Cover: Transgender in Wales founder Kai Lewis – Next issue Kai talks about TOP SURGERY. Page 6: Man in the Mirror – Binding, Clothing and Haircuts for the transman. Page 16: 10 Frequently asked Trans* youth questions. Page 22: Open letter from Wipe Out Transphobia Managing Director Emma Bailey. Page 24: Wipe Out Transphobia’s regular slot – case study of Transphobia from around the world. Page 28: The First steps of Cross-Dressing. Page 40: Understanding Eating Disorders in Trans* People.
Man in the Mirror This article is for Female-to-Male Transsexuals (FTM), individuals who identify as male but were born physically female. Hopefully some of these tips will help you to "blend in" and be seen by society as your correct gender. The main goal of "passing" is for you to feel more comfortable with yourself (either in private or in public) but remember that not everyone is accepting of transgender people and you should be cautious of using these methods to "come out" to friends and family.
Binding
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Binding. Binding is a way to flatten your chest to give it a more masculine appearance. Those with small chests (A's and small B's) might be able to get away with only a looser shirt. Those with larger chests will need to do more, such as wear tighter sports bras and looser shirts. You may also try binding. After puberty, males no longer have flat chests, but instead developed pecs. The point of binding isn't to make your chest completely flat, but rather to simulate pecs. This means that, when you put your binder on, you don't want to just push the breast tissue down to make it lie flat against your ribcage, instead you actually want to leave it where it naturally sits and flatten it there.
The bottom half of your breasts is about where the curve of your pec muscles are and is as low as male chests should bulged. If you let your breasts fall much below that point, your chest will look awkward and may give you away. (This is harder to achieve with a larger chest)
NEVER use tape to bind your chest down.
Ace Bandages are often used for this (especially on tv) but these bandages were designed to compress tighter when loosened, ie they constrict every time you take a breath. This can lead to breathing problems or suffocation, though not always, and are not readily recommended.
Spandex shorts or shirts can be made into binders. Try looking at youtube for tips.
Binders are tank tops made out of special material that presses the breast tissue down without becoming dangerous for you. They can be found on the internet (look up FTM binders). Remember! Guys aren’t board flat. If you look at guys past puberty you’ll notice that most vary based on weight and muscle tone.
Broader/heavier guys are more likely to have a bit more slant, leaner/skinnier guys tend to be pretty plank-like.
Go for what fits your build rather than assuming you should bind to the point of damaging yourself.
Clothing to Pass as Male
Our perceptions of gender are often guided by how someone presents themselves. Clothing is one of the main indicators that help people distinguish whether someone identifies as a man or as a woman. Dressing in guys clothing may seem deceptively easy. However, trans* guys face unique difficulties in finding the right fit because of smaller size and bone structure. In addition, trans* men who have not started hormones, or who still have a curvy figure may need to disguise their figure. Something as simple as the cut of your trousers can make a huge difference in reducing or emphasising your physical attributes.
Plain polo shirts in colours that suit your skin tone or the look you’re going for. Skip the undershirt. And for the love of god, don’t get it three sizes too big. Try on a few sizes (just ask for directions to the changing rooms and go in whichever one they point you to) going from largest to smallest. When you get to the one that makes it look like you have boobs/a uni-boob stop and get the next size up. Like all men do as they grow up they pick a look and then cultivate it. Start off with the metro-gay look which meant a lot of casual, fitted button front shirts and artistically bleached jeans in the cooler months and bright, layered polo shirt with crumpled cargo shorts when it was warm. It is a similar look to the butch lesbians, but because the clothes are far more fitted you will rarely got mixed in with them. Follow your own shape. Some guys with naturally large hips and asses that have to wear baggy cargo jeans if they’re ever going to pass.
Other guys are more like me with nice bums, but almost no hips to speak of. Pick out a bunch of styles, try them on, see how they look. I’ve met guys who pass best in skinny jeans so it really is very individual. Keep in mind that different brands fit their trousers differently so you may end up with relaxed fit at one store and straight leg at another.
