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I've been on T about 6 weeks now I'm honestly surprised by how much it's made a difference already. Not in how I look or anything, I'm just a lot more comfortable with myself and my anxiety is so drastically reduced its astounding. Dysphoria caused so much anxiety, I didn't even realize to what extent.

I'd normally feel so much worse right now, but I don't. It's still there of course, but dysphoria feels more manageable now. Like I can get through it and be ok, things will get better. I used to hate the "it gets better" phrase but for once I believe it.

I feel more and more confident that this was the right call for me, that this is who I am meant to be. Excited to see who I will become and for more changes to happen(:

[purplexbat]

3 weeks on T,

My skin is oily as heck and so is my head, making dandruff worse again 💁🏻‍♂️

Libido is higher but so is dysphoria so weeeeeeee. Also worst PMS of life and all my muscles and joints hurt ✌

Depressed as ever but oddly still more confident than I've ever been 🤷🏻‍♂️ there have been subtle changes I can notice and I know it'll get better in time, but waiting sucks tbh. And so does knowing a large number of people no longer want to be around you or even think you should exist.

I am tired, but I'm getting there. 😪

[purplexbat]

Pls

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Sometimes people are just soooo close to getting it.

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God okay so I’m going to say this now; PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not risk your health or anyone’s in the form of getting a “cheap” binder of ebay or where ever. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE save your $4-$10 dollars for those cheap ebay ones and put it towards a gc2b binder. Or if you want an Underworks go for that but I highly suggest gc2b. They’re about $40 (with shipping) and will last you WAY longer than any cheap ebay one. They are MEANT for lasting you. I wash mine many times week, wear it daily, Wear them daily. I have two. Had them for almost a year now. But I cannot urge you enough to PLEASE save up your pennies for a PROPER SAFE binder. Binders you can breathe in, binders you can move in, binders that don’t crush your ribs, binders that are comfortable, binders that are safe.

This isn’t a safe binder:

It uses clasps and not compression.

This is a c2b binder; made by trans people for trans people:

These binders have no clasps but uses spandex to compress you safety. 

Measure your chest before ordering to make sure you don’t get one too small or too large.

UPDATE (06/12)

I wanted to add more information on where you can buy binders and info in general about binders

You can buy binders from these sites

@gc2b-apparel​ (OPs #1 Recommendation)

@shapeshiftersinc​

http://www.f2mbinders.com/ (AKA underworks)

http://www.t-kingdom.com/

http://www.lesloveboat.com/shop/index.php?language=en

http://www.danae.info/en/?___from_store=nl

http://showcase.designveronique.com/designveronique/shop/postsurgical/men-1.html

http://en.nabeshirt.com/shop/

Used Binders

If you can’t afford a binder, don’t despair! Used binders are often passed on by post-op trans men or those whose binders may no longer fit. There are a few programs available that help distribute donated second-hand binders:

In A Bind – Started in 2012, to date In a Bind has provided safe compression garments to over 1500 youth in need. Trans* masculine and genderqueer youth living anywhere in the USA can apply to receive a free binder. In a Bind depends on donations. Recently had top surgery? Go up or down a size? Find a style that works better for you? Donate those binders you’re no longer using!

Black Trans Advocacy FTM Binder Grant

MORF Binder Exchange – Since February 2011, MORF has been providing free binders to trans* masculine people in the UK and around the world. The free scheme (all you pay is the postage) has so far redistributed hundreds of binders. In 2014 alone, over 280 binders were sent out.

FTME Free Youth Binder Program – Age 24 and under only; USA only.

Replace the Ace – USA only

Big Brothers Used Binder Program – Donation required

Mazzoni Center’s Binder Recycling Program – Only for youth enrolled in P.A.C.T.S., Philadelphia.

Point 5cc Tshirt Company – Free binder with purchase of t-shirt

Come As You Are’s Binder Bucks Recycling Program – Canada only

Qmunity Binder Exchange – BC, Canada only.

Trans Fellas

Northern Ireland Binder Scheme –  Age 25 and under, N. Ireland only.

You can also try asking around for an inexpensive hand-me-down binder on one of themailing lists for trans guys or check out LiveJournal’s FTM Garage Sale and the FtM Sales, Swap, and Support group on Facebook.

How to Choose a Chest Binder

If you still remember your old bra size, you can find out your binder size by using theBra to Chest Size Converter Tool. If you don’t know your old bra size, you can measure yourself the old-fashioned way:

Take a snug measurement of the fullest part of your chest using a tape measure (best if measured while clothed) and write that number down onto a sheet of paper.

Measure underneath your chest where the crease is and write that number down as well.

Add those numbers together and divide the sum by 2. This number will differentiate your size not only from brand to brand but from binder to binder as well.

Selecting a binder brand and style can be difficult: there are so many options that it can be overwhelming! Plus, there aren’t very many reviews of binders other than those about Underworks’ and T-Kingdom’s more popular models. After buying your binder, help make the experience easier for guys in the future by contributing your review to one of the review sites listed below.

