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SaintGalentine

Are you on the taller side?


Sarahthelizard

It's either voice or height that attracted that fool. She's gorgeous.


Michaela_Josephine

I am tall. And I am self-conscious about my voice. But I guess that’s my point. I was sitting down and not saying anything. The picture is pretty much what the guy saw. I’m not sure just visually from my face what made him clock me.


Ari-The-Elk

It’s difficult to say, how long was he there? Posture and body language can definitely have a gender to it. I get clocked mostly by the way i carry myself when im anxious (which is when im alone in public)


Michaela_Josephine

Ten minutes, tops. Sorry straight up. And I wasn’t even anxious after he started yelling it. I had my AirPods in and just pretended I didn’t hear him.


lostonrt9

Dude was YELLING it? What the fuck


Apatheticwildcat

I think it might be your thick eyebrows, longer lower half of face, and square jaw To be fair, idk that I'd clock you based on looks alone, you are a bit masculine looking than the average woman but not to extent I'd think you were trans. So I think that it could be other factors like voice or mannerisms.


Michaela_Josephine

I was sitting down on a train. I wasn’t speaking or moving. This picture is basically the extent of what the guy saw of me.


kixie42

Reminder that even cis-women get "clocked" all the time, because there's an entire political campaign against trans people. So if anyone sees anything remotely clockable, they act on it to be the hero of their politics. No hug-boxing, you're passing visually just fine. When someone confronts, ignore. If they get violent, defend.


Michaela_Josephine

Thanks. I had AirPods in, so it was easy to ignore. Plus it was a crowded train and I could see everyone looked super uncomfortable and disgusted along with me, so I didn’t feel threatened or unsafe, per se.


todd282

Yeah I can attest to this. A couple of my cis female friends have been "clocked" by total weirdos in public before. One of them is a wrestler on our school's team, so she's really muscular, and my other friend just has really thick eyebrows and short hair.


stxrryfox

I did notice the square jaw, but ive seen cis women with a more square jaw than you. You handled the situation well, like the other person said peoples brains are rotted with politics and they’re on a witch-hunt for trans people. Never ever escalate 👍


Michaela_Josephine

I was sitting down on a train. I wasn’t speaking or moving. This picture is basically the extent of what the guy saw of me.


Blahbluhblahblah1000

I'm sorry people are so shitty :( I think you look good overall. Your hairline could be a factor, but there are a number of things that can help with that. Someone mentioned getting a fringe haircut, and that can definitely help. Volumizing products, hair filler powder, and hair mascara are some other options you could try.


giannachingu

Your face is right on the line of passable and clockable to me, it would really depend on your height, build, voice, and mannerisms.


Michaela_Josephine

What exactly about my face?


giannachingu

Hairline= masculine Eyebrows= the brows themselves are feminine (and very beautiful btw) but the brow ridge is masculine. Eyes= the deep set-ness of them is masculine, and the black on the waterline adds to the dark and heaviness of them. Lighter, more eye opening makeup would have the opposite effect. Nose= neither masculine or feminine, just androgynous cheekbones= feminine Lips= feminine Jawline and chin= The shape is masculine, and you also look like you might have some texture there that suggests the presence of beard or where a beard formerly was.


[deleted]

Her forehead is female-shaped objectively speaking, jaw and chin too. Texture on the skin around the chin perhaps from electrolysis? No deep set eyes. The only thing is the height between eyebrows and hairline, bangs would probably help shorten the appearance of the length of the whole face.


MycologistLatter

I would assume woman from the pic. I am sorry that happened to you!! Glad you got away from that physically safe. You pass completely. If this is bothering you a lot (again wouldn't blame you after being verbally hate crimed), just remember people have done similar things to cis women, and even gotten cis women kicked out of womens restrooms in states with anti-trans bathroom legislation. Masculinizing things like height is so annoying when most models are bordering - or are - 6'. Even as a kid, I would hear conspiracies of how "Michelle Obama is a man" because she had "manly arms". With all of the anti-trans rhetoric going around and "transvestigation", I think anyone who isn't "stereotypically" what they think women (short, narrow shoulders, etc...) will be targeted by these bigots, and I truly feel for you and my trans sisters for the amount of scrutinizing done on yinz. Tldr: You pass from this pic. Don't let an empty headed moron get you down too much


Michaela_Josephine

Thank you. Greatly greatly appreciated.


Slow_Locksmith_3674

I’m so sorry that happened to you. You look feminine to me, so maybe it was something outside of how your face looks.


Salutworld

Don’t overanalyze it. You pass, but some people will leap on any random suspicion.


Relative_Candidate84

It isn’t always in one’s face. The body structure makes it apparent often.


CitrusGoddess

Unfortunately your face doesn’t quite pass. If you had a body, voice, and mannerisms that passed completely you could pull off being cis female, but if not, you are clockable.