Wearing chunky boots with a suit is a NO NO. Bondage boots are not appropriate for all occasions. Wear them with jeans, fine, whatever, but for anything involving khaki or dress trouser you need a pair of dress shoes.
Dress shoes not only should be worn with a suit, but they look great with a pair of jeans.
Getting a good Haircut.
This is certainly going to be necessary. While some guys can support super long hair, you probably shouldn't try it as it will make your face more feminine (which you don't want). On the other hand, just because you're trying to look more masculine, doesn't mean you need to chop your hair all off. Go for whatever haircut you want, as long as it's a guy style. 
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Though it might be tempting to grab a pair of scissors and do it yourself right away, this is almost certainly not your best option. Even if you happen to be experienced in cutting hair, it is very difficult to cut and shape your own hair.
Three Tips to good Grooming Only go to barber shops. Keep your hair short in back and on the sides, but avoid crew cuts and punk styles often chosen by butch lesbians. Never comb your hair forward, always back or to the side. Use gel if you have to.
Transgender in Wales offers a Dressing and Grooming advice service for transmen, if you would like to take advantage of this service please contact us by email at info@unityproject.org.uk
10 Frequently Asked Youth Questions 1. How and when do children understand their gender identity? According to the American Academy of Paediatrics*, “A child’s awareness of being a boy or a girl begins in the first year of life…and by age 4, gender identity is stable and they know that they will always be a boy or a girl.” Children ‘know’ who they are, just as you did, from as early as age two. Some children don’t have the words to ‘tell’ you that they are gender variant; therefore, it is important to pay attention to cues and behaviours. 2. Can you teach a child ‘appropriate’ gender behaviour? Forcing a child to behave in a certain manner will not change their identity. You may influence external behaviours; however, their sense of who they are isn’t likely to change. Forcing gender conformity may cause depression, anxiety, malaise, or even suicidal thoughts and/or attempts. Gender Identity is not a learned or forced behaviour; it is a subjective sense of who we are from birth. 3. How and what should we tell our family and friends? Tell them the truth. Your child has a medical condition which manifests itself as an incongruence between their sense of who they are and their physical anatomy. Be matter of fact, positive and upbeat. The attitude and level of confidence that you display often sets the tone for how others handle the disclosure. If you convey your child’s condition as being problematic, painful, difficult and dangerous, people are likely to respond negatively. Alternatively, if you communicate that you see your child’s future as happy, successful and bright, then they will likely respond positively. Whether you present the information in writing or in person is a matter of personal preference; however, you may want to consider putting it in writing. This approach gives you time to reflect and choose your words wisely. Having something to read and ponder, allows people time to absorb the information before they react to it. First reactions are not always good. Given time, a person is likely to react very differently than they would have initially. You have probably known or had some kind of understanding of your child’s gender differences for quite a while. Allow others time and to catch up.
5. What does social transition (i.e. outward gender presentation, clothes, hair, etc.) involve and how can we be sure our child is ready? You can never ‘be sure’ of anything. As parents, we are continually called upon to act in our child’s best interest. Ask yourself, ‘What is the worst that can happen if I allow my child to make a social transition?” Usually parents are worried that the child will later change their mind, if this happens you simply revert to their previous gender presentation. There are no medical procedures or medications to take in social transition; therefore, it is totally reversible. We may feel some discomfort with the fluidity of this type of reversal, but however uncomfortable or embarrassing it may be for us, it is far more difficult for our child. It is our job to give our children support and validate who they are. Sometimes children express anxiety or uncertainty about transition, especially younger children. This is because they have a fear of the unknown. This doesn’t always mean that they don’t want to transition; they just may not have the ability to understand what the benefits/challenges of it may be. One possible solution is to go on a trip away from home for a few days and allow your child to live in the gender that they identify with, without the worry of familiar people and places. During this ‘experiment’, monitor your child’s cues and behaviours. Also note the way that your child interacts with others and the way that others interact with your child. Gauge your child’s comfort level and sense of well-being during the ‘experiment’ and base your decision from that. Many times, when a child is allowed to express them-selves in their perceived gender full time, issues like bad behaviour, shyness, illness, and discomfort will improve or even disappear. You or your child will never know unless you try. 6. What and when do we tell our child’s friends and their families? Every situation is different. If your child’s gender variance is obvious to others, the sooner you address the issue, the better for your child. Getting things out in the open allows you to provide education. Education is the key to understanding and acceptance. People tend to fear what they do not understand. Many families choose to live “in stealth” and do not see the need to divulge their child’s medical information after transition. Many people only tell those who “need to know”, such as physicians, teachers, etc. Others may tell everyone in order to minimize the risk of exposure.
