Quote from: Michael Alexander on November 10, 2010, 12:31:19 AM
Gave 8 years of my life to horseback riding which by some has been called a "girl's sport".

haha dude horseback riding is definitely not a girl sport. I just got back into it(still trying to figure how to ride and not feel like I'm busting my genitals open thanks to the growth lol). But seriously look at the World Equestrian Games, 90% of the top riders are men over 30.

Quote from: Carson on November 10, 2010, 09:09:27 AM
haha dude horseback riding is definitely not a girl sport. I just got back into it(still trying to figure how to ride and not feel like I'm busting my genitals open thanks to the growth lol). But seriously look at the World Equestrian Games, 90% of the top riders are men over 30.

Owww that's not something I even thought about. I don't ride anymore, can't afford it, but when I start back up after being on T that will be an interestingly painful experience I guess. That's a very good point though about the Equestrian Games I didn't think about that.

Welcome to the world of manhood. You'll get told not to be a sissy if you do something girlie. It happens.

Fathers do it to their sons all the time. They do it because they love you, and they want to help you "fit in" to your new found world. They don't want their boys to get picked on or beat up.

They aren't always "right" - especially to our eyes - but more often than not their intentions are in the right place.

We talk so often about how things should be. In principal - I agree. But that's not how the outside, off forum, real "cis" world works.

And honestly - as bad as this sounds - until we stop holding up our own pre-transition or childhood masculine interests as some sort of "badge of real manhood" - we're as guilty of perpetuating the gender stereotypes as they are.

I've been confronted with my interests but not so much in a direct negative way. It might have been the way your father said it that drove you off the top. Either way, you are the one in power to not feel challenged or put down.

I personally am very proud of what my hobbies are--masculine or feminine-and would not change a thing about it.

If my mother told me that 'guys don't do that', I automatically think--I'm glad I can appreciate what I do and not feel threatened because I know I am more than society's black and whites.

Being an ftm, we're not as history-free as cis-gendered men but it's this that makes us unique. I don't mean go running around with transpride if that's not what you're into but just know that you are you first, before any gender constrictions.

Ahhh, pretty much ALL of my hobbies are 'girly'! I LOVE to crochet, do it all the time, even take it to school with me if I feel like it, and I have to say, I recon I'm DAMN good at it Not to mention I enjoy it a lot, and it calms me. I don't see why I should give it up, or be ashamed of it, just because I'm a guy playing with some wool?

I also love to make jewellery, do beading and am always buying those DIY craft kits, like scratch paintings and paint by numbers. At first, when I was only just realising who I was, it gave me a lot of trouble, because I thought that perhaps my hobbies meant I wasn't really a guy. But I quickly came to realise that they don't have anything to do with my gender, they're just interests.

A few hundred hears ago a guy would have been held in contempt for wanting to cook, but now there are probably more professional male chefs than ever. It's just all about what society deems the norm at a certain point in time. Who knows, one day knitting may be seen as a traditionally male hobby Would that make any women still practicing it tomboys by default? Hell no

So I shall go on beading, and having a damn good time of it!

I wouldn't worry too much about it. Society today just has too many things categorized as male or female. Do what makes you happy.

Hmm I've never really been into anything feminine, and whenever I did play dolls with my cousin I was always the one boy doll. And I've been lucky that neither of my parents gave me a hard time about things I did/do. I'm not really sure how i'd react.

But I do remember a time (around age 9) when I was at my grandparents house and my grandpa was lifting weights with my uncle, and he wouldn't let me lift the smaller ones because he said "girls don't need to build muscle" it pissed me off greatly, so I went in the room with my grandma to vent, and she told me to tell him how I felt. So I wrote my feelings down and went back out there and told him that it wasn't right for him to say I couldn't or shouldn't do something just because he says I'm a girl. He smiled and apologized and said I was right.

So pretty much, men respect when you can stand up for yourself, especially man to man, no matter what the situation is. Let your dad know that you shouldn't be judged by what you do based on gender, and just firmly put it to him letting him know your standing up for yourself as a man.

Quote from: kyril on November 09, 2010, 07:23:12 PM
It's part of the male experience...you don't get a free pass just because you were born with girl parts. People will question your masculinity if you have traditionally-feminine interests, hobbies, or mannerisms. Homophobia, sissyphobia, whatever you want to call it, this is just something guys deal with.

Most of us just hide our "girly" interests and put on a facade of masculinity. The braver ones stand up for themselves and are publicly effeminate, even feminine, risking ridicule or even physical abuse. But I feel fairly confident saying there's not one male living in the US who hasn't heard something along the lines of "stop with the girly crap." Probably from his father. And most react with the same shock and dismay...the first time...but eventually, it's just expected.

^^ true.

Hmm ive always been really into music and playing instraments.  Ive always loved to skateboard an play sports. Ive never been interested in anything really "girly." When i was younger though i remember people alway saying thats for boys, or go play with the girls. I didnt care.

Quote from: Keagan on November 09, 2010, 02:44:03 PM
Mmm I know what that's like. It sucks and I'm sorry you have to go through that. D:

I too am in a hobby that is predominately female. For those of you who don't know, I collect resin ball jointed dolls, and for whatever reason, it is completely unacceptable that a boy collect dolls in this society. :/ The girls in the hobby love it when a doll loving guy comes in though. But yeah, many people outside the hobby use that against me whenever I mention my gender. They tell me, "You say you want to be a boy but yet you still act like a girl!" or "Guys don't play with dolls. You're just confused right now and are trying too hard," or I just get odd stares or laughed at. >.<;

Me, too. I also used to love dolls, I had like a weird obsession with them, and I loved dolls houses. I still have no idea why, when most other things I liked had to do with either sports or gaming lol.

As for other hobbies, I tend to listen to a lot of girly music (not really a hobby, I know), and I have to wear short spandex for a sport I play. :/ I also love horses, which a lot of people see as pretty feminine for some reason, especially considering I don't actually ride.

Putting gender labels on hobbies is a silly thing. What exactly determines if an action is male or female, it is largely cultural.
People have doubted my masculinity because I have a few posters of Alphonse Mucha, Audrey Hepburn and Amelia Earheart and my taste in music and movies is not what one would consider "masculine".  On the other hand I love working with large machinery. What is exactly so feminine about loving horses? If I had the time and money I would continue my riding lessons.

Just do what you like to do, there are far too many cultural restrictions in this world!