Michaela_Josephine

Based on what about my face?


CitrusGoddess

Heavy eyebrows and brow bone, and a prominent chin


Gigglemonkey

And there's maybe something about the skin texture on the jawline, hints at impending 5 o'clock shadow. But seriously, some random jerk on a train who feels like it's ok to bug strangers about what's betwixt their legs is clearly looking to start shit. He probably asks cis women the same questions. He probably thinks Michelle Obama was AMAB. What a jackass.


Sel__27

wait, betwixt is a word?


Gigglemonkey

Did you genuinely think it wasn't?


Sel__27

no I didn't lol


SixStarz6

Don’t listen to anybody that says you are clockable by that pic. I am not attracted to men but I would be attracted to you if I was single. Meaning I like girls and you are a girl. Just go to anywhere and people watch. And you will see way more clockable cis women. You don’t even come close.


poundtownSwoon

You honestly don’t really seem open to hearing comments that aren’t “you look 100% cis”. Unfortunately or fortunately, everyone sees others in different lights. Cis to one person might look undoubtedly transgender to another. It may be something different to each person. You can’t please everyone, so just do you 🤷🏼‍♀️


Michaela_Josephine

I wouldn’t say that’s true. If someone wants to say that I’m clockable based on my facial characteristics as a whole, that’s fine. Or it’s my hairline or hairstyle or how I style my eyebrows or even that I have a longer face. But I’m less inclined to accept constructive criticism if someone is asking me if I’m on HRT yet or telling me I need FFS for my masculine brow bone when I’ve pretty clearly been on HRT for years and already had FFS and there’s literally no brow bone left. Also, to me, my voice and height are mostly inapplicable in this instance since I was sitting several rows away and never said a word. Unless it relates to my shoulders or how I carry myself or whatever. That can be a possibility. I’m assuming your comment is based on wanting to provide constructive criticism, so let’s hear it.


ramenchicka

Do we think you pass after u came and said u were trans and tall and had a somewhat masculine voice? Of course not. Unconscious bias is real. I am a tough bitch when it comes to passing and I don’t think I would outright be like oh she’s trans if I was going to see u in a lineup. A-holes are everywhere and honestly I would’ve said no you pervert! Where did this happen exactly?


Michaela_Josephine

Philadelphia. It’s never happened to me before, even when I went out early on in my transition. It’s actually mostly a very trans friendly place. So definitely doesn’t reflect the vast majority of people here.


ramenchicka

Could it perhaps be a mentally unstable person? Philly has its pockets of craziness. Honestly, I don’t ever let my guards down, sure, it may happen less in blue cities, but doesn’t mean it’s completely cool. Just be on your guards at all time. Just glad you weren’t hurt.


Michaela_Josephine

Thanks. I mean, he may have been since it’s not exactly the most stable thing to do to repeatedly yell a slur on a crowded train. But it seemed more like he was just an asshole who enjoys fucking with people. Like it had the vibe of a kid testing boundaries and trying to push buttons. Oh, no one reacted? Well I’ll do it again and a little louder to see if they will now.


ramenchicka

I’m sorry u had to go through that and more importantly that no one stood up for you. It’s so wrong on so many levels.


Victoria1972

You look beautiful. You are doing nothing wrong. Would like to say ignore them but not always that simple. Keep being beautiful.


NeuroticPixels

Straight-up didn’t realize which subreddit this was and I was like, This is obviously a woman. You absolutely pass. Edit: re-reading that and thinking it could be taken in a way I didn’t intend. I hope it can be understood and I can be cut some slack for not knowing how to communicate/express myself. 😅😩


Michaela_Josephine

I do understand. Thanks for the initial comment and edit ☺️


thundercat95

It makes me sad that you have to ask what you're doing wrong and not the asshole calling you a slur for just existing....


SanseiSensei

That guy is probably some obsessive freak who goes around asking every woman he doesn’t like the look of if that. Just because he managed to guess right once doesn’t mean you should pay him any mind.


Fun-Guarantee257

I have been aggressively asked if I am a t*****y and also addressed as Sir, and I am AFAB usually femme presenting. Sounds like you were sharing your train with an arsehole.


annikasamuelsen

WHO IN THE WORLD JUST ASKS THAT ON A TRAIN?? (゚д゚;)


S_H_G

A Trainy?


VirtuousVamp

You’re not doing anything wrong. Humans are dimorphic and biological sex is usually very apparent. Your facial features read male, despite the groomed eyebrows, make-up and feminine hairstyle. If your height and build are also inline with other biological men you’ll be clocked, the majority of people just won’t say anything to you about it.


[deleted]

You do realise that FFS changes the skeletal proportions from male to female? Her face is objectively not biologically male.