In the end, it is ultimately up to your child what he/she feels comfortable with, along with your evaluation of their coping skills and their degree of safety in any given situation. Once you are ‘out’ you are ‘out’, there is no going back. Be careful not to disclose too much information prematurely. You can always divulge more at a later date, but you can’t undo what has already been done. 7. What about romantic relationships? Everyone, regardless of their gender identity, deserves to be loved. There is someone for everyone. You will need to prepare your child to make wise relationship decisions by discussing issues such as when/how to disclose their gender status with a partner in addition to more traditional dating questions. Navigating relationships is never easy, but we can teach our children skills to help them overcome the obstacles they may encounter. They should never feel they have to settle for relationships which are not affirming, supportive, and healthy because of their gender identity. You will want to cover safety concerns, as well as, respect for the feelings of others. Your child’s sexual orientation may be heterosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual or something else altogether. Sexual orientation is different than gender identity. Regardless of your child’s orientation, he or she will likely find someone who will accept them and love them for who they are. You can equip them to choose their partner wisely and maintain healthy relationships. 8. What about the changes of puberty? Modern medicine has made it possible to delay the onset of puberty, which can be utterly devastating, in gender variant children. These medications are called GnRh analogues (puberty inhibitors) and are administered by an endocrinologist. The drugs prevent the devastating unwanted secondary sexual characteristics that occur during adolescence for children whose gender identity conflicts with their birth sex. These medications are reversible. Not all children express that they are trans or gender variant in time to delay puberty, and not all parents understand their child’s gender differences in time to delay puberty. If puberty has already begun, there may be medications that can help minimize the discomfort, such as, stopping menstruation. An endocrinologist can help with these issues, too.
9. How will we know if our child is ready for medical transition? This is a highly individual decision and may require input from the child, parents, medical and psychological professionals. You and your child are in the best position to know if and when the time is right. The child must have the emotional maturity to be able to discuss and understand the implications of the some of the irreversible changes that will take place. You, your child and your healthcare team should work together to determine the proper timing of medical transition. 10. How do we bolster our child’s self-esteem? Continually affirming your child’s gender identity expression is one of the most significant self-esteem boosters that there is. Being supportive and paving the way for your child’s acceptance at school and in other social situations will show your child that you accept and support them completely. Remind your child that difference isn’t wrong…it just is. * Excerpted from “Caring for your School Aged Child: Ages 5-12″ Bantam 1999
Trans*Form Cymru will work to address the discrimination and exclusion often faced by young people who identify as trans* (including those who identify as transgender, transsexual, neutrois, gender fluid) or who are questioning their gender identity. The project will enable professionals in youth facing organisations to deliver appropriate advice, information and advocacy to young people who identify as trans* and to challenge discriminatory attitudes. Youth Cymru will set up a Steering Group of young people who relate to being trans*, who will support Youth Cymru to create a toolkit and training resources to raise awareness among professionals of issues relating to gender identity. Youth Cymru are currently consulting young people and professionals across Wales, allowing us to map existing provision, identify examples of good practice and collate evidence to inform the toolkit and training resources. Please complete our brief online consultation at: https://www.formstack.com/forms/?1721701-nmjods7vNn. For further details on Youth Cymru’s work with Trans* Youth contact: rachel@youthcymru.org.uk / 07528 814373
