Site Map
Social Transitioning
Introduction
Social transitioning is all the parts of gender transitioning that aren’t medical (hormones, surgery, etc.). Social transitioning involves things such as changing your pronouns, name, clothes, voice, and etc. Essentially, it is changing how you are presenting yourself to other people. It is important to know that you can do whatever parts of social transitioning you want. As an example, if you want to change everything but your voice, your identity is still valid, and likewise if you only want to change your voice and nothing else. There is no one way to transition and you are valid regardless of what path you take (or don’t take). What is important is that you are happy.
A note about voice:Voice can be altered non-medically by voice training. If you plan on transitioning medically, testosterone will masculinize your voice, however, estrogen will not feminize it. If you want to achieve a feminine voice, or you want to take testosterone and keep a feminine voice, you can use voice training to achieve that. There is also surgery that can be done to feminize or masculinize your voice if that is something you may be interested in. There is a section on voice below if you are interested in reading more.
Coming Out
Another aspect of social transitioning is coming out. Of course, it is up to you to decide if you want to and when you want to. Coming out can be quite intimidating, especially for the first time. If you aren’t sure how a person you are planning on coming out to will react, consider gaging their views on transgender and gender noncomforming people first. A few ways to do that would be to ask them their opinion of a particular transgender celebrity, or to work the question naturally into a conversation. Once you feel safe and ready to come out to them, there a variety of ways to do it. You could just outright tell them or text them, or you could try doing something creative.
Unfortunately there is also the possiblity that they won’t be accepting. If you are planning on coming out to someone that you are dependent on, for example, your parents (especially if you are a minor), and it seems like coming out to them could endanger you, consider waiting until you are independent from them before coming out. While it is very difficult to pretend to be someone you’re not, it is also much safer than potentially being abused and/or being kicked out on to the street. In the meanwhile, it is a good idea to find some support groups to help you out. There are some listed with the resources below.
Below are some resources pertaining to coming out if you’d like to read more.
(Scrolls Vertically)This article contains more than just information about coming out. You’ll have to scroll a bit to get to it, but it has tips about how to gage if someone is accepting, as well as ways to come out. They also are a suicide helpline if you need help urgently.
This article explains what it means to come out, and gives some tips on how to come out and where to find support if needed.
A comprehensive article by the Human Rights Campaign on coming out. It discusses coming out in general, but also to spouses, children, parents, and friends as well.
A list of support groups for transgender and gender noncomforming people. Some are online and others are in-person.
A list of resources for LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness.
Pronouns
It is common for transgender and gender noncomforming people to change their pronouns. Some may change them entirely, for example, she/her → he/him or he/him → they/them. Some may use a combination, for example, she/they, she/he, or he/they/she. Some may also decide to use any pronouns, no pronouns, or they might not change them at all. Neopronouns such as xe/xem/xirs or fae/faer/faers are also used by some as well, but they are not very common. It is up to you if you want to change your pronouns and what to change them to. Your decision is not permanent and if you end up not liking the pronouns you chose you can totally change them again. If you aren’t sure about using certain pronouns, and feel safe to do so, you can ask people to try using those pronouns to see if you like being called them. Even if you are sure, it can still be very euphoric to be called the pronouns you want to be called. There are many online communities for transgender and gender nonconforming people that would be happy to help you try out pronouns as well.
Name
Some transgender and gender noncomforming people choose to change their name and some don’t. Some may look online at lists of names, ask their parents to pick their name, pick a name from their favorite video game or movie, or choose a name that they heard long ago that has stuck with them. There are many ways to pick a name, or maybe you don’t pick a new name at all, and whatever decision you make is completely valid. Your decision isn’t permanent and if you decide you don’t like the name you have anymore, you can choose a different one. If you do decide to change your name, it is common to end up with multiple names you can’t decide between. To narrow down your list, try out each name to see how much you like it. There are many ways to try out names, such as using them in a video game, on a delivery address, or by asking friends and family to use them. Of course, only do what you feel safe and comfortable doing. There are also many online communities for transgender and gender nonconforming people that would be happy to help you try out names as well.
A short animated YouTube video about picking a name (or names).
If you also want to change you name legally, there is a section on that here.
Appearance
It is common for transgender and gender noncomforming people to change at least some aspect of their appearance. That could be clothes, hair, accessories, makeup, etc. However, it is not a requirement for transgender and gender noncomforming people to change their appearance if they don’t want to. Additionally, just because someone is transgender or gender noncomforming, it doesn’t mean they have to give up traditionally masculine or feminine things they enjoyed beforehand.
If you aren’t sure if you want to change part of your appearance or what to change it to, that is fine and it is completely normal to experiment with clothes, makeup, hair, etc. Thrift stores are good for finding cheaper clothes that you can try out to see if you like them or not, or you could just window shop. If you want to try out makeup, mascara and lip gloss are any easy place to start. You may also be interested in gaffs and tucking, which are typically used by transfeminine people, or in binders and packers which are typically used by transmasculine people.
Tucking, Tuck Tape, and Gaffs
What is Tucking and How to Tuck
If you are wanting to achieve a smooth appearance down there, there a few ways to do it without surgery. A very common way is tucking. Tucking is done by pushing the testicles up into the inguinal canals (there is one on each side of the groin). The inguinal canals are where the testicles descend from, and they sometimes enter the canals naturally, such as when they are cold. Once the testicles are pushed into the inguinal canals, the penis is pushed down and tucked back. In order to keep it in place, tucking tape, tight fitting underwear, or a gaff are used. Tucking should not be painful. If it is, stop tucking and don’t try again until it stops hurting.
