This article is an inspiring story about a trans man and his successful transition, with dramatic before and after pictures. Worth the read.
I agree he is amazing! I recently decided to try a dating site as I have been single without seeing anyone for nearly three years. Well I never met anyone because either it seemed they had the idea a transgender M to F was some sort of fetishist sex toy, or I got responses like "your size can't possibly be trans you must be a gay who dresses in drag. " that guy kept sending rude messages which I never answered. Being 44 years old I was not looking for teenagers sending nudes who are younger than my son but I hoped to meet a nice guy my age. It seems there is a strange stigma for trans people out there. Needless to say I have forgotten the idea of Internet dating. June Let me say there is nothing wrong with guys of any age no offense intended. but really why would a 18 year old want to go out with a nearly 45 year old hag like me? Just doesn't make sense to me.
I am very glad he is happy and decided to share his personal life pictures. I know for many trans folks they want to burn and delete all of the history of their birth sex, so it was incredibly brave of him to keep such posts up. That said, it does raise interesting arguments at both sides of the spectrum. You see, I was in a public bathroom when I first read this (ironic, given how charged such a topic is) and thought of all the trans folks who "pass" well and feel that many bathroom laws would actually make it awkward or even frightening for others if they were forced to go into the bathroom of their sex, not gender. Pictures of people like Jaimie Wilson show a well developed trans man who would cause a ruckus if he were to enter a woman's bathroom. This goes to show that appearances matter. However, at the same time, not all trans people can or will transition (and at the same results as Jaimie Wilson) and that creates the situation where the logic can become: if trans people who pass well are best suited to use the bathroom of their identity, if even to prevent a panic, should trans people who don't pass, by the same logic, be forced to use the bathroom of their sex and not identity, to "prevent a ruckus?" The reason I bring this up is because a while ago there was a campaign where trans people (who all passed very well) took pictures in the bathroom of their sex to show how silly such "bathroom laws" were. But, it fails to address the fact that, sure, if they pass well and go into their birth sex bathroom, it's a commotion, but the opposite would also likely be true: the non-passing person going into the bathroom of their identity would create an "issues." As a community, we have to be careful how we create arguments, lest we hurt those least able to protect themselves and most disenfranchised: to wit, the non-passing transfolk (or non-binary folk).
The guys damn brave laying himself bare like that. You'll find a surprising amount of trans people show pre-transition photos on social media. Props to them all, they're doing a fine job of raising awareness. You know i damn well wanted to disagree with you when i started reading but you make a good point. Thing is who is policing when a person gets to the stage where they 'pass' enough to enter the bathroom of their choice. There is no bathroom security. I'm pre-T and pass to about 95% of people i meet but yeah i get the occasional she. This would be impossible to implement and quite frankly, extremely harmful to non-passing folk. By telling them they don't pass and therefore can't use that bathroom you're going to be making them feel worse about themselves and more alienated. I get where you're coming from but it's not really an option. Instead i think the effort should be going towards letting people piss where they want. I still don't even believe this has become such a big thing tbh.
I know it's not the point he's trying to make but...damn, dude had nice arms even before medically transitioning. Meanwhile, I have two lasagne noodles where my biceps should be, and I'm a little jealous...