Mermaids is a support group originally formed in 1995 by a group of parents who were brought together as a result of their children's longstanding Gender Identity Issues. We have supported each other and our children through the difficulties and trauma that gender issues commonly bring to families. We identified a need to form a support group to help other families, children, and teenagers in similar situations. Our membership has grown, and we now have a number of new parents, plus young transmen and transwoman on our committee. Over the years we have built up alliances with other organisations across the UK, and in some cases internationally, to try to support, educate, and alleviate suffering. We offer information, support, friendship and shared experiences. We give support for individual young people, with or without support from their families, whether they are out or not We will try, where possible, to help their families understand and accept their child's gender identity issue. We will also offer our help to family members, professionals and others who are worried about a child or young person. We will offer our support via telephone, email and snail mail. For More information check out Mermaids website http://www.mermaidsuk.org.uk/
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Working Partnerships and Inclusion
Wipe Out Transphobia’s Emma Bailey’s Open Letter to the Community. It has taken me a long while to work out how to write this piece, and yet I am absolutely sure it needs to be written. I will, however, let you the reader be the judge of that. One of the main ideals I hold; and indeed perhaps this is the problem for me (because it’s my ideal), is that when a group of people; perhaps a minority group, have a goal, it seems like perfect sense to work towards that common goal together. Right? While in some cases this is true within the trans and gender diverse communities we still see a constant state of shifting fracture, which is never truly healed. Communities not able to cohesively work together, people prone to elitism and internalised transphobia towards other groups simply because they are different and territorial organisations not working towards the common goals set out by the people within said communities. I find this a huge shame.
As an organisation, we try and reach out to as many people as possible and we have successfully formed good working relationships with Unity Group Wales, Transgender in Wales and Trans Support Wrexham and indeed they do the same, however there’s still more to be done. Much more. Not just by us, but by groups and organisations all over the country. If we can find a way to unite the goals we all have in common and to put all our energies behind that drive, perhaps we can make even more progress in the coming years. Perhaps if the infighting and bickering stops, we will gain more respect as people fighting for our rights. Perhaps if we are fully inclusive and recognise that we are an immensely diverse community ourselves with many different needs, then we can start to move forward for the benefit of everyone. To do that however we need to first look past our differences to see common goals. We need to respect people, be prepared to work with others and to join forces to make our collective voices much, much louder.
Emma Bailey Managing Director – Wipe Out Transphobia
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This will be Wipe out Transphobia’s regular piece in the TRANS SHOUT! Wipe Out Transphobia will be sharing Worldwide Transphobia Cases that they have collected
In an attempt to publish stories of transphobia from around the world, Wipe Out Transphobia have been collating these stories to demonstrate how transphobia looks, how the recipients feel and the effects it can have. All submissions are anonymous – please submit any stories to info@wipeouttransphobia.com Case 1 - Australia. I had a suicide attempt and spent over a year in deep depression before moving to restart my life. During that time I drew great strength from one friend whom I messaged almost every day, about anything. She was an out lesbian and quite involved in the local pride organisation where she lived. She was friends with a few gay guys and had plenty of heterosexual friends who were accepting of her sexuality. She lives a few hours away and had been excitedly organising a "rainbow party/kiki" for almost a year. People could dress up a bit, or just come in comfortable clothes. As her friend, I had supported her through the loss of friends, through relationship pain, and tough times at work. As my friend, she knew about my pan sexuality, but nothing about my being transgender. She spent weeks telling me about how wonderful her costume would be, and how much effort she put into it, but kept it a secret. She did assure me I'd get a good laugh out of it, though. So I drove the two hours to her house on the day of the party, getting there a bit late as there were road works on the Freeway. I was greeted by an enthusiastic hug from my friend dressed "as a tranny". "Isn't it great, she exclaimed?" Not as an iconic figure or anything - such as a Rocky Horror costume, but just some caricatured figure with grossly overdone makeup, a very short dress, a horrible wig, and I think she was packing at one point in the evening.
