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UK Government announces plans to stop transgender youth from transitioning

On April 22nd, Liz Truss announced that the Government will review the Gender Recognition Act, a 2004 bill that allows transgender people in the UK to be legally recognised as their true gender. Liz Truss is currently the UK’s Minister for Women and Equalities, meaning that she has overall responsibility for policy on sexual orientation and transgender equality.

In an Independent article reporting on her announcement, she says “I believe very strongly that adults should have the freedom to lead their lives as they see fit, but I think it’s very important that while people are still developing their decision making capabilities that we protect them from making these irreversible decisions.” Source: https://www.indy100.com/article/transgender-liz-truss-activists-lgbt-trans-gender-recognition-act-gra-9480326

Simply put, any reforms made by Liz Truss to the Gender Recognition Act will most likely eliminate or severely hinder young trans people’s abilities to transition. Currently in the UK, under 18s are allowed to undergo surgery with parental consent, however long waiting lists (up to 5 years for some NHS clinics) mean that realistically teens will not even have the opportunity to medically transition anyway. Factoring in a mandatory 2 year wait time, a review from a specialist panel and multiple therapy appointments, Truss’s recommendations come across as wholly unnecessary, and demonizes trans youth who may already be struggling with their identity.

Another deeply concerning aspect of Truss’s announcement is the mention that the reforms will ‘preserve the protection of single-sex spaces to which only women have access.’  Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/lgbt-gender-government-liz-truss-transgender-rights-consultation-a9478901.html While safe spaces for women are obviously vital, including these comments in an announcement about transgender rights is steeped in transmisogyny. It also echoes the debates around HB2, the controversial American bathroom bills that aimed to present trans people from using the bathroom of their true gender. This led to both trans and gender nonconforming cisgender people being insulted and harassed. Transgender people, and especially trans women, have faced harassment from transphobes, and especially TERF’s, who say that they do not belong in single-sex spaces. While this is often framed as an attempt to keep predatory men out of women’s spaces, conservatives are quick to jump on rare examples of this happening to demonize the entire transgender population.

UK based LGBT+ charity Stonewall have put out an announcement criticizing Truss’s recommendations, requesting to meet with the minister to clarify what the reforms to the Gender Recognition Act will mean for trans youth and transgender people across the UK. In a blog post on their website, Stonewall said that these reforms echoed the language of Section 28. This was the famously homophobic bill passed by Margaret Thatcher that stated authorities “shall not intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality" or "promote the teaching in any maintained school of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship". Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_28

Truss has previously come under fire in 2018 for supporting Mumsnet, the conservative parenting forum known for a high number of TERF users. At the time, Mumsnet moderators faced accusations of allowing users to continually post hate speech, and calling for ‘a new Section 28 targeting trans people,’ as well as stirring conspiracy theories blaming transgender people for a mass shooting and comparing transgender rights activists and groups to paedophiles. Source: https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/04/23/cabinet-minister-liz-truss-backs-mumsnet-in-transgender-row-as-users-call-for-new-section-28/. Truss praised the website for allowing ‘free speech’.

The official reforms to the Gender Recognition act will not be released until the summer. Until then, trans youth can continue to access proper healthcare and resources. A petition to stop the planned reforms has also been started on change.org (https://www.change.org/p/uk-parliament-liz-truss-threatens-the-future-of-young-transgender-individuals-this-needs-to-be-stopped) Currently, access to transgender healthcare in the UK is a slow and drawn out process, but overall attitudes are positive. These reforms may do irreparable damage to trans people in the UK, both overtly through removing access to healthcare and covertly, by indirectly promoting transphobic attitudes and allowing transphobic rhetoric to exist in official legislature. Hopefully these changes will not be as severe as anticipated and trans youth in the UK will still be able to access resources they desperately need.

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Picking a hairstyle to suit you

Hair is one of the most important factors to consider when you are trying to present as your true gender. For FTM people, it can be difficult to know what styles to pick, and once you have a style to find a barber or stylist who can give you the look you want.

The first step when choosing a haircut is to identify your face shape. The main face shapes are round, square, oblong, diamond, triangular and oval. If you have a round face shape, consider a square haircut to offset this. Short or shaved sides and longer hair on top will help to masculinize your face. Styles like fades or undercuts are good for this.

If you have a square face shape, keep your hair fairly short and simple to accentuate a more masculine face. Styles like a buzz cut would also work, although be careful about doing this pre-T or early in transition if your goal is to pass.

For people with oblong faces, avoid hairstyles that might add too much length to your face. Styles like brush ups will make your face look too long. Go for tighter hairstyles that emphasize the squareness of your face while not adding too much height.