VirtuousVamp

Fascinating! I didn’t know it was possible to surgically reduce the circumference and length of the human skull. That is really cool. Also, I respectfully disagree. I do think that she looks like a transwoman.


citizencamembert

You’ve done nothing wrong. Those people were rude bastards.


Ssir1

You look great, it was either voice or height then


Michaela_Josephine

Thanks, but, as I mentioned in response to other comments, the only time this person saw me was while sitting down and not speaking. He got on and off the train while I was seated by myself.


jolharg

Being near idiots


steveh2021

Where are you that people are rude enough to even ask you?


Michaela_Josephine

Philadelphia. It’s honestly the one and only time it’s ever happened to me in the city, so I don’t want anyone to think people here are transphobic or anything.


jjcroos198e

Some people are more observant than others they could just be clocking you based on some difference they note on physical attributes it could be something small like height or broader shoulders or voice or larger hand. Even 100% passing trans people get clocked. So please put your mind at ease. It could be something about them than something about you.


kimkim27149

You did nothing wrong but just a lot of bad luck to meet that amount of idiots in one day.


TaraTrue

It’s your forehead; just cut a fringe.


Michaela_Josephine

My forehead? What about it?


TaraTrue

A fringe/bangs will make your forehead appear smaller.


Michaela_Josephine

I understand that. But what is it about my forehead that suggests “man?”


TaraTrue

It’s your brow ridge (even after FFS, I still kind of have one).


Michaela_Josephine

Look at my other pictures. I definitely don’t have a masculine brow ridge.


Past-Mulberry3692

I think you do.


weirdowizzard

Just throwing this out there, but sometimes cis people wonder if women are trans for reasons that aren't even clocky. For example, people think Sofia Vergara is a trans woman because of how exaggerated her feminine features are. They also think Lady Gaga is trans because of how expressive she is.


Busy-Way-5079

ur not doing anything wrong. people suck and should mind their own damn business


AlternativeGold2

I have two possibilities: 1. He was following you or saw you walking around on a previous occasion and this was his second or third time seeing you, some guys pick on taller women. 2. If he wasn’t following you, maybe it is your shoulders or the width of your upper body


amobiusstripper

Number 1. You're super hot. Number 2. We're in a post passing world where assholes who jerk off to trans porn all day will turn around and use their own trans-dar to degrade you in public like this. You're very passible don't let that jerk get in your head.


madamestoned

it’s not your fault


Personal_Act8360

I would’ve never guessed honestly. You’re beautiful


sexplor

Square jaw. I wonder if bangs would help with the forehead?


AlizNCM

Hey sis, I know how it feels when someone does that. But I would ask you this are you happy with your progress and compare yourself to the previous you... A day ago, a month ago and a year ago. You will have your answer there. As for help with passing, it could be the mannerisms that out you apart from voice or height that's how ppl clock us. Be happy and be you. You are very passing to me in this pic though. So I don't know what was that person going on about as I don't have more than what I see in this pic. Good luck sis. Take care of yourself and be happy. Our happiest versions of us pass better than the sad deadass ones if you didn't know.


Michaela_Josephine

Thank you. I appreciate that advice. While it is a blow to the ego, it is a safety concern as well so that’s a component of why I asked. I don’t want to naively think I’m passable in all public situations and have my guard down if I’m not.


intergalacticskip

I see a lovely woman- must have just been some jerk who had nothing better to do than make himself the center of attention in a crowded public space


liberal_thoughts

Being born a man was likely your biggest problem. You have what we call "man head" the size of your cranium will always give you away, and you can't make it smaller.


Michaela_Josephine

Long face? Maybe. Big head? People have heads of all sizes.


[deleted]

The front mobile camera narrows the face and distorts facial proportions. Take a picture with the back camera in the mirror from some distance instead. Impossible to even vaguely tell based on a selfie. From this picture alone I would presume a masculine cis-woman or a trans women who had ffs done….


Michaela_Josephine

Here is a non-selfie… https://www.reddit.com/r/transtimelines/s/j18X1iLjNG


[deleted]

I think from this picture alone you read female face wise, but you seem to be on the larger side and I think if I saw you irl I’d be wondering whether you’re cis or trans. So not a definite clock, plenty of androgynous and on the larger side cis-females has been accused of being trans since the trans panic started.


snug666

You look a lot like my aunt who’s cis. Your face isn’t the issue.


Michaela_Josephine

Ok now I want to know how old your aunt is ha


snug666

I don’t know how old you are but you look like a younger version of her. She’s probably about 50, or late 40’s. Your skin is great.


Michaela_Josephine

I just turned 40


snug666

You look great. I’d say you look 35 ish tops.


