Susan's Place Logo

News:

Based on internal web log processing I show 3,417,511 Users made 5,324,115 Visits Accounting for 199,729,420 pageviews and 8.954.49 TB of data transfer for 2017, all on a little over $2,000 per month.

Help support this website by Donating or Subscribing! (Updated)

Main Menu

FTM - 1.5 years on T. Tips for passing?

Started by Asalwitz, October 14, 2018, 03:59:24 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Asalwitz

Although I have facial hair, I still get she/her or confused looks sometimes.
I haven't had surgery, but my binder does me well. I also dress quite masculine and my voice is deeper than my dads [emoji15]
Is anything missing? What made you start passing all the time?
I think I could work on my mannerisms, so tips are welcome.

Thanks!

  •  

Northern Star Girl

Quote from: Asalwitz on October 14, 2018, 03:59:24 PM
Although I have facial hair, I still get she/her or confused looks sometimes.
I haven't had surgery, but my binder does me well. I also dress quite masculine and my voice is deeper than my dads [emoji15]
Is anything missing? What made you start passing all the time?
I think I could work on my mannerisms, so tips are welcome.
Thanks!



@Asalwitz 
Dear Asalwitz:
Although I am not a FTM...  I can agree with you that mannerisms and body movements are key elements to passing convincingly.  As a MTF, I found that not only are things like HRT, body movements and mannerisms important but also grooming, eyebrows, hair styles, clothing and shoe choices, cosmetic enhancements, jewelry, and of course voice. 
Now that you have posted here I am certain that other FTMs here on the Forums can give you more pertinent information. 

I see that you are new here and I am most pleased that you have decided to join the site.
Thank you for writing your first posting.... other members will be along to offer their thoughts and comments in response to your concerns and questions.

This is the right place for you to be to find out what others have done that may have been in your circumstances and with your questions and concerns.
    There are a lot of members here that can identify with your situation as you continue to feel free to share it.

    Please allow me to warmly WELCOME you to Susan's Place
You will find this a safe and friendly place to share with others and to read about others similar trials, tribulations, and successes.

    As you are certainly aware you can share with others and involve yourself with some give and take with other like-minded members.  When frustrated or if you have successes you can share it here if you wish and receive support from others and offer support to others. ....
     ***It's a very good chance that you might find that you will make some new friends here. 

    Please come in and continue to be involved at your own pace.
I have included information about the site that will help you navigate around and best utilize the features here.   
Please look closely at the LINKS in RED, answers are there to many questions that new members ask.

Again, Welcome to Susan's Place.
Danielle


Here are some links to the site rules and stuff that all new members should be familiar with:

Things that you should read


****Help support this website by:
Subscribing !     and/or by    Donating !

Check out my Personal Blog Threads below
to read more details about me and my life.

             (Click Links below):  [Oldest first]
  Aspiringperson is now Alaskan Danielle    
           I am the HUNTED PREY : Danielle's Chronicles    
                  A New Chapter: ALASKAN DANIELLE's Chronicles    
                             Danielle's Continuing Life Adventures
I started HRT March 2015 and
I've been Full-Time since December 2016.
I love living in a small town in Alaska
I am 44 years old and Single
  •  

meatwagon

I was pretty surprised when I opened the thread, I don't see what could be confusing people about your appearance at all.  are you particularly short or bottom heavy?  I have that issue, so I have to be careful not to wear form fitting clothes, especially pants.  but my biggest passing problem is still my face, as far as I can tell.  if you're carrying yourself with confidence, not trying to seem small and out of the way, I would think you'd be fine.  some people will judge gender based on different things, though, like height or hair if they're just glancing and not paying attention. 
  •  

Northern Star Girl

@Asalwitz
Oh, and another thing Asalwitz
Please find your way to the  Introductions Forum and write a brief introduction post and summary about yourself so that more members here on the Susan's Place forums will be aware of your arrival.

Enjoy your time here on the Forums, I trust that you will find this an enjoyable and informative experience.
Best wishes to you.... and again, Welcome to Susan's Place
Danielle

****Help support this website by:
Subscribing !     and/or by    Donating !

Check out my Personal Blog Threads below
to read more details about me and my life.

             (Click Links below):  [Oldest first]
  Aspiringperson is now Alaskan Danielle    
           I am the HUNTED PREY : Danielle's Chronicles    
                  A New Chapter: ALASKAN DANIELLE's Chronicles    
                             Danielle's Continuing Life Adventures
I started HRT March 2015 and
I've been Full-Time since December 2016.
I love living in a small town in Alaska
I am 44 years old and Single
  •  

Asalwitz

Quote from: meatwagon on October 14, 2018, 04:32:35 PM
I was pretty surprised when I opened the thread, I don't see what could be confusing people about your appearance at all.  are you particularly short or bottom heavy?  I have that issue, so I have to be careful not to wear form fitting clothes, especially pants.  but my biggest passing problem is still my face, as far as I can tell.  if you're carrying yourself with confidence, not trying to seem small and out of the way, I would think you'd be fine.  some people will judge gender based on different things, though, like height or hair if they're just glancing and not paying attention.

Thanks for replying!
I am 5'6 and about 220. I am pretty much straight up and down, not a lot of curves. I am strong but not muscular (I compare myself to a tree trunk lol).
I wear pants that fit but are looser.
I could probably work on confidence too.

