As you all know, it's becoming summer so much hotter and im with my parents 24/7. Therefore it is much harder to bind. Today was a bad day. I woke up feeling like a guy, feeling a nonexistent dick over my crotch, and not wanting my boobs. I had to go to Six Flags in Vallejo...so it was going to be really hot and a lot if physical stuff. I was so dysphoric I cried when I walked into the women's bathroom...which is highly unusual for me even on bad days. I was wondering if you had any tips to make me (and others) feel a bit better about who I am since I am not out. I desperately need help on how to not make my binding noticeable. Thank you! Also, my hair will be cut waaaaayyy shorter, that hopefully will help.
The most effective and safest way to bind is to buy a real binder - they have good ones at Underwork's website. However these can be expensive ($25-60 per). I don't have a real one yet, so right now I'm using a neoprene back wrap as a binder. It's okay with the flattening effect though is noticeable if one looks hard enough. Other ways to conceal your binding is to: -Layer your shirts (e.g. binder, tight tank top, loose button-down shirt) -Avoid wearing tight shirts -Wear men's clothing -Don't worry about it. People don't often stare at other people's chests to inspect whether they have boobs or not. A lot of passing has to do with your own confidence and how you carry yourself. If you're constantly looking around or pulling at a binder, people will start looking. Check out some FtM Youtubers as they often have great tips for this kind of stuff. Some of my favorites are: uppercaseCHASE1 ALionsFears TheRealAlexBertie skylarkeleven Benton Hope this helped, -Rhys
If you are in serious need of a binder, websites like Point5cc have binder programs to give to those in critical need. All you need to do is cover the shipping and they'll send you one. I don't know if it's the same for everyone, but when I checked it would be $8 for me. It might be cheaper for you since the company is in Washington or Oregon. My tips: I find that shirts with logos or graphics, like ones of the band/novelty kind, help to focus the eye onto that instead of your actual chest. If you like stripes, I've been told to go with bold colors to conceal things more. With layers, I like wearing one of my vests out me. (1) They aren't too heavy or cause me to overhead (2) They make for an additional accessory to be "fashion forward" and (3) They help to hide my chest more as an additional layer. Don't go too heavy on the dark colors to avoid overheating, but that's just a given. Don't bind tightly. Sports bras are cool, but never ever layer binders. You'll not only risk overheating, but you'll also make it harder to breathe and be asking for an injury. I know a guy who broke a rib that way and it wasn't pretty, and having broken one myself, recovering sucks.
