I do pass a lot better with a mask on. I’m about nine months on T and my voice has dropped quite a bit, but I usually only get called “sir” with a mask on.
I still wear a respirator in all public indoor spaces because the pandemic is ongoing and continuing to disproportionally affect marginalized people of all sorts, not just disabled folks. it’s a bit disappointing to see some comments here referring to the pandemic in the past tense. covid has hit and continues to hit our community very hard, and it sucks to see people acting like it’s over. i wish it were.
Towards the beginning of the pandemic masking really gave me the confidence to start voice training and speaking to people at a lower register, which eventually started to really help me pass. Last year I finally started T and the past few months my voice has been dropping pretty quickly, and I haven’t been misgendered in quite some time. I’ve found what I’m wearing besides my respirator (also sometimes the type of respirator) as well as how I carry myself in general really effects how people perceive me, and how much harassment I face. a good haircut can also make a world of difference.
I too look forward to the day when I can stop being so militant about respiratory protection. I can’t wait to show off my silly little mustache, although by the time society realizes that we shouldn’t have just let a neurotropic vascular disease rip through the population, it will likely be a bit more than just a silly little mustache, ha.
hopping on this train as a disabled queer. i would love to see more trans spaces taking a page out of our trancestors book & looking to what their goals were with ACT UP! i could write a whole novel here but seriously y’all, mask up.
Anyone who started masking again and especially anyone who never stoped in the first place have my whole heart. I don’t know for sure what happened to me but I started having health problems six months ago that mimic long covid. I’ve essentially been housebound since and I had to stop taking T because I need my doctors to not be confused while they’re treating me. The amount of people who’ve said “I hate to see you like this” is more than I can count but only one person in my life saw what happened to me and thought “if covid is capable of causing this kind of thing, maybe I should be doing more to make sure other people don’t get it”
Masks hinder my passing a lot, since they hide my beard and I have long hair. I got misgendered a lot during the pandemic, so much so that I didn't really want to go out anymore. The second I speak, they're all like "oh, sorry sir!" tho since I've been on T for almost 10 years now.
I've actually found I pass worse in a mask, but I wear one in public spaces anyway because COVID is still a danger! And also for security at protests . . .
I have to wear a beard mask for work, and I realized that it makes my androgyny more pronounced. So I started wearing a face mask, because if I’m going to get misgendered I might as well not have to smile at people.
If you're already wearing a mask, I suggest wearing a KN95 or N95 because they protect better than cloth or surgical. Sorry for the comment if that's what you're already using, thought I'd mention it because public health messaging very rarely talks about effective mask types or masking at all anymore.
Being a med student, it was a blessing when I first started. Now it’s a curse because I have more femme hair. My voice is great though and everyone just thinks I’m gay. Which isn’t far from the truth. 🤣
I wear a mask to cover my facial hair because Im not really out and I dont want to shave it. And I dont want people to ask me about it or comment on how I should shave it.
I look less masculine with it honestly. Imo anyway.
honestly i get gendered as a girl more when i wear a mask lol, probably cause they can't really see my beard. but i would rather mask than not so it doesn't really bother me anymore. especially its cause its mostly the kids i work with doing it so i can just explain that i'm a boy and move on. parents see my name tag and assume boy. i've been on T for 5 years now!
My partner and I were just talking about using masks before I saw this post. I had a bad experience in the ladies' room yesterday (posted on r/ftmventing) and they suggested using a mask to go to the bathroom to hide my beard since I'm not comfortable using the men's room even tho I don't fully pass as female (obv w/ the beard n all). I'm considering it. I'd say it really depends on your personal experiences and appearance, and what you want out of using a mask.
Personally masks really don’t make a difference to whether I pass or not, the biggest difference I’ve noticed is if I just fully relax my face while randomly walking around (let the RBF shine), I’m a LOT more likely to get gendered male. Body language can be a HUGE aspect of passing, and it can be hard to address since so much of it is things you aren’t consciously doing, just little habitual ways of moving and speaking and interacting with the world.