The struggle is real.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  •  

meatwagon

confidence is a tough one, especially when being misgendered can knock any confidence you had back to zero.  I can't say much about mannerisms since i haven't seen you "in action", but the confidence thing is usually what will affect those anyway.  claiming your space, keeping your head up, speaking loudly and clearly enough to be heard, etc.  seeming comfortable in your own skin is a good thing for anyone, but some things like that will go a long way toward giving a more masculine impression.  because I have trouble imagining it being your looks, particularly your face.  maybe height? but that alone isn't that big of a factor.  it's hard to say sometimes, honestly.  some people are just weird, I've seen guys with strong features, good height, and full beards get misgendered, too.  it might not be you at all.
  •  

MeTony

Ask a friend to record you on video. When you don't notice and you are not aware of your mannerism and movements. Maybe that can give you a clue if that is the problem.

How do you talk? Women have more...melody... men talk more in the same range without many ups and downs. Men usually go down at the end of a sentance and women up.


Tony
  •  

Virginia

Quote from: MeTony on October 15, 2018, 08:34:17 AM
Ask a friend to record you on video.

An excellent tip. Actually watching the total picture of ourselves on video gives us the ability to stand back far enough to see the forest for the trees.
~VA (pronounced Vee- Aye, the abbreviation for the State of Virginia where I live)
  •  

Asalwitz

Quote from: Virginia on October 15, 2018, 08:57:21 AM
An excellent tip. Actually watching the total picture of ourselves on video gives us the ability to stand back far enough to see the forest for the trees.


Thanks for the reply! I like the video idea.

I know I also need to work on how I talk, which is so hard. I have thought about going to a speech therapist, but I always talk myself down saying that's silly you can do it yourself.

If anyone else has had speech therapy, I would love to know your thoughts about it all.
  •  

Ryuichi13

Honestly, you look male to me.  (we have similar looking facial hair!  ;))

Even though I have a beard, a deep voice and am built like a stocky man, I still occasionally get clocked.  What I usually do is simply to correct them by saying something like "I'm a guy/dude/man," or "You mean sir" when ma'amed.

And then I figure that they left their red-tipped white cane and seeing eye dog at home.  [emoji23]

Have you seen this thread?  It's called 'Being Socialized Male 101,' and it has great tips for how to act more male. 
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,241460.0.html

Also, the accompanying thread, 'Being Socialized Female' also has tips on it as to how cis men act vs women.
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php?topic=228377.0

Hope these help!

Edit:  Found a pic of myself I don't mind posting on here.  My dreadlocks are pulled back.



Ryuichi


  •  

Asalwitz

Quote from: Ryuichi13 on October 18, 2018, 01:38:26 AM
Honestly, you look male to me.  (we have similar looking facial hair!  ;))

Even though I have a beard, a deep voice and am built like a stocky man, I still occasionally get clocked.  What I usually do is simply to correct them by saying something like "I'm a guy/dude/man," or "You mean sir" when ma'amed.

And then I figure that they left their red-tipped white cane and seeing eye dog at home.  [emoji23]

Have you seen this thread?  It's called 'Being Socialized Male 101,' and it has great tips for how to act more male. 
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,241460.0.html

Also, the accompanying thread, 'Being Socialized Female' also has tips on it as to how cis men act vs women.
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php?topic=228377.0

Hope these help!

Edit:  Found a pic of myself I don't mind posting on here.  My dreadlocks are pulled back.



Ryuichi


Thank you for sharing!! I will definitely take a look at those.
  •  

milesify

wow, usually facial hair and a deep voice is more than enough for the "cis gaze" to pass someone as male.. i'm really surprised to hear that! i agree working on mannerisms will help a lot, maybe have a look at the way you walk, sit, move your hands as well... little things like that can sometimes be a give-away. the video idea is a great one.

you could also try different hairstyles, sometimes hair that's a little longer can frame the face or make it longer so it's easier to pass. although traditionally masculine, short hair doesnt always equal male-passing :( you have a rounder face with wide eyes, so maybe something that is short on the sides and longer on the top like a crew cut could help make your face more rectangular.

if its possible for you, growing more of a beard might help too, and will give an illusion of your chin and jaw being longer than they are. and it's nearly impossible to convince cis people that obvious beards can grow on anything but men. (which of course makes things really difficult for women, but validating for men).

all the best to you though, i hope the misgendering stops soon.

[edit]: a couple of extra tips i forgot to mention...
* when people misgender you i would avoid getting defensive or saying things like "actually i'm...". when cis people get misgendered it rarely happens so they treat it as something ridiculous, because they've never had to prove themselves before. laughing it off and saying like "um, ok then." puts the blame onto the person who's misgendered you, and makes it look like they've made a mistake that's clearly obvious, rather than you trying to prove yourself. that extra confidence can go a long way in shifting peoples' perceptions of you!

* as far as speech therapy goes... i've never personally been, but i spent years trying to "naturally" transition eg doing vocal exercises to deepen the voice and things like that because i never thought medical transition would be an option for me. you can find a whole bunch of videos on youtube on different ways to help your voice and vocal patterns sound more masculine, and you've already got the effects of T for your pitch so it hopefully shouldnt require as much work :) learning to speak from the chest to bring out as much resonance as you can goes a long way. also be mindful of consonant sounds such as S's, T's, and K's... extra enunciation on those can sound really feminine, regardless of how low the vocal pitch is.
absolutely don't exclude speech therapy as an option if you have the opportunity though!! i'm sure it will do absolute wonders and the effects i've seen from others who have been are mind-blowing. but these are just some tips to save your wallet :)
  •