If you have a diamond face, longer hair or haircuts with more volume will most likely suit you. Haircuts that offer a lot of layering or texturing will accentuate your cheekbones and jaw. Styles like brush ups will work well for this face shape. You can also go for styles with messy fringes or bangs.

If you have a triangular face shape, your face is weighted more towards the bottom. To offset this, go for more medium or longer styles. Haircuts like quiffs or longer fades work well with this face shape.

Lastly, if you have an oval face shape you have a wide range of styles to choose from, due to the symmetry in your face. Avoid hairstyles that include fringes or bangs since this will bring out the roundness in your face and may make you look younger or more feminine. Go for styles that keep volume and length on the top since this will balance out a lot of the roundness. Similar to round face shapes, fades or undercuts can work well with this face shape.

The second aspect of getting a good haircut as an FTM person is whether to go to a barbers or a salon. Going to a barbershop for the first time as an FTM person can be intimidating, especially if you’re unsure about the etiquette. However, it is often worth changing from a salon to a barbers, since if they are used to serving men, they’re less likely to feminize your haircut (think ending up with a ‘can I speak to the manager haircut’ when you asked for a fade). Barber shops are also generally cheaper than salons.

Whichever one you end up going for, one good way of getting the exact style you want is just to bring a picture. This saves having to describe what you want to the barber and helps them understand exactly what you’re going for. If you don’t have any pictures that show exactly what you want, be sure to learn the terms for different haircuts before you go.

Don’t be afraid to ask outright for a masculine haircut. It might be awkward, but if the barber hasn’t given you a haircut you’re happy with, don’t be afraid to speak up. This goes for cisgender people as well, the barber wants you to be happy with their work as much as you want to be happy with it.

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How to make a packer harness!

There are plenty of guides on budget packers, but one thing that isn’t discussed as often are packer harnesses. Packers don’t come with these, and it can be very awkward, if not impossible, to pack without a harness of some kind.

Even cheaper packers often come to £10+ and shipping, with prices often going into the £30 range. Aside from price, many FTM people living in unaccepting households may find it difficult to discreetly buy items relating to their transition.

However, it is relatively simple to make a packer harness at home using a pair of spare underwear. There are two ways that I have used to make a packer harness in the past, and one is slightly easier to do than the other. If you’re comfortable with sewing though, it’s easy to make a proper durable packing harness that ensures your packer won’t fall out when you’re out and about.

For both of these, you’ll need a pair of underwear with a thick elastic band around the top. Most boxers will have this. You will need a sharp pair of scissors, and a needle and thread. The first method is simple, all it requires is for you to cut off the elastic band, being careful not to cut into it. Discard the fabric of the boxers and make a small hole in the middle of the elastic band. Keep checking it against the size of your packer to make sure you don’t make it too big.

Slowly widen the hole until you can just fit the packer through it without it falling out. If necessary, sew around the edge of the circle to stop it from fraying, or widening too much so your packer falls out.

While this method is the quickest and easiest, there are a few downsides to it. The positioning of your packer might be slightly too high, and the top can also be prone to falling out, causing the packer to hang awkwardly.

The second method is a little more involved, but the end result is much more comfortable to wear for long periods of time.

Take your underwear and, again, cut the elastic band off. Cut the rest of the underwear along the seams so you have several panels of useable material. You’ll only need 2 squares in the end but it’s always good to have spares in case the first try goes wrong.

Take 2 of the panels and cut them into equal sized squares. Cut a hole in one of them. Since this material isn’t elastic you don’t need to worry as much about the packer falling out because of it stretching. Sew around the edge to stop it fraying. Fold about a centimetre of the edges in and sew them to create a neater and stronger edge when you sew the panels together. Make sure to fold it equally on both squares so they end up the same size. Then sew the panels together.

Take the elastic band and sew the top of the panel with the hole to the inside of the elastic band. This will take some pressure off the join when you’re wearing the packer harness since it’s sitting against you, and will also keep the top closed so there’s no way the packer can fall out. However, you can also sew the back panel to the elastic band if it’s easier. Just make sure to only sew one so you can actually put the packer in!

Hopefully this helps if you need to make yourself a packer harness. My inbox is always open if you need any advice!

[ftmlookbooks]

Tips for boys on their period

Don’t put a pad on boxers! It doesn’t work and makes a mess

To feel more masculine wear boxers over your //pad holding underwear//

Don’t beat yourself up, you are totally rad and cool, you’re body is doing something, but that’s okay, it’s not your fault and it doesn’t make you less valid!