A guide on various tucking methods. Also contains resources for acquiring a gaff.
Tuck Tape
Tuck tape is a special type of tape used to secure a tuck. Do not use packing tape, duct tape, etc. Only use tucking tape or tape intended to be used on sensitive skin areas, such as the groin. Tucking tape is a disposable item and can only be used a once, and it also needs to be removed in order to pee, making it undesirable for regular use. However, it may be desirable by some for occasional use, such as when wearing a swimsuit that doesn’t have a built-in gaff.
Gaffs
Gaffs are a special type of underwear that helps compress the groin and smooth it out. People tend to find them to be the most comfortable way to secure a tuck, however gaffs usually cost more than tucking tape or regular underwear. Some gaffs are also able to compress the groin enough that it is not necessary to tuck while wearing one. Compression underwear is another option if you aren’t interested in gaffs.
Binding and Packers
Binders
If you are wanting to achieve a flat chest, there are a few ways to go about it without surgery. One of the methods is to use a binder, which is a compressive undergarment used to flatten the chest. If you decide to use a binder, it is important to get one that is the right size. Since binders compress the chest, you should not wear them for over 8 hours at a time, sleep in them, or exercise in them. When you first get a binder, you may want to only wear it for a few hours at a time so your body gets used to it. Binding should not be painful or cause difficulty breathing. If you experience either of those, remove your binder as soon as possible, and use a binder a size up instead.
A detailed guide on binding. Also contains resources for acquiring a binder.
Binding Tape
Another way to achieve a flatter chest is to use binding tape. Binding tape is applied to the skin, and can typically be worn for multiple days at a time. It is important that you use binding tape. Do not use packing tape, duct tape, bandages, etc., as they are not meant for chest binding and could potentially harm you. If you are interested in binding tape, check out this guide 
View on the Internet Archive on it.
Packers
Packers are a prothestic that is placed inside underwear to add a buldge. They are typically kept in place by using a strap or special underwear with a pouch. Many packers look like actual penises, but there are also some that are just a smooth shape. Most packers are soft and mimic a flaccid penis, but there are also rigid ones that mimic an erect penis. Rigid packers are typically used for “play”, while soft packers are typically for casual wear. There are also STP (Stand to Pee) packers that have a hole in them that allows the wearer to pee with them on. In addition to those packers, it is also possible to make DIY packers by using a bundle of socks.
Voice
For those not planning on or are unable to medically transition, it is possible to feminize, masculinize, or androgynize your voice with voice training. If you are planning on medically transitioning, masculinizing hormone therapy will result in masculinization of the voice, however feminizing hormone therapy will not feminize the voice. There is also vocal feminization surgery, which can be done on it’s own or used in tandem with voice training. Vocal masculinization surgery is also available, but it’s not very common, as masculinizing hormone therapy already masculinizes the voice. Surgeries are not at all necessary to get a feminine, masculine, or androgynous voice. If you are interested in reading more about those surgeries, check out the medical transitioning section.
What is Voice Training
Voice training refers to the process of utilizing voice training techniques to change the sound of your voice. There are three primary aspects of voice that people modify to change the way their voice is percieved. The most important one for gender perception is resonance, which is where your voice comes from. The next two are vocal weight and pitch. All three of these will be explained a bit more later on. Voice training is most commonly done by transfeminine people, as it is the only way to achieve a feminine voice aside from surgery. Transmasculine people less commonly also make use of voice training if they can’t or are unable to take HRT, want to make adjustments to their voice, or want to take HRT and keep a feminine voice.
Resonance
Resonance is where the voice comes from. It is typically considered the most important aspect in the perception of gender in voice. Masculine voices typically resonate from the chest or lower throat, while feminine voices typically resonate from higher up. Resonance that is feminine is typically described as being bright or up, while masculine resonance is typically described as being dark or down.
Vocial Weight
Vocal weight is how much your voice “rumbles.” Voices with high vocal weight are typically said to be gravelly, rough or heavy, while voices with low vocal weight are typically said to be flute-like, smooth, clear, or light. Masculine voices are typically considered heavy, while feminine voices are typically considered light.
Pitch
You probably already know what pitch is, but it is how low or high your voice is. Masculine voices have a lower pitch, while feminine voices have a higher pitch, and androgynous voices typically have a pitch in between those two ranges. If you are trying to feminize your voice, it is important that you do not use your falsetto. Your falsetto is the highest pitch you can reach, and it is not good to use as a normal speaking voice. You will know when you hit your falsetto, as there is typically a jump between it and your second highest pitch, and in addition to that you won’t be able to raise your voice any higher.
Voice Training Resources
Voice training is something that will take a few months to get the hang of and potentially a few years to perfect. This makes it feel like a monumental task and it especially does the first few weeks when you’re still getting the hang of it, but I encourage you to keep at it. Even though it is hard you totally can do it! Listed below are some resources for voice training. :3
(Scrolls Vertically)Service
Trans Voice Lessons offers private remote voice lessons for feminine, masculine, and androgynous voices. They also have a Youtube channel with a large amount of voice feminization tutorials.
Service
Seattle Voice Lab offers private remote lessons on their website for feminine, masculine, and androgynous voices. Seattle Voice Lab also has a YouTube channel with many short voice training tutorials.
Service
Undead Voice Lab offers private remote lessons on their website for feminine, masculine, and androgynous voices. They also have a free voice training guide on their website and a YouTube channel with tutorials as well.
Online Tool
A website that allows you to upload a voice clip, where it then analyzes your pitch and resonance.
Online Tool
An online tool that analyzes your voice. As of May 2024, it seems to still be in development.
Contact
Source
