issue?

I've no idea, I feel the same way.

I'll use pictures of people who have some similar features to mine, but I wont try to say that "that's me". I'll usually say something like "I wish I was that pretty" 

Because they're trying to gain admiration in the eyes of people they'll never meet offline?

Perhaps they place such an importance on looks, they do not believe their personality will count for squat in a place where looks don't matter.

Or maybe they're living out a fantasy of looking more like their "ideal", without actually having to put any effort in.

There's a lot of potential reasons, I suppose.

My avatar and I do not look alike... but in everything else we're very, very similar (only I'm real, he's not  ). It's like someone reduced me to a handful of core elements and chucked me in a badly written, badly coded, dialoge heavy adventure game! Pity I only got a bit part   

Sometimes I will post my pic. But for the same privacy concerns that Matilda mentioned I don't post it very often or leave it up for very long. Also I wish I had a better pic. to post 

But that is me in my avatar! I swear it! Oh... wait, the wings are photoshoped but the rest is me I swear!

Depends on the forum.

I've been on dating sites where they post pics that are either NOT them, or are from a decade or so ago.

On some trans forums, there have been some guys who claim to pass 100% pre-T, and post a pic of a bio guy.  Not sure why they feel the need to do that.

I agree with the others about posting pics on the net.  I'm not ashamed to be out, but there are weirdos out there for sure.

Yes, that is me and my scraggly beard in my avatar.


Jay

My pic is me.  But like two years ago, ha.  I should update it, but I'm too lazy.

As for the topic, I imagine people do it to live out a fantasy with people they'll never meet offline.  Which sucks if you make a real connection with someone, and then you have to be like "oh yeah, that's not me".  It's not a productive thing to do emotionally in my opinion.

If you put your pic out there and someone loves it, you'll be much happier than if someone loves a pic that isn't you.

But it just depends what you're looking for.

Until I started coming out recently I would use famous celebrities as my avatar such as Stevie Nicks. It was partly because I was afraid of being identified and partly because it was wishful thinking of what I thought was the ideal "look" for a woman...

Once I have started coming out I felt that I wanted to use a real picture of myself. While I want to choose who I come out to I no longer worry if someone finds out on their own. BTW, this is a current picture my friend took of me about 2 months ago.

Why anyone would use a total stranger? That I dont understand...

I am not stealth nor do I plan on it for now.  So it is all me.

Janet

You've asked a very good question, Nero. But, since the people people replying to it so far either use recognizable pics that are obviously not themselves, graphic avatars or photos of ourselves I think it will be difficult to get an answer that's meaningful.

We would just be speculating about their reasons. Although I have to agree that I cannot see the point when it's reasonably easy to post an obvious avatar why anyone would post one of someone else instead and say it is themselves.

Perhaps someone who does that will be able to enlighten us all as to their reasoning.

Quote from: Cami on July 18, 2009, 04:42:32 PM
But that is me in my avatar! I swear it! Oh... wait, the wings are photoshoped but the rest is me I swear!

Yes! Same with me. Except for the face, hair, and clothing, that's me.

It's nothing but insecurity.  I can't stand when people do it.  Makes me wish I could punch via TCP/IP.

Hi Nero,

I am not particularly sure of the context that you are referring to, but I think that people use other peoples picture because either they feel insecure as to how they look themselves or they are concerned about privacy/safety or all of the above. For me, my avatar is the real me and inspite of it not being a particularly flattering picture of me I show it anyway. As far as someone seeing my picture here (or elsewhere) that should not... I don't really care. At work, they all think I am gay anyway.

Brenda

Thanks for the replies everyone. Yeah, I'm not talking about just using an avatar of a celebrity or something, but actually showing a picture and saying it's you. I just don't get it. Guess it is fantasy like some of you said.
And that's me in my avatar by the way. Ain't I sexy? 

Quote from: Mister on July 18, 2009, 09:22:05 PM
Makes me wish I could punch via TCP/IP.

That's the real reason we're all moving to IPv6, isn't it? 

ain't i sexy, nero?  this is me, take it or leave it! hahaha

Yup, and I'm a sexy cartoon sitting in a grave yard. No really, I am!!! 

Not even Lindsay Lohan looks that hot.

Obvious I am not trying to come across as her though.

Well, I do know George Costanza used a picture of a model and said it's his fiance so other models would like him. I just wish I would have thought of that first.

But seriously, I've been using my real pic since long before I ever came out to anyone and no one ever "caught" me. But if it ever happened, I was prepared to ask them why they were on a TG forum.  There's too much shame in our community.

Julie