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Too short to present masculine?

Discussion in 'Gender Identity and Expression' started by wanderinggirl, Aug 25, 2014.

  1. wanderinggirl

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    I'm unignorably short (5' tall) and I'm totally cool with it, but I worry sometimes about not being able to "pull off" being soft butch/chapstick/moc. I worry I look like a kid who borrows her big brother's clothes... I mean I used to do that as a kid; maybe since I haven't grown much since then I still feel that way inside when wearing men's clothing. I know it's all about fit and proportions, but I just don't see very many examples of short masculine-ish ladies.

    Thoughts? Are you only attracted to tall people? Short people? Are you short and masculine-identified or masculine-of-center presenting?
     
  2. Kaylen

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    I am short-ish, and I hope to look at least semi-masculine if I keep working on my appearance.

    I think short people are the best, though!

    A friend of mine, however, is about your height and has very small proportions. Even still, they get mistaken as a cishet male, which they are not (dfab and non-binary). So I think regardless of height you can make it work (and you do, btw)
     
  3. Dinah

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    Who says height has anything to do with masculinity??

    The mere suggestion that such a thing is true is completely ludicrous and absurd..its the same nonsense as someone implying that tall women look less feminine because theyre taller than most women.
     
  4. birdking

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    you're never too short to present how you like!

    I'm 5'4" and I still pass somewhat reliably, and I know a trans man that's like 5'0" and he passes regardless of height.

    Even though men are usually taller, height isn't a gendered trait.
     
  5. Owl333

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    I'm 4'11, so I know the feel. I don't think it is ultimately going to stop you from passing. I mean if you have a flat chest, bear and deep voice, people are going to think you're a guy regardless of your height. Anyway short guys exist right? David Miscavidge? Tom Cruise? (Not exactly people to look up to in my opinion, but you get the point :lol: )

    However seeing as you said you're only interested in presenting more masculine it shouldn't be a problem at all, except clothing can be hard to find. I sometimes have to buy pants that are too big for me and get them tailored. :lol: Good luck! :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:ride:
     
  6. black-cat

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    I agree with anyone else, masculinity is more than your height and build, it is more how you portray yourself, the way you act and your general persona. Just like you can be a tall woman and still be feminine, you can be a shorter guy and still be masculine. *high five* for us having the same height btw! (!)
     
  7. looking for me

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    a big part of presenting as "masculine" is attiude. i have a friend about your height, skinny as a rail, and "soft" looking. but the way he moves, speaks and his presence lets you know he's all male, not over the top but no one confuses him with female that i have ever known.

    hope this helps.
     
  8. I am 5'2 and very curvy but, my attitude was always masculine. Never too short to be a butch! We love butches no matter what body type! <3
     
  9. wanderinggirl

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    Thanks dudes! Wow so many shorties. First off I never understood why guys hate being short; I always preferred shorter guys/girls. I guess I present as very youthfully masculine so it works.

    @Kaylen, you're right. And I'm sure you'll find a gender expression you're confident in!

    @Adia... I know I know, sorry it came off that way! I don't mean that being tall is a prerequisite for being masculine, but that it's easier to pull off masculine looks if you're taller. The only reason I feel this way at all is because some men's clothes are just designed for taller people and they look funny on shorter people. Like the shorts I'm wearing right now should be mid-thigh, but to me they're basically to the knee rolled up.

    @birdking 5'4 is downright statuesque from my perspective. :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

    @Owl333 short people unite!!! Lucky I have these hips so I can semi-reliably find clothing in my size. Still, I feel itty bitty when shopping in the men's!

    @black-cat high five :slight_smile:

    @looking for me: good for him! It's nice to know there are short guys out there without napoleon complexes; like if you're a short guy you don't have to be so in-your-face macho. With me I'm not trying to pass but I like embodying some masculinity, but I don't really care about my height like a lot of guys seem to.

    @CallMeChristian Love it!!
     
  10. Tai

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    I'm 5'1", and I look really feminine. But I go for a feminine-guy-look anyways. If you make up for it in every other way you wish, and hold an attitude that shows how masculine you are, I'm sure you'll be fine. Just don't get the Little Man's Syndrome, please. :wink:
     
  11. MrK21

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    This sounds really silly. People come in all shapes and sizes. Being taller/shorter does not make you any less male or female.
     
  12. Dinah

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    I tend to be pretty blunt when speaking my mind but I did understand what you were saying and where you were coming from, my response was directed at the generalizations of body types as somehow being a valid metric of gender roles and identity.

    I wasn't trying to ostracize you (@wanderinghirl) in any way. My response was merely stating with much emphasis what everyone else here has also basically stated.

    If you are short and masculine or tall and feminine or anywhere in between, own it and don't let others tell you what normal is because frankly "normal" is a social construct designed to punish or isolate those that don't conform to an ideal.

    Nobody really fits the mold of what is considered normal and I challenge anyone to define in absolutes just what exactly "normal" really looks like.

    ---------- Post added 26th Aug 2014 at 11:04 AM ----------

    Take me for example. Narrow waistline, wide hip bones, girly eyelashes (which have been commented on many times in my life, and I take pride in that), people mistaking my younger self as my mothers daughter (physically).
     
  13. wanderinggirl

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    Wise words. I didn't feel ostracized I just thought that what I said came off wrong. Thanks for your response!




    Sidenote/update: I went to a concert tonight and i was dressed, I guess, as masculine as ever: a striped men's tshirt over a binder and a hat and my bangs up out of my face. I definitely don't pass, nor do I care either way if I do, but I realized that switching presentation from short femme to short masculine has made people take notice more? Or something. One girl kept this tall guy off me; another girl pushed me to the front so I could see; one guy moved aside to let me move closer to the stage. It was weird and awesome, like suddenly I was visible! Suddenly the world sees me. Pretty rad. :smilewave