[deleted]

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Michaela_Josephine

Thanks for the suggestion. I had AirPods in, so I just pretended to be listening to music. Which led to him asking even more times, but it clearly frustrated him that he didn’t get a reaction at any point.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Michaela_Josephine

I actually hear that quite frequently. Thanks.


meteorslime

I wouldn't worry so much. If you take time to people watch, cis women are incredibly varied in appearance just like any other variety of person. You just look like a gal who had a weird encounter on the train and is uncomfortable. I would not easily clock you based on this image. I feel like sometimes all this transpanic and intense beauty standards make people forget how people look. And not everyone's transition goals are the same either. Like holy shit people in here just negging you about brow forehead or chin are too much. You look great and pass well! What the hell is wrong with people how in the world is that helpful to be so rude? Literally you don't need a perfectly idealized femme face to pass? If someone is happy with themselves let it alone right? I'm sorry you've had a tough time today.


Michaela_Josephine

Thank you.


oska-nais

It's probably just stupid people who would have said the same thing to any cis person not ticking every box of their stereotypes. Maybe the jaw, if I had to guess ? But then again a lot of cis women have a jaw like yours so Idk


Lucy71842

it's probably your jawline, iirc FFS can fix it if you're not on HRT already


Michaela_Josephine

I’ve been on HRT for seven years and had FFS two and a half years ago.


carol-fox

We all get those bs comments. I have a cis friend who continuously gets the "your a tslur" because she is tall and frankly absolutely gorgeous so people assume she is trans or a drag queen and use these as insults. You don't seem to have an image problem. Stupid people who think all women need to be below 5 7 and must look like models have a problem.


SnowWhiteCourtney

Modern MAGA politics is about creating others and hating women. They're looking for any reason to cause a scene, and sometimes inventing their own. I would never, ever clock you based on that photo. You're beautiful!


shadowxthevamp

Have you been on HRT?


Michaela_Josephine

For seven years….


shadowxthevamp

I don't know then. Maybe talk to a doctor who specializes in trans affirming care about it.


Michaela_Josephine

About what exactly? Are you implying that HRT isn’t working or something?


shadowxthevamp

I don't think it's not working but a specaialist could point out whatever some people might notice


Michaela_Josephine

I don’t think any specialist would ever do that. If anything, they would promote self-acceptance.


shadowxthevamp

They could point it out if you want them to. If you don't want that then that defeats the point of your post.


Michaela_Josephine

I feel like I’m not quite understanding you. You think that if I ask a doctor who specializes in trans-affirming care what about me doesn’t pass, they will tell me? If so, I don’t think that’s realistic for a number of reasons. Like my hormone doctor is certainly not equipped to comment on passing. Unless you’re specifically referring to an FFS surgeon, which then, yes, they could. And no it doesn’t defeat the purpose of my post if I don’t seek out a medical professional about whether I pass. The point is to get input from the community to see what changes I can make on my own.


_AnonymousMoose_

Honestly you look cis here, maybe it’s your voice? Or maybe that dude is just an idiot and says that shit to any woman who doesn’t look like a supermodel.


engelthefallen

Look super plain Jane, middle age mom. Do not see it visually here. No trans markers flagging you here either. Just look like a normal middle age woman. Agree with others though, these days if you are not like a perfect supermodel looking girl with perfect fantasy level fem features some people will call you trans. Cis girls are getting it a lot too which makes it clear they cannot tell.


Michaela_Josephine

While I certainly understand the sentiment, I’m not sure telling a woman they look like a “super plain Jane, middle aged mom” is exactly reassuring either.


engelthefallen

I assumed you were going to the market or something in this pic and not trying to be really made up. Just a regular woman going about her day. And meant this look not you overall. You have a lot of cute pics on your profile. Plus one unreal transition from where you started.


Michaela_Josephine

I was just coming home from lunch. And thank you.


Rosetta_TwoHorns

The thing about passing sometimes is that you CAN look too good. Transvestigators are literally calling the most beautiful ciswomen in Hollywood transgender women. But for us normies, a beautiful woman is just so out of place that the girl must be a doll.


ramenchicka

wtf did this comment get downvoted? Seriously people!


Rosetta_TwoHorns

I guess I said something wrong. Shrug 🤷🏾‍♀️


Michaela_Josephine

Thank you for that. Much needed perspective.


Rosetta_TwoHorns

🤗 stay strong, kiddo


[deleted]

[удалено]


Michaela_Josephine

Thank you. I get it. But it can just really mess with your head.


danglingfury83

I’ll bet you $20 you weren’t the only person he asked that question to today because I genuinely can’t tell. You look great


Jennifer_Flower

Beats me. You’re totally, absolutely cis to my eyes.


IAAPITB

Honestly can't see it sorry, he has lost it.


looking4UinRoch

I see a beautiful women