I remember reading a book about trans men...can't remember which book, but the author was at a trans man meeting and noticed that most of the guys there had facial hair.

In my experience, most guys who are past early transition have facial hair. And a lot of guys who are early in transition sport whatever they've got, even if it looks kinda goofy.

Part of my problem is that I'm blond. Even if I weren't, I would have a decent mustache but everything else patchy.

Except sideburns. I have great sideburns, and they're pretty dark.

Yeah...not sure why so many trans men do facial hair. I mean, I get wearing it for a short time because you couldn't before (same phenomenon you see in adolescent boys and recently-discharged military veterans), but mos cis guys eventually switch over to shaving. Why don't trans guys?

Really, I just don't like facial/body hair. Not on me, not on my partner (who's cis male and naturally almost as hairless as I am except for a happy trail and a tiny patchy goatee). I've always dated minimally-hairy guys, so I don't really see hairiness/beardedness as some sort of assertion of maleness, just a very specific form of masculinity that I'm not inclined to portray. The ability to grow (some level of) facial hair would be quite sufficient; the actual fur is not required.

Quote from: kyril on April 15, 2010, 02:58:10 AM
Yeah...not sure why so many trans men do facial hair. I mean, I get wearing it for a short time because you couldn't before (same phenomenon you see in adolescent boys and recently-discharged military veterans), but mos cis guys eventually switch over to shaving. Why don't trans guys?

Really, I just don't like facial/body hair. Not on me, not on my partner (who's cis male and naturally almost as hairless as I am except for a happy trail and a tiny patchy goatee). I've always dated minimally-hairy guys, so I don't really see hairiness/beardedness as some sort of assertion of maleness, just a very specific form of masculinity that I'm not inclined to portray. The ability to grow (some level of) facial hair would be quite sufficient; the actual fur is not required.

Probably because they like it. There are a lot of cisgender men with beards, goatees, stubble, etc... It's just an extra feature that some choose to wear or not wear. I know a lot of guys who are simply just lazy and find trimming easier than shaving and some don't even grow facial hair long enough or at all. And to add to the military veteran thing, some jobs would prefer that you are clean shaven, not to mention there are people out there such as yourself who dislike facial hair so a lot of men feel the need to shave to please their partners. One of my uncles was forbidden to have facial hair for a while, until his wife went on vacation and she came back and he had a goatee. He hasn't gotten rid of it and it's been a couple years since the switch. Funny thing is, all the other engineers he was working with did the same thing because their wives were gone too.

The reason why you don't know why many transmen do facial hair is probably because you have no desire for it yourself.

I've always wanted facial hair just because I find all the different types of styles so interesting and hair on my face sounds good to me. Having a completely smooth face has always seemed boring to me, I'd rather have something on my face. Something about having facial hair and actually growing it out just feels right to me. I do get moments where I crave to be able to touch my face and feel it.

I guess you could say for some it's because they like facial hair, for others it's something that gives them comfort. And you know, there are probably those who have it for both reasons.

No, I'm not asking why some of us do it - I'm asking why it seems to be the norm (at least for out trans men) when it's not for cis guys. "Because they like it" would be a fine answer if the proportions were the same, but they don't seem to be.

(By the way, I'm talking about social milieux that I'm familiar with - mostly either urban and gay or military and military-related blue-collar. I'm aware that there are American subcultures where facial hair is more common, and obviously it would be more common among trans men in those groups. But it's just not something ordinarily seen among short young twinkish urban gay men, except the trans ones. Why?)

Remember Red? Red had facial hair.

And:

http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/conway/TSsuccesses/TransMen.html

The majority of transmen I've seen that are able to grow facial hair, do so. I really, really want some myself.

I'm not sure why other people do it, but I've just wanted it badly since I was a kid. After taking so long to get it, I don't think I'll be shaving it off any time soon. It's manly and it just looks "right" on me (well, as far as I imagine ).

I'm getting impatient... 5 weeks in and it's just goddamn 14 year old teenager  looking top-lip fuzz *shakes fist in air*. Not enough to look good, but too much to be lazy about shaving.

Quote from: kyril on April 15, 2010, 03:45:54 AM
No, I'm not asking why some of us do it - I'm asking why it seems to be the norm (at least for out trans men) when it's not for cis guys. "Because they like it" would be a fine answer if the proportions were the same, but they don't seem to be.

(By the way, I'm talking about social milieux that I'm familiar with - mostly either urban and gay or military and military-related blue-collar. I'm aware that there are American subcultures where facial hair is more common, and obviously it would be more common among trans men in those groups. But it's just not something ordinarily seen among short young twinkish urban gay men, except the trans ones. Why?)

Again, because for some it helps with their image and makes them feel secure. Some guys feel naked without it and insecure about passing if they don't have facial hair, even if their face is completely 'manly'.

Quote from: kyril on April 15, 2010, 03:45:54 AM
No, I'm not asking why some of us do it - I'm asking why it seems to be the norm (at least for out trans men) when it's not for cis guys.

Facial hair is an unmistakable male marker. It reifies our maleness and masculinity. Not to mention that a lot of us have always seen facial hair as forbidden fruit, sometimes for decades while we sorted ourselves out. And it's not the kind of forbidden fruit that you can sneak out to the pantry and snag for a midnight snack.

I have facial hair for several reasons:

1) I like facial hair on men.  I like neatly trimmed short beards, which is what I have.  A bit longer than the 5 o'clock shadow that is rough and scratchy so that it's soft.

2) It reinforces my masculinity.  Do I need it?  No.  I like it and want it precisely because I couldn't have it for so long, that now that I am finally in a male body, I want it to be unmistakably male.

3) It reinforces my masculity to family members who aren't 100% on the pronouns.  A visual reminder that hey, I'm a GUY!!!


Jay

Another example of trans-guy with beard? Search for "Make Me A Man Documentary" on Youtube One of the guys has since got proper sidies, which is what I'll be growing when I can - a proper man's version of what I have now ^_^

Hair-wise, looking at my dad and brother, it seems I'll be quite capable of growing a full beard. Body hair's a little harder to gauge, since my dad's not that hairy, my brother's got a fair bit, and I'm already showing signs of Gorilla Syndrome And I haven't even started T yet!

I want i want. sounds like me at four and it still hasn't changed when it comes to facial hair. I'm really jealous of my son's ability to grow a full beard in the space of a couple of days

I really, really want facial hair, but even at almost a year on T, all I can manage is a scraggly, pathetic chin beard.    I still have only about 6 hairs in the sideburn area, and no mustache whatsoever.  Actually, the lack of mustache is fine with me.  I'm not much of a fan of them, and the upper lip is a pain to shave.  I'm glad I only need to do a light pass to get the peach fuzz.

BUT I WANT SIDEBURNS!!! 

I have facial hair, and I'm not even on T yet. Rogaine and herbal stimulators FTW. I'd say about 50% of the transguys I know have facial hair.

Quite a few transguys have facial hair. I can't wait till I can grow a beard.

I have seen plenty of transmen with facial hair.

Personally I don't want a moustache because I would look too much like my Dad!  So I will shave there.  Also not sure about a full beard at my age!  But some stubble would be very welcome.

But I really want sideburns!