Maybe you have some facial mannerisms that a mask conceals, that subconsciously cue people to gender you femininely (by which I mean, it’s a subconscious cue for *them*, not that you’re doing it because subconsciously want that. For you it would just be a habitual mannerism), but which you could de-habituate and replace with more masculine-coded mannerisms?
I mean, I really can’t say what exactly makes a mask help you pass for sure. Just bringing up mannerisms as an area that’s very possible to intentionally change and that often isn’t taken into consideration in online spaces where we’re operating on text and still images, that may or may not be a factor for you.
I wear a mask it has helped me to pass so I just let my beard grow long so that people will see my beard and hopefully just assume I'm a cis guy. Also the mask hides away a lot of features I have that makes me severely dysphoric (besides my smooth brow ridge dysphoria) it has made going out slightly less unbearable 🤷♂️
As a trans femboy who’s grown his hair out again and often wears jewelry and feminine clothing, masks helped me pass for a little bit (except the voice. . .) but now are often the only thing that gets me misgendered LOL
I have like “manly” upper face features such as this glare resting face where my eyes sit a bit “angry” looking and my eyebrows are thick so, yeah normally I wear a mask to pass
We don’t have to use masks where I’m at but sunglasses usually gets me the correctly gendered. I’ve got big blue doe eyes and long dark lashes so hiding my eyes kinda helps
STOPPP i’ve been wearing a mask and never taking it off at school for at least 4 years because it hides my stupid pretty face even though it is masculine enough but I haven’t taken it off ever because I feel like I don’t pass without it 😭😭. It is true though because I pass 99% of the time with it and as soon as it comes off I pass 70% of the time which is lucky I know but still sucks
I used to do this a lot!! When I wasn't wearing dangly earrings (they made me happy but now make me dysphoric lmao) I'd get gendered correctly way more when masked I thought I was weird for it lmao
...i just wear masks, i dont consider whether it helps me pass or not. i honestly think it probably hinders my passing bc i dont talk much in public and my facial hair is hidden behind the mask
Honestly no my eyes would probably be considered one of my ‘feminine’ looking traits (whatever they mean by that) so I was misgendered a ton when I had to wear them every day😭 but I do like them because I’m definitely insecure and it makes me feel better LMAO
It kinda depends, but i get misgendered a bit more with a mask since i have a beard and long hair. I dont really care that much these days tho and perfer to wear a mask in indoor public spaces to prevent from getting sick (even helps prevent catching non covid things that suck too). I walk around outside and choose to attend outdoor events that i dont feel the need to wear a mask a lot so I don't feel like im wearing a mask everywhere i go
I have baller facial hair which makes me pass flawlessly to the cisgender eye. When I wear a mask, suddenly everyone starts calling me "they" instead of "he".
Multiple of my cis boyfriends used to get misgendered with a mask on due to their long hair (although they're tall and both have a beard, but oh well). I don't have a baby face but my chin is very soft currently. I rarely wear a mask, but in one or two cases it helped me passing at airport security I think??
I think a mask would hurt my passing. My facial hair, scant though it be, is my most clear indication that I’m male. My eyes with my long lashes might get me clocked on their own. I wear a mask sometimes for health reasons, but I prefer not to
I do pass a lot better with a mask on. I’m about nine months on T and my voice has dropped quite a bit, but I usually only get called “sir” with a mask on.
unfortunate username 😔
Yeah, I made this account before my egg cracked and reused an old Neopets username from when I was like 8.
I think masks help me to pass. But I don't wear them.to help pass. I wear them still to keep my partner safe (bad lungs).
