trans-guy-talks

[trans-guy-talks]

trans men who are uncomfortable being called pretty or "girl" in a casual way or any sort of feminine term aren't "toxically masculine" or "fragile" they are trans men who have been traumatized by forced femininity. and if you mock them and/or continue to misgender them you are a huge asshole. also you should consider this before you start calling all men "princess"

[trans-guy-talks]

so tired of the insistence that bottom growth is Scary and Bad. i've heard so many people thinking about going on testosterone but deciding not to solely because they don't want bottom growth because they've heard so much shit about it.

like, dude. it's not that bad. it doesn't even hurt for most people. idk where the hell that idea even came from, tbh. you want the truth? it's a bit tingly for a week, there's a weird ass sensation of just being Aware that it's Growing for a month or two, and then it's super easy to ignore. obviously there are gonna be people who have more pain than others, people who have outies so they gotta be more careful about the seam of their pants, but it's genuinely not as scary and bad as people like to make it out to be.

it's not like you're growing a whole entire dick. it'll just be like, 1-3cm on average unless you pump.

it's ok not to want it. but i feel like there's a lot of exaggeration being spread about the symptoms and results bc not enough people talk about it. i don't even notice it most of the time (after a year on T). do yall wanna know the part of T that was genuinely painful? THE VOICE DROP. feels like you've got a sore throat for ages. totally worth it, ofc, but stock up on cough drops and try not to overexert your voice while it's going through the initial drop.

and since i'm here, remember to clean under the hood if you do have bottom growth. that's another thing i never see people talking about.

end PSA. have a great day

[trans-guy-talks]

Taking T didn't ruin my singing voice, and frankly I'm sick of folks panicking and ignoring the fact that cis boys go through two or three years where their voices are fluctuating and cracking and changing before they settle.

Your voice isn't ruined, it's changing.

If you want to make that transition easier, you gotta keep using it. Sing! Even if your voice cracks in goofy ways. Even if you have trouble placing your voice comfortably. It gets easier, I promise. Get a voice teacher (if you can) who has experience with vocal changes for pubescent cis boys if it's really making you anxious or if you're having a hard time controlling it.

To be clear, I'm not trying to be dismissive of people's emotions, nor am I trying to tell you about your own experience. If you feel something intensely, that's fair and valid. Respectfully, you should unpack that with a therapist or supportive peers.

However, when one of the main TERF tactics against transmascs is convincing trans guys that T makes you Worse in a Variety of Ways, and that you'll be ruining your body if you take it, I am EXTREMELY dubious of how many people online report any part of their body being ruined by T. Sounds suspiciously like TERF shit. And, yes, even Actual Trans People can play into TERF talking points. I'm begging y'all to stop the rampant fearmongering surrounding T.

So, after nearly a year being on T, I'm here to say that YES my voice cracks and YES my voice fluctuates and YES sometimes it feels like I have to relearn everything I knew about being a vocalist, but goddamn if I won't have fun figuring it all out, because I know this is just one stage of the transition I'm going through, and it's worth it.

[trans-guy-talks]

Question for trans men and trans masculine people interested in starting T:

Would any of you be interested in a post detailing how some of us experience changing sexual preferences once we've started T? This would be a compilation of a few testimonials from people who are freshly on T, and from people who have been on it for a while.

[trans-guy-talks]

While finasteride can potentially prevent bottom growth, there are other side effects- I highly reccomend reading this article from folxhealth.com if you're interested in learning more.

Introducing: The Guide to Bottom Growth

Quick warning as I will be using anatomical terms, and I will include anatomical diagrams.

What is bottom growth and what does it look like?

Bottom growth is a common term for the enlarged clitoris, after taking T.

When you take testosterone, it induces growth in the clitoris. The growth can be pretty significant. When it grows, it comes to resemble a cis penis, on a smaller scale. It has a shaft, retractable foreskin, and head.

The clitoris and the penis- how are they related?

So, when a fetus is growing, they all start out female. The clitoris is the same bit as the glans or "head" of a cis man's penis. The growth into a penis is influenced by testosterone.

Can I prevent bottom growth?

No. Whether it grows a lot or a little is dependant on genes and your dosage, but it will happen.