If your cheast starts to hurt, don’t bind, some guys get tender breast tissue when it’s that time of the month, listen to your body, don’t push yourself!

Treat yourself to some chocolate!

Tea!!! It’s so good!!!! And green tea can help with cramps!

Advil! I use it when my cramps get bad, sometimes I get headaches and it helps with that too! Don’t take more than six though!

Go under warm blankets with nothing but your underwear on, preferably soft blankets, it makes me feel like I’m in a soft cacoon

Oversized sweatshirts! Always good! Especially for dysphoria!

Wear comfy cloths, always good to feel good

Eat warm soup, feels nice in the tum tum

Don’t eat super greasy foods, it can make your skin break you even more! And there are already so many hormones making your skin do crazy thing you don’t want it to get worse! Also it can make cramps worse

Most of all listen to your body, don’t push yourself, and try to forgive it, it’s confused and doesn’t know that it shouldn’t be doing what it’s doing

[ftmlookbooks]

me @ my ftm trans followers:

YOUNG MAN

i am here for you now

i said YOUNG MAN

it’s okay to be down

you can STAY HERE

for as long as you need

until YOU

FEEL

SAFE

WITH YOURSELF

[ftmlookbooks]

happy trans day of visibility!!!

[ftmlookbooks]

I feel like Transgender Day of Visability (March 31) is going to get overlooked this year considering the circumstances. I’d like every trans and nonbinary person who sees this to know I am proud of you for existing. Just because we’re in the middle of a pandemic doesn’t mean you were forgotten. :)

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I only have so much time in my day, so ...

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Hair Tip to look more masculine

The right pair of bangs (like the curtain bangs in photo) can drastically improve your passing. Having bangs can hide your forehead shape and looks good if you fill in your eyebrows a bit. The right hair can shape your face.

[ftmlookbooks]

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Hey! So I have really feminine face, and I've struggled to find a haircut/hairstyle for me because it doesn't matter what I do with that it just doesn't feel right... Could you post something about haircuts/hairstyles please?

Sure thing!!

[ftmlookbooks]

I can vouch for this. Don't suffer a hairstyle out of fear of offending your barber/stylist. In the end they want to give you something you're happy with.

One piece of advice I would give is to bring pictures of the style you want.

Get two or more reference photos of what you want and have a proper chat with the person cutting your hair beforehand. Masculine reference photos along with shutting down any kind of cut you dont want early on can help you to get a better cut.

Not only does it help the barber by giving them a proper reference, it takes the pressure off you to just describe what you want.

And just remember, never be afraid to say no to a cut you dont want. You don't have to settle.

word of advice to my trans brothers getting a masculine haircut for the first time: don’t be afraid to speak up and flip a table(don’t actually do that) if you hear the word “pixie cut”. If you are getting a haircut, you definitely don’t want a pixie cut, its way to short for many and way too feminine. If you hear “pixie cut”, speak up

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Wow so it was my 3 year on T a few days ago?!?? Life is wack, so is body hair 😂

(Pre T)

(1 Year on T)

(2 Years on T)

(3 Years on T)

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[ftmlookbooks]

GC2B RACERBACK BINDER REVIEW

Hey folks! I just got my racerback binder from @gc2b and I haven’t seen many reviews about it cause it’s fairly new, and the ones I have found are for bigger people, but I’m quite small so here’s my experience with it!

First here’s the comparison to the regular half tank binder:

On the left is the racerback binder (new) and on the right is the half tank binder (about 1 year old). The pictures are facing front, facing down, and inside out. You can see on the third picture the compression panel of the racerback binder is about 2 inches longer than the half tank.

This is how the two binders look on:

On the left is the racerback binder and on the right is the half tank. The racerback is longer so it covers a bit of my stomach, and the compression panel covers up the armhole a bit better so nothing comes out of it (which happens a bit with the half tank). Also the straps are thinner and the neck hole is a bit deeper, which hides better under shirts.

Here’s what it looks like with shirts on:

Both pictures are me wearing the racerback binder. The first shirt is a tank top and you can’t really see the binder, it’s only visible from the sides. The second shirt is a regular T-shirt, and it still isn’t visible.

Overall I think this is a great binder, it was a lot more comfortable to put on than the half tank, and I didn’t feel as much that I had to break it in to start wearing it. The thing I liked the most was the neck hole being a bit deeper because it hides a lot better, even in tank tops.

For a small person, I definitely think it’s worth spending a couple more bucks to have a binder that is more comfortable, more hideable and well, it binds perfectly, my chest is basically gone with this. 💖

I’ll be happy to answer any question about the binder if you have any!

[They/them]