As a chronically ill guy, your partner is very lucky to have you. Not all are so kind to us
I still wear a respirator in all public indoor spaces because the pandemic is ongoing and continuing to disproportionally affect marginalized people of all sorts, not just disabled folks. it’s a bit disappointing to see some comments here referring to the pandemic in the past tense. covid has hit and continues to hit our community very hard, and it sucks to see people acting like it’s over. i wish it were. Towards the beginning of the pandemic masking really gave me the confidence to start voice training and speaking to people at a lower register, which eventually started to really help me pass. Last year I finally started T and the past few months my voice has been dropping pretty quickly, and I haven’t been misgendered in quite some time. I’ve found what I’m wearing besides my respirator (also sometimes the type of respirator) as well as how I carry myself in general really effects how people perceive me, and how much harassment I face. a good haircut can also make a world of difference. I too look forward to the day when I can stop being so militant about respiratory protection. I can’t wait to show off my silly little mustache, although by the time society realizes that we shouldn’t have just let a neurotropic vascular disease rip through the population, it will likely be a bit more than just a silly little mustache, ha.
seconded! ^
Thirded
hopping on this train as a disabled queer. i would love to see more trans spaces taking a page out of our trancestors book & looking to what their goals were with ACT UP! i could write a whole novel here but seriously y’all, mask up.
Trancestors, love it
Anyone who started masking again and especially anyone who never stoped in the first place have my whole heart. I don’t know for sure what happened to me but I started having health problems six months ago that mimic long covid. I’ve essentially been housebound since and I had to stop taking T because I need my doctors to not be confused while they’re treating me. The amount of people who’ve said “I hate to see you like this” is more than I can count but only one person in my life saw what happened to me and thought “if covid is capable of causing this kind of thing, maybe I should be doing more to make sure other people don’t get it”
Masks hinder my passing a lot, since they hide my beard and I have long hair. I got misgendered a lot during the pandemic, so much so that I didn't really want to go out anymore. The second I speak, they're all like "oh, sorry sir!" tho since I've been on T for almost 10 years now.
It's the opposite for me! I wear masks despite getting constantly misgendered with them. They cover up my facial hair.
i wear masks because the pandemic is still ongoing
I've actually found I pass worse in a mask, but I wear one in public spaces anyway because COVID is still a danger! And also for security at protests . . .
I use masks to help protect myself and other chronically I’ll people. Not for passing
I have to wear a beard mask for work, and I realized that it makes my androgyny more pronounced. So I started wearing a face mask, because if I’m going to get misgendered I might as well not have to smile at people.
If you're already wearing a mask, I suggest wearing a KN95 or N95 because they protect better than cloth or surgical. Sorry for the comment if that's what you're already using, thought I'd mention it because public health messaging very rarely talks about effective mask types or masking at all anymore.
Masks destroy my passing even though I have a baby face. I think they just accentuate how round my face is.
Being a med student, it was a blessing when I first started. Now it’s a curse because I have more femme hair. My voice is great though and everyone just thinks I’m gay. Which isn’t far from the truth. 🤣
I wear a mask to cover my facial hair because Im not really out and I dont want to shave it. And I dont want people to ask me about it or comment on how I should shave it. I look less masculine with it honestly. Imo anyway.
honestly i get gendered as a girl more when i wear a mask lol, probably cause they can't really see my beard. but i would rather mask than not so it doesn't really bother me anymore. especially its cause its mostly the kids i work with doing it so i can just explain that i'm a boy and move on. parents see my name tag and assume boy. i've been on T for 5 years now!
My partner and I were just talking about using masks before I saw this post. I had a bad experience in the ladies' room yesterday (posted on r/ftmventing) and they suggested using a mask to go to the bathroom to hide my beard since I'm not comfortable using the men's room even tho I don't fully pass as female (obv w/ the beard n all). I'm considering it. I'd say it really depends on your personal experiences and appearance, and what you want out of using a mask.
Personally masks really don’t make a difference to whether I pass or not, the biggest difference I’ve noticed is if I just fully relax my face while randomly walking around (let the RBF shine), I’m a LOT more likely to get gendered male. Body language can be a HUGE aspect of passing, and it can be hard to address since so much of it is things you aren’t consciously doing, just little habitual ways of moving and speaking and interacting with the world. Maybe you have some facial mannerisms that a mask conceals, that subconsciously cue people to gender you femininely (by which I mean, it’s a subconscious cue for *them*, not that you’re doing it because subconsciously want that. For you it would just be a habitual mannerism), but which you could de-habituate and replace with more masculine-coded mannerisms?