It is also irreversible. While some have claimed that it has shrunken after stopping T, this is unusual and may be dependant on your genes.

What are some other names for bottom growth?

This is all up to you, based on your personal preference. Some people stick to calling it their clit or clitoris, some call it a T-Dick, some call it their bottom growth and some refer to it as a cis man would, using terms like dick, cock, penis, etc.

How big does it get?

It varies, just like with penis size. On average, most people end up with around 1-2 inches. Some people can end up with more than 3 inches! Like cis penises, they get bigger when aroused.

Can I stand and pee from it?

No. Your bottom growth is located above the urethra. While some people have enough growth to guide the flow of urine along the bottom of the shaft, this is highly dependant on your personal anatomy and can be really messy!

A surgery like *metoidioplasty can be preformed in conjunction with a urethral lengthening, which would then allow you to stand to pee using your bottom growth.

*Metoidioplasty, or meta, is a type of bottom surgery that releases the bottom growth from the labia minora. It is typically preformed with urethral lengthening, scrotoplasty and a vaginectomy. However, not everyone chooses to have each of these surgeries.

Below- Metoidioplasty, credits:

Can I use it for sex?

Yes. You can preform oral sex on bottom growth, just like with a cis penis. You can use toys on it- vibrators, fleshlights, strokers, etc. Whatever works for you.

Can I use it for penatrative sex?

Short answer: yes. If you have enough growth, you may be able to penetrate a vagina. However, to my knowledge, anal penetration is not possible with just bottom growth.

Do I need to clean it?

Yes. This can be done easily by pulling the foreskin back and cleaning any buildup out with a wet q-tip. This area may be sensitive- clean at your own pace.

Below- Bottom growth diagrams, courtesy of emisil.com

Image 1: A is pre-T, B is post-T

Image 2: Depicts the clitoris pre-T, low dose/flaccid bottom growth, and large/erect bottom growth

As always please feel free to ask questions, I will answer to the best of my ability.

[trans-guy-talks]

Two trans men in love: Sky, aged 64. Mike, aged 55.

Photos taken from Jess T Dugan’s series To Survive On This Shore.

[trans-guy-talks]

Found this thread on twitter and thought it was a great visual guide!

[trans-guy-talks]

Introducing: The Guide to Bottom Growth

Quick warning as I will be using anatomical terms, and I will include anatomical diagrams.

What is bottom growth and what does it look like?

Bottom growth is a common term for the enlarged clitoris, after taking T.

When you take testosterone, it induces growth in the clitoris. The growth can be pretty significant. When it grows, it comes to resemble a cis penis, on a smaller scale. It has a shaft, retractable foreskin, and head.

The clitoris and the penis- how are they related?

So, when a fetus is growing, they all start out female. The clitoris is the same bit as the glans or "head" of a cis man's penis. The growth into a penis is influenced by testosterone.

Can I prevent bottom growth?

No. Whether it grows a lot or a little is dependant on genes and your dosage, but it will happen.

It is also irreversible. While some have claimed that it has shrunken after stopping T, this is unusual and may be dependant on your genes.

What are some other names for bottom growth?

This is all up to you, based on your personal preference. Some people stick to calling it their clit or clitoris, some call it a T-Dick, some call it their bottom growth and some refer to it as a cis man would, using terms like dick, cock, penis, etc.

How big does it get?

It varies, just like with penis size. On average, most people end up with around 1-2 inches. Some people can end up with more than 3 inches! Like cis penises, they get bigger when aroused.

Can I stand and pee from it?

No. Your bottom growth is located above the urethra. While some people have enough growth to guide the flow of urine along the bottom of the shaft, this is highly dependant on your personal anatomy and can be really messy!

A surgery like *metoidioplasty can be preformed in conjunction with a urethral lengthening, which would then allow you to stand to pee using your bottom growth.

*Metoidioplasty, or meta, is a type of bottom surgery that releases the bottom growth from the labia minora. It is typically preformed with urethral lengthening, scrotoplasty and a vaginectomy. However, not everyone chooses to have each of these surgeries.

Below- Metoidioplasty, credits:

Can I use it for sex?

Yes. You can preform oral sex on bottom growth, just like with a cis penis. You can use toys on it- vibrators, fleshlights, strokers, etc. Whatever works for you.

