When I was fourteen (still living as female), I got my ears pierced with silver 10 gauge hoop piercings.

In my quest to present more masculine, I became undecided about whether the piercings should stay or go. It's not unheard of for guys to have piercings, but I don't think they are doing me any favors currently. If I don't ditch them completely, I was thinking of at least switching over to some black plugs.

Anyways, what are you guys' thoughts on facial piercings?

Do you think they help/hinder passing?

Does the style/color/placement of the piercing matter?

Do you have any piercings? If so, then what's been your experience?

I think that gauged ears ia actually pretty masculine, especially if it is a large, bulky plug

I have snakebites, and they make me feel more masculine, i feel like more guys get those then girls

As a male (physically) They do help with making one appear  more manly. They help hide my secret! lol And I have 12 piercing, 11 of with are on my head and face. Just becareful with plugs, and don't stretch too big, they get stinky. lol

stretching big is masculine, regardless of if it is in one ear or both. Facial piercings should be chosen carefully.

It can make a huge difference when you go to look for a job assuming you want something above minimum wage, and even then.

hey i have 8 facial/head piercings. i feel that my piercings give me some confidence. they make me feel like more of a bad... ya kno. my favorite piercing i have is my bridge, i have a hoop instead of a barbell and i get so many compliments. but as far as the gauge hoops. i had 2 gauge hoops in my ear and as soon as i started transitioning i switched them out. i felt that they looked way too girly. i currently have tapers in my ear but feel those are still kinda girly. i feel that the most masculine type of jewelry for gauged ears is plugs or flesh tunnels. i prefer flesh tunnels because they show the hole and if ppl dont kno about gauges when you have plugs in they just think its an earring. if you do decide to get plugs make sure to get the silicone ones because they dont smell funky like the regular ones. and also places like hot topic or spencers are a rip off to buy body jewelery from. definitely order online.

Quote from: Carson on January 22, 2010, 10:00:18 PMstretching big is masculine, regardless of if it is in one ear or both. Facial piercings should be chosen carefully.

I kind of don't want to stretch much beyond a 3-2 gauge. I like the larger whole but I'm not really a fan of the lobe actually starts stretching out from it's natural silhouette (I always thing of that song "Do your ears hang low?"). Large gauges can look cool on some, but not for me.

Quote from: tekla on January 22, 2010, 11:02:20 PMIt can make a huge difference when you go to look for a job assuming you want something above minimum wage, and even then.

Another reason I don't want to gauge up too much. It's not an issue with my current work situation, but if it ever becomes an issue in the future then if they aren't gauged too much then I can just gauge down/take them out pretty quickly.

Quote from: Elijah on January 22, 2010, 09:42:56 PMI have snakebites, and they make me feel more masculine, i feel like more guys get those then girls.

I like the way they look aesthetically, but I've heard they are hard to live with.

Quote from: austin86 on January 22, 2010, 11:11:48 PMplaces like hot topic or spencers are a rip off to buy body jewelery from. definitely order online.

Any recommendations for reliable sites?

Size, colour and placement matter. I think having anything in both lobes makes you appear more feminine. Hell, even one does it.

Personally, I think tunnels look feminine. They look like women's earrings from afar, and they still have that feminising effect on you close up. They are not the friend of the FTM looking to "pass". That said - that particular concern is only temporary if you plan on T.

As for facial piercings, I think less is more - but that's just non-gender related taste. Placement, colour and size is important, of course. What looks good depends on the face, and the metal.

I used to have a piercing in each lobe containing a plain, stainless stud. I got rid of them because they looked girly. I was toying with the idea of keeping one, but it still looked too girly. Becides, lobes are easy to have redone later.

I still have a vertical labret with small (5mm) matt black spikes. It sits flush and is pretty subtle (though it doesn't sound it in text). It provides good visual balance, and it's slighty unusual without being over the top.

Dispite the placement, it doesn't look too girly. I think part of that has to do with the shape and colour. The silver ball ends did make it look much more feminine.

I have snakebites, septum, and 3mm in each ear currently (stretching to 10mm)

My face looks drastically younger and more feminine without the piercings, especially the septum.

I used to have a ring in my nostril instead of the septum, but I decided it looked too girly on me. I have seen men pull it off - but when I'm iffy anyway I need something less ambiguous.

Never pierced myself, but a lot of men do it.

A small, plain gold hoop is all you need.

If you leave it, the piercing will always be there anyway.

But for a guy, Yeah, it's cool.

Quote from: tekla on January 22, 2010, 11:02:20 PM
It can make a huge difference when you go to look for a job assuming you want something above minimum wage, and even then.

You could always get those fake plug earrings. I've seen them in hot topic, and online.

I'd really suggest not doing anything that standard business drag does not cover up.  In a highly competitive job market anything you do that makes it easy for the person making the choice to eliminate you from the 'maybe' pile and stick you in the circular file is to your best advantage.

I have one ear with a tunnel in, currently stretched to 8mm but wanna take it to about 10. I had a spiral stretcher in but it did look way too girly. A lot of the guys in my city have tunnels, and i personally think they look pretty masculine.

reliable sites...well i have ordered from bodycandy.com and they were reliable. also i just ordered silicone plugs off ebay for my girlfriend. hot topic wanted 20 some dollars for them and i got them on ebay for 6 dollars including shipping. i also have ordered from amazon.com and they were reliable as well.

I wear a 10g and 8g in my left ear and have had no problems with it. Many guys wear earrings- especially in one ear and the body piercing types. I have no piercings on my face so I can't comment there.

I've always seen any piercings on the face and ears as very feminine, with exception to an eyebrow, perhaps. Even when I see manly masculine men doing manly masculine things, if they're wearing an earring I think 'girly'. So, in my opinion anyway, they're something to avoid if you don't pass 100%.

Sorry for being old, and an F on an M site but what is a snakebite?

On Tekla's comment, I interview people regularly for positions in health care. I don't mind ear rings on M or F, unless they are excessive, then they start to read as mutilation and possible unsettled personality; I (as an employer) don't want the grief, pass on you. Now a days YOU have to give me a reason to employ YOU. It is very easy to find a reason not to employ someone, no matter what the laws say.

You may argue, but will never get the chance BTW, that your piercings mark you as an individual. So what?

Facial piercings? again I'm not likely to view them favourably. It doesn't worry me, but the 80 year old that I want you too look after, or the people coming through the door frightened and worried will not take comfort in your appearance.

Have a think. Why do people in authorative positions wear suits and ties if male. Business suits, knee length skirts, no high heels and don't flash the puppies if female? Emergency workers wear uniforms etc?

Because it puts people at ease. How would you feel being carried into the ER, fading in and out blood everywhere and a person with black eyes, lipstick and piercings, fake teeth and lord knows what else, looks at you as you fade in and out, and says "you're safe now" I'd be off the barouche and running 


Just my thoughts

Cindy.

Quote from: Teknoir on January 23, 2010, 02:22:56 AM
I think having anything in both lobes makes you appear more feminine.

Interestingly enough, most of the younger guys (under 30) that I work with on a shipping dock, have both ears pierced.  Of course, they aren't trying to overcome feminine features. 

I have my right earlobe pierced twice and my left 3 times.  I figured that I had a snowball's chance in hell of passing pre-T anyway, and T would eventually do its magic, so I just left them alone.  One of the guys I work with liked the look so much, he got a second piercing in one of his ears, too.   

Cindy, a snakebite is two lip piercings, one on either side.

oh eli i kno i said silicone plugs are better because they dont smell but i read you were a 10 gauge and tyring to get a silicone plug in a hole smaller than a 6 gauge is nearly impossible, just thought i would mention that.