Essentially, there are two types of binders: short ones and long ones. The short ones end right at your waist. The down side of these is that if you carry some extra weight, short binders tend to roll up and act more like a bra. The long ones can be pulled down past your waist by several inches, however it’s inevitable that it will still roll up. To reduce the chances of this, wear a belt. Choosing between a short and long binder has more to do with your body type, specifically your abdomen, and not your chest size.

Lastly, consider the location of the company you’re buying from. Buying from a company that’s closer to you can save you a significant amount of money on shipping costs.

How to Put On a Chest Binder

It might seem silly, but you’re probably going to need some help figuring out how to put on your new binder, particularly if you purchased one of the longer styles.

Put your binder inside out and upside down.

Step into your binder and pull the bottom of it up, ideally to your belt line. The binder should still be inside out and upside down.

Use the sleeves as handles to pull the top of the binder (the end closer to your feet) up to your shoulders.

Put your arms through the sleeve holes and adjust your chest to your needs. You may need to pull the bottom of the binder out from underneath itself if you don’t want it folded under. For others, leaving it folded under may help stop the binder from rolling up.

Don’t be disappointed if you look in the mirror and it looks like you have one big boob in the middle of your chest. You just need to adjust your chest. Reach in from the neck hole and push your chesticles down and out. You’re basically pushing your nipple toward your armpit to achieve the flattest looking chest possible.

FTM Chest Binding Tips

Very important: When binding, you should not by any means feel as though you can’t breathe or like you’re going to pass out from a lack of oxygen.

Binders aren’t the most comfortable things in the world. To make binding more comfortable, and to reduce the possibility of the binder moving around a bit, some guys wear a light shirt underneath.

Depending on the size of your chest, you may need to layer clothing on top of the binder to get optimal chest flattening. You’ll find that some of the shirts in your closet require you to layer more than shirts in your wardrobe.

You can swim in your binder. Just wear a sleeveless or sleeved T-shirt over it. Don’t worry if your binder seems less effective after a swim, this isn’t permanent. Simply wash it and it will go back to normal.

Your chest will look bigger than it really is when you look down at it. Check in the mirror for a more accurate side view.

Not all binders breathe well, and the reality is that you’re probably going to get hot. If you’ve already started testosterone, you’re definitely going to sweat. The build up of sweat can irritate your skin causing rashes and sores. Wearing a thin cotton shirt that breathes well underneath your binder may help prevent this. If you find this uncomfortable, try applying corn starch to your body before putting on your binder to help keep it from holding in moisture. If you’ve already experienced skin irritation of some sort, take care of it the same way you would an open wound. Washing the irritated area with anti-bacterial soap will keep it clean and help it heal faster.

Conclusion

Chest binding, as cumbersome as it may seem, can be very freeing for transgender men. There’s a plethora of quality FTM chest binding products available for body types of all shapes and sizes. Regardless of what you use for binding, please remember to put your health first. Now that you’re armed with all the information you need to find the right binder for you, go forth and feel more comfortable in your skin!

FTM Chest Binder Reviews

Chest Binder Reviews Site: Written reviews of various chest binding products. Binders are rated for effectiveness, comfort, and discreetness.

Binder Reviews’ YouTube Collab Channel: This is a collab channel dedicated to providing reviews of a wide variety of chest binders on different sizes and shapes of people.

(Note: These sites are no longer updated.)

More FTM Chest Binding Resources

Binding Safely for Your Body: Tips for All Body Types and Sizes

The 6 Best Tips for Binding in the Summer

Hudson’s Guide to FTM Binding: Includes a complete list of other products you can use for chest binding, such as compression garments and sports bras.

FYI Binding Tips: The Butchelor has some useful tips on how to put on a binder, how to keep it from rolling up, and how to wash a binder.

Do you have any tips about binding? Want to share your experience with a particular binder brand or model? Do you know of other binder manufacturers, particularly those outside of Asia and the US? Please leave your comments below.

Last updated: 05/20/16 (x)

[purplexbat]

Faceapp gives me some hope when dysphoria wants to eat me alive🙃

3 more weeks until my first endo visit, it feels like an eternity.

[purplexbat]

For the past 45 minutes my 11 year old sister has been carefully, painstakingly, moving her horse onto the Zora domain

[purplexbat]

scifi shows set in space love creating drama by tossing people out of the airlock but it's actually really fucking funny when you think about it. like imagine you're at work and one of your coworkers gets too rowdy so the rest of the team vote to pick them up and throw them out of the window.

[purplexbat]

//CW: mental Illness, self harm, medication, dysphoria//

Figuring out my gender: will I ever?

I am positive I am not a woman, even though I was AFAB. I've lived my life for most of the past 29 years trying to fit those roles of woman, wife, mother, daughter...but it has never been effortless. I had to learn, and relearn all the ways to fit into that box.