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It was a small gathering (about 10 people) and throughout the evening there were several discussions, which proudly declaimed "trannies" to be sick, awful people. "I can't even imagine getting it cut off! And it's not like it makes you a woman." (opined a gay man.) "It's just sick, and done to get closer to children. I think they're mentally ill." (one heterosexual man said.) "If I saw a tranny I don't know whether I'd laugh at him or the fact that he's just hiding how gay he is." (from another gay man) "You can always tell one when you see it." (a woman added) "Ugh, and you wouldn't believe the time I was at a gay bar and the tranny on stage said that don't worry darling the boys love you! I just wanted to retch and get away!" recounted our host. Statements like this were interspersed with the generalities of drinking, discussing life and everything else that happens at a small party. That perhaps made it worse because this was all so ordinary and usual.
Throughout it all I felt powerless to speak up, bombarded as I was with transphobic slurs and opinions from cis people who had no idea about trans* people. I expected them to be more welcoming of trans* people given their sexualities or acceptance of LGBT people. Unfortunately it seems they are only accepting of the LGB parts of the community. That night, at the 'rainbow party', I was going to come out to my friends. I thought that they, of all the people I knew, would be tolerant and supportive. Instead, what happened was I added another group of people to the internal list I couldn't count on to be my friend upon coming out. Instead, what happened was I cried myself to sleep in her spare bedroom after the party had ended. I delayed coming out to friends by months. I am still not out to almost any of my friends. Words hurt, and make me wonder; if I came out to some of those there that night, would words be the worst they would sling at me? And how much worse are so many other people who aren't as 'accepting'?
First Steps of Cross-dressing Cross-dressing is the act of blurring the aesthetic gender lines by wearing clothing traditionally worn by the opposite sex. Men can dress to look like women, while women can dress like men. While there is no right or wrong way to crossdress, this article can be used as a guide through the complicated process of switching your gender through the garments you chose to wear.
Women come in all shapes and sizes, so successfully pulling off a male-to-female gender transformation will depend on your body type and your target body type.
Pick a role model to emulate, somebody who has the same general body type as you—tall, short, thick, or thin. If you start from the same basic place as your role model, you'll do well. By using a role model, you will also have a pattern for walking, moving, dressing, and speaking.
Change your shape.
Nothing says "female" more than having lady lumps. Entire industries, from garments to cosmetic surgery to publishing empires, have been built on the foundation of our fascination for breasts. For convincing cross dressing, this will be help bring you where you want to be, both physically and emotionally.
One way to do this is to purchase a bra and stuff it with either tissue paper or socks. If you're not interested in showing cleavage, this will work well. If you want cleavage as well as natural-looking bounce, weight, feel, and movement, you can purchase a breast form, which is a prosthesis you wear inside the bra or attached to your body.
If you're going for a natural look, don't exaggerate the size of your breasts—make them proportional to your body size, or even a little smaller.
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Guys generally have smaller hips and butts than women. Not only that, there's not much going on up front, either. So the first thing to do is fix those bits.
Just like the prosthesis breasts, you can purchase prosthesis hips, which will give a much natural female looking shape. You can also use waist-cinching undergarments or corsets to achieve a more hourglass figure. Both prosthesis breasts and prosthesis hips are readily available online from such sites as ebay and amazon.
Feminise Facial Features
Contour your facial features. Your facial features say a lot about your gender, and there are measurable physical differences between the two. You will want to imply higher cheekbones and a smaller chin, and of course, you will want to shave very closely. As women throughout the ages have discovered, the right kind of contouring makeup can create an entirely different facial look. You can create illusions that make features looks smaller or more pronounced and you can even draw focus to certain feminine or masculine traits. Feminine face: To get those higher cheek bones, larger eyes, smaller noses, and bigger lips that are strong gender cues, use contouring powder and highlighter. Add makeup to mask or modify your features to appear more feminine. Apply false lashes, mascara, blush, eye shadow, eyeliner and lipstick to create the ultimate feminine look.  