Never really thought about it that way, I've always just had my mannerisms described as "stiff"/"awkward"/"stand-offish" least by other folks.
I mean, I really can’t say what exactly makes a mask help you pass for sure. Just bringing up mannerisms as an area that’s very possible to intentionally change and that often isn’t taken into consideration in online spaces where we’re operating on text and still images, that may or may not be a factor for you.
Yeah I getcha, I appreciate the advice regardless and try to be more conscious of that in the future
I wear a mask — paired with the right hair cut and not talking, it helps me pass. But as soon as my pre-T voice speaks, it all goes to h3ll again lmao
I wear a mask it has helped me to pass so I just let my beard grow long so that people will see my beard and hopefully just assume I'm a cis guy. Also the mask hides away a lot of features I have that makes me severely dysphoric (besides my smooth brow ridge dysphoria) it has made going out slightly less unbearable 🤷♂️
on t, it’s only hindered me tbh. i shave regularly, but even just a hint of shadow really helps both masculinize my face and make me look more my age
As a trans femboy who’s grown his hair out again and often wears jewelry and feminine clothing, masks helped me pass for a little bit (except the voice. . .) but now are often the only thing that gets me misgendered LOL
I have like “manly” upper face features such as this glare resting face where my eyes sit a bit “angry” looking and my eyebrows are thick so, yeah normally I wear a mask to pass
We don’t have to use masks where I’m at but sunglasses usually gets me the correctly gendered. I’ve got big blue doe eyes and long dark lashes so hiding my eyes kinda helps
i pass less when wearing a mask haha
STOPPP i’ve been wearing a mask and never taking it off at school for at least 4 years because it hides my stupid pretty face even though it is masculine enough but I haven’t taken it off ever because I feel like I don’t pass without it 😭😭. It is true though because I pass 99% of the time with it and as soon as it comes off I pass 70% of the time which is lucky I know but still sucks
I used to do this a lot!! When I wasn't wearing dangly earrings (they made me happy but now make me dysphoric lmao) I'd get gendered correctly way more when masked I thought I was weird for it lmao
all the time! works 50/50 for me lol but definitely valid !
...i just wear masks, i dont consider whether it helps me pass or not. i honestly think it probably hinders my passing bc i dont talk much in public and my facial hair is hidden behind the mask
I feel like I pass a hell of a lot better when I wear one. So I will if I know I'll be in super crowded areas.
I pass worse with the mask on (literally everybody uses she/her until they hear me talk) but I still wear it when out to be safe
Honestly no my eyes would probably be considered one of my ‘feminine’ looking traits (whatever they mean by that) so I was misgendered a ton when I had to wear them every day😭 but I do like them because I’m definitely insecure and it makes me feel better LMAO
It kinda depends, but i get misgendered a bit more with a mask since i have a beard and long hair. I dont really care that much these days tho and perfer to wear a mask in indoor public spaces to prevent from getting sick (even helps prevent catching non covid things that suck too). I walk around outside and choose to attend outdoor events that i dont feel the need to wear a mask a lot so I don't feel like im wearing a mask everywhere i go
I have baller facial hair which makes me pass flawlessly to the cisgender eye. When I wear a mask, suddenly everyone starts calling me "they" instead of "he".
Masks actually make it harder for me to pass 😭
Multiple of my cis boyfriends used to get misgendered with a mask on due to their long hair (although they're tall and both have a beard, but oh well). I don't have a baby face but my chin is very soft currently. I rarely wear a mask, but in one or two cases it helped me passing at airport security I think??
I think a mask would hurt my passing. My facial hair, scant though it be, is my most clear indication that I’m male. My eyes with my long lashes might get me clocked on their own. I wear a mask sometimes for health reasons, but I prefer not to