Can I use it for penatrative sex?

Short answer: yes. If you have enough growth, you may be able to penetrate a vagina. However, to my knowledge, anal penetration is not possible with just bottom growth.

Do I need to clean it?

Yes. This can be done easily by pulling the foreskin back and cleaning any buildup out with a wet q-tip. This area may be sensitive- clean at your own pace.

Below- Bottom growth diagrams, courtesy of emisil.com

Image 1: A is pre-T, B is post-T

Image 2: Depicts the clitoris pre-T, low dose/flaccid bottom growth, and large/erect bottom growth

As always please feel free to ask questions, I will answer to the best of my ability.

[trans-guy-talks]

If any trans folk need advice (particularly trans mascs) my ask box is open! Ask me anything and I’ll be happy to help! :)

[trans-guy-talks]

I’ve been thinking of packing but I have no idea where to start?? Do you have any advice?

Absolutely I do! Been meaning to make a packer masterpost for a while now.  Information and potential NSFW pictures under the cut.

1) Before buying a packer, because they can be extremely expensive, figure out why exactly you want one and what you want it to achieve.

 If you just want it for a bulge but don’t want the weight or feel of a dick, then you can get foam underwear inserts that give you a bulge. I’ve also considered just making inserts out of a bra pad since they’re functionally the same thing. In that vein (lol) There are tons of resources online for making your own packer, whether that just be stuffing a rolled up sock down your underwear, or hand sewing a semi-realistic dick

 If you’re getting a packer for a bulge and so you can have a dick, then I would suggest the archer or  Mr. Limpy (Mr. Limpy is the smallest one I’ve been able to find) However, although Mr. Limpy is cheaper and smaller, it’s not made of silicone which means it’s not necessarily safe for skin contact (You just have to put it in a packing pouch. More on that later.) and it won’t last as long.

If you’re getting a packer to use as an actual dick (meaning using it to pee and potentially have fun in the bedroom), then you’re going to want to look into an STP, or Stand-To-Pee device. I personally don’t use these, but they’re usually in the higher price range.

 If you want something that you can pack with and have fun with, then you’re going to want to get a pack-n-play device. They’re packers that come with an insertable rod so you can get it up and get it down if you know what I mean. Typically these are longer and thicker, since a cis dick grows when it’s hard and a packer does not. These are also a little higher on the price range and I’ve never gotten one so I can’t give too much advice there.

2) Size matters. 4 inches is a lot bigger than you think it is. A lot of packers have a large and a small size; For example, the Archer (or it's uncircumcised alternative, Pierre) comes in a small and a large. The small is 4 inches long along the shaft, and the large is 5.25 inches along the shaft. The average flaccid penis in a cis male is 3.75 inches, so even if you go with the small, that's longer than the average.

This is a link to the archer. The Pierre can be found on the same site. I personally use the Archer, but because I’m very lanky and skinny, having any sort of over-defined bulge makes it look like I have a boner. Which is not the goal for me personally. I actually had to cut the testicles off and just have the dick part in order to pack comfortably.

3) Once you actually buy/make your packer, the hard part is keeping it in place and/or positioning it correctly. There are a couple options here, ranging from putting your packer in a sock and safety pinning it in place with your underwear, to underwear specifically made for packing, to harnesses that you wear to hold the packer in place, to packers that actually adhere to your skin (which are typically on the more expensive side of the price scale)

When it comes to actually positioning your packer, remember that cis guys also have to position their dicks so they don’t look like they have a boner, and they can be a very good resource (If you have a cis guy that you feel comfortable asking). I have found that experimenting is helpful, some overall advice though:

-The higher up on your pubic bone you place the packer, the more prominent the bulge will be, and vice versa. The lower you place it, the less prominent. What I prefer is packing with the archer mostly between my legs, which produces a realistic bulge for me.

-There’s nothing wrong with looking at references. I know that for me, having to try to visualize what a cis guys bulge looks like just didn’t work, so I had to look up some references. Be prepared for what you see tho.

That’s all the advice I have for that! Feel free to ask more specific questions if you have them, I’m always happy to help!

[trans-guy-talks]

To trans men looking to start testosterone:

Please keep in mind that you cannot pick and choose what changes. Even microdosing testosterone will not prevent certain changes.