I never particularly felt like a "girl" or felt comfortable in that role but i learned to fit within it, and I told myself I was ok with it. I've known for years that I'm not cis, I heard the term non-binary years ago and it made sense but I didn't really do anything about it, id mention it in passing but I wasn't "out"

I had many "disguises" that it's hard to distinguish if I was happy with how I looked or if I was comfortable hiding and not questioned. I've never fit in, so some kind of semblance of belonging helped. I'd wear makeup, dresses and hair bows. Even if I was wearing mens clothes and had my hair cut short there was SOMETHING that made it obvious that "see, I'm a girl." It was really all a mask. While I didn't ever particularly enjoy anything "girly" most of the time, I didn't hate how I looked entirely. Which, maybe helped get me through the horrible crippling depression and self destructive habits keeping from going completely off the deep end.

I have since changed my name and pronouns to all gender neutral and bought a chest binder, which all make me feel a whole lot better. It's still a battle though, there are many fears and struggles I'm still facing and more that have risen since exploring my gender more. Dysphoria has hit me like a freight train and some days the tears don't stop. In retrospect it's probably why I normally cry getting dressed, I have a large chest and very definitive curves and had just resorted to trying to find clothes that would work with my body.

I've been in therapy or seeing psychiatrists since I was 14, on and off of many medications and even hospitalized myself once. Most of the time I've been "coping" with my depression in pretty unhealthy ways (drugs, alcohol, self-harm, smoking) and gave all of those unhealthy habits up for the most part. It hasn't been easy, and I feel like I'm going to burst and crack open then crumble most of the time, but I've been trying to make it through.

I went through some awful med changes at the beginning of the year after being *finally* diagnosed with ADHD and it left me without meds at all for a time being which I had not done since stopping all the other said unhealthy coping mechanisms and I was a complete mess. I had nothing. No way to cope, no med, just me and my thoughts and feelings....drowning. I eventually started some meds for ADHD where I definitely felt better, and learning new ways to manage my ADHD was helpful and I felt like for once I could have clarity and actually function like a semi-normal human being and get things in order.

Well, que a global pandemic and complete Isolation. I have fairly severe eosinophilic asthma so I've been at home since the beginning of March. My moods progressively get worse and I'm constantly battling just to get up and face the day. Med adjustments have helped, but a lot of the time I'm still struggling quite a bit. I decided enough is enough and I need to be myself and fight for what will make me happier before I drown.

Having a Binder has given me a lot more freedom there and it's honestly given me a glimpse of happiness that I am eager for more of.

I am still unsure as to how I want to go about transitioning, I know i want top surgery and that it would make me feel so much better. I'm fairly sure I want to start testosterone but I'm more nervous about that because of the less ideal side effects and everything but I just want to be happy. I want to be happy no matter the cost, I physically can't live like this anymore or I honestly fear for my life.

I deserve to be happy, and I won't stop fighting for that. I'm finally starting to feel like me, and I wish I could talk to my horribly depressed teenage self and tell them it's going to be okay.

[purplexbat]

When you're feeling awesome in your binder, then lay down on the couch and......boom.

Oh ok. 😒

Curse of the large chest or I'm doing this wrong😂

[purplexbat]

🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈 love these glasses with this hair👀

[purplexbat]

Oh hey its me!

I recently got my hair cut and dyed, and after many tears trying to make it look like me I got thereeee.

But I still want to live in my binder for the next week T.T

[purplexbat]

#WEARAMASK

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IF YOU'RE NOT AUTISTIC, LISTEN THE FUCK UP

I'm autistic and here's shit you need to know!

ABA therapy is abuse. There is no debate on this topic.

Fuck Autism Speaks, they're ableist and they misuse the money they're given.

If you're not autistic, I don't want to hear your opinion about anything related to autism. Just listen to us.

The puzzle piece has ableist origins.

Autistic people are disabled. Autism is a developmental disability. Disabled is not a bad word.

You don't know more about autism than autistic people. I don't care if your entire family is autistic, you don't know more than autistic people.

Mocking people for their interests and calling them cringey is ableist.

Vaccines don't cause autism, and even if they did, you should still vaccinate your kids.

I am not afraid of noise/light etc. Certain sensory inputs cause me pain.

The r word is a slur. Don't say it.

Non-verbal doesn't mean we can't hear or understand what you are saying.

Verbal communication is not the only method of communicating. Just because a person is non-verbal, doesn't mean they can't respond to what you're saying.

Sign language, writing, sound boards, and cards with words on them are all form of non-verbal communication.

Do not post a video of your child having a meltdown or shutdown on the internet. Imagine how you would feel if someone posted a video of you on the internet at one of your worst moments without your consent.

The Big Bang Theory is shit representation. So is Adam and Atypical. If it's not written by an autistic person, its probably shit. Neurotypical writers can include autistic characters, but they cant write stories about being autistic.

[purplexbat]

the only valid m/f pairing dynamics are:

stupid as all fuck but has good intentions (for him) & pegs him (for her)

Area Man In Awe of his Amazing Wife (note: the characters need not necessarily actually be married to fit this trope)

but sir, that’s my emotional support fictional mom & dad

“everyone, meet my monster/alien/robot boyfriend”

none of these are mutually exclusive