The Crowning Glory
If you want to go out in public and pass, hair is one of the most important items in your crossdressing wardrobe. Don’t make a hasty decision on your wig. Try on as many wigs as possible, and don’t be afraid to try styles that you might normally overlook. Unlike clothes, where your femme wardrobe changes on a daily basis, your wig should stay relatively constant. You might consider two styles, or two slightly different colours, for different occasions – maybe a long, loose wig and an up-do in the same tones, for instance. Wigs these days are sophisticated; you’re no longer limited in colour, as many wigs come in highlighted and other realistic multi-colours. You could also choose a straight wig and a curly one, and wear different wigs with different outfits. Study hairstyles of women that are close to your age. Remember when choosing a wig the colour of your wig should contrast your complexion.
The Small Details It's more than just how a man dresses or a woman does her make up that makes them identifiable with that gender.
There are dozens of little differences, red flags that signal that you are a cross dresser. If you are looking for the obvious cross-dressing look, you can skip pass these tips. If you want to look like a woman down to the smallest details, read on!
Exposed body hair: Men and women expose body hair differently. Waxing, using panty hose or shaving can turn a man into a more realistic woman.
Eyebrows are key as well, and sculpted eyebrows will go a long way towards a convincing look. It will also be one of the more noticeable features when you're not cross-dressed, which might be a concern.
Nails: This is an obvious, but a sometimes overlooked detail. Give yourself a manicure to achieve the look you want. Accessories: Belts, necklaces and earrings aren't unisex. Keep your accessory shopping to the women's departments.
Understanding Eating Disorders in Trans People A recent study on Gender Nonconformity, Transsexuality and Eating Disorders published by Vocks et al (2009), compared disordered eating patterns, body image disturbances and self-image scores among trans women and men. Overall, they found disordered eating patterns reported by trans women and trans men were in the middle of those diagnosed with eating disorders and non-ED, cis controls. More specifically, trans women individuals had more severe disordered eating pathology than both female and male control groups, whereas trans men individuals reported higher levels of disordered eating than male controls but were similar to the female control group. Several hypotheses have been raised to explain these (and similar) findings. Firstly, disordered eating patterns might be used to suppress secondary sex characteristics for both trans* men and women, and secondly, disordered eating might be a way to deal with the stigma, poor self-esteem, negative self-image, perhaps abuse and/or isolation that many gender nonconforming and transgender individuals face. But those are just hypotheses, based on the authors’ own ideas and through interviews reported in case studies. Monica Algars and colleagues wanted to evaluate trans* men’s and women’s’ “own understanding of the underlying causes.” What explanations and reasons did trans* men and women participants provide for their eating behaviours and, if applicable, how did it change after gender reassignment treatment. In terms of disordered eating, the majority of participants reported dieting (65%), 25% said they’ve experienced bingeing, 25% engaged in purging behaviours and 40% reported excessive exercise. Note, the percentages don’t add up because one participant could have experienced all four disordered eating behaviours (or three or two or none).
The descriptions of the disordered eating behaviours are indistinguishable from diagnosable eating disorders – at least in the Algars et al paper: dieting: ... keeping track of and restricting calorie intake, only eating certain foods, avoiding situations in which people eat, purposefully maintaining an abnormally low body weight, and weighing themselves several times a day … bingeing: … eating large amounts of food in a short time, being unable to stop eating although they felt sick, and feeling that they could not control their eating … purging: … purging after binge-eating, while others also had purged after eating only small amounts of food. One trans male participant reported chewing and spitting … excessive exercise: ... bike at least xx km every day … amenorrhea due to excessive amounts of exercise PERCEIVED CAUSE OF DISORDERED EATING Participants that reported instances of disordered eating explained their thoughts about the underlying causes. Five participants (four trans males and one trans female) reported engaging in disordered eating patterns to suppress their biological sex (reduce femininity or compensate for masculine features, such as height).
Find out more about Cwtched at the following: Website www.cwtched.org/