It's very important to know what the permanent changes are, what changes you'll start to see after taking it for a while, etc.

Below, I've linked some helpful articles that give you a time frame for changes, as well as a document with my personal changes. At the time of writing, I was nearing 1 year on testosterone.

Below: WPATH Standards of Care for the Health of Transsexual, Transgender and Gender Non-conforming People

Section VIII, Page 37 (Link to website included)

Below: Masculinizing Effects/Expected Time Course (PDF download link included)

Note that this PDF contains the same information written in the WPATH PDF.

My personal changes:

[trans-guy-talks]

Some FAQs about subcutaneous (sub-q) testosterone shots.

"Does it hurt?"

If I'm being completely honest here, it rarely ever hurts me. I have a somewhat high pain tolerance and have never really been scared of needles which definitely helps, but unless you nick something you probably will feel something akin to that of a mosquito bite.

"Where can I inject?"

Ask your doctor for a full list of areas where you can inject. For my shots, I started in my upper thigh, about a third of the way down from my pubic bone. I now inject in my stomach, about a finger's length away from my bellybutton. I know you can also do them in your arm, but I've never been interested enough to check out how to do it.

"What do I do with the needles after my shot?"

Dirty needles should be disposed of in a sharps container.

Sharps containers can usually be picked up at your local pharmacy, and they may be free. Be sure to ask! You should also be able to bring it back to the pharmacy to get a new one once yours is full. As always, be sure to ask at your local pharmacy.

"Can I use bent or damaged needles?"

Don't.

"Can I reuse single-use vials?"

This is a bit tricky because I don't use single use vials. However, I would say it's more cost effective to use them until it's empty. The vials I use are identical to single use vials in every way except size, and I use them until they're empty. I suppose it's your choice🤷‍♂️

Please feel free to ask any more questions, I'll answer to the best of my ability.

[trans-guy-talks]

being a man is not dirty, bad, disgusting or a burden. loving men is not dirty, bad, disgusting or a burden. men are not unlovable, beyond redemption, or people who have to prove themselves innately to you. it's alright to be a man, and to love men.

[trans-guy-talks]

i love angry rude mean spiteful trans men. i love trans men who aren’t afraid to yell and make a scene and take up space. i love trans men who have no interest in being the good nice non-threatening men-lite that so many people want us to be. i love trans men who unapologetically want to see every single person who treats us like shit pay for it. i love trans men who got told they were “joining the enemy” one too many times and decided to embrace it. i love trans men who are entirely unconcerned with what anyone else thinks of them. i love trans men who just laugh when people talk about how horrible and evil they must be. i love trans men who couldn’t give less of a shit about respectability. i love trans men who don’t shy away from rage.

we have every reason to be so fucking angry and we deserve that anger. it is ours and no one can take it away from us, no matter how many people might try to. trans anger is so powerful and we have just as much of a right to it as anyone else; we don’t have to defang ourselves just because “men scary”. i love us, let’s be pissed off and a little bit evil together

[trans-guy-talks]

Young trans men:

It's OK to call yourself a man. It's OK to call yourself male. You're not evil just because you're a man.

[trans-guy-talks]

for trans men who thought they were lesbians and trans women who thought they were gay: if you found out you are straight, that does not by any means make you any less part of the lgbtqia+ community and i hope you know that.

[trans-guy-talks]

i fucking love being a man, i love calling myself a man, and i love that i've completely shed the stigma of using the word "man" unapologetically. i'm not a boy. i'm not a guy, except in the way that cis dudes are. i'm not a guy in the way that i was early-transition, when i had to say guy instead of man, because i was too afraid to be myself. i'd internalised so much man=bad women=good rhetoric that it actually prevented my transition. fuck that noise. it's 2022 and i can say it. i love being a man. being a man is just as good as being a woman. there is nothing inherently inferior about being a man. i want young trans men to know this. you'll be okay. it gets easier. it's okay if you're not content existing outside the binaries, if you don't relate to folks who celebrate being outside of male and female. it's okay to be a man. the trans community has space for all of us, and you do belong. men are beautiful. you are beautiful. if you suspect that you are a man, or you're becoming one, it's okay. it doesn't make you evil or bad.