Surprise

[Ibby]

Also, so happy to finally be catching up on Sunday's episode of Melissa Harris-Perry. Guest Kate Bornstein talks with Melissa about "being trans* in America" and gender identity and all that great stuff. I adore kate, and i've heard fantastic stuff about how the episode went.

[Ibby]

Originally Posted by Aliantha

About the jeans issue, why do you particularly need to wear women's jeans? Just get jeans that fit right. It's the accessories that will help identify you. Jeans are jeans. You might as well wear ones that fit right for your body shape.

Do you know that girls who don't have hips usually buy mens jeans anyway?

If I buy men's jeans, they don't have the added crotchal compression, or the slimmer, tighter cut that helps me "read" as a girl since I'm dressed more markedly like one. The problem with the loose hips isn't that they're too loose and don't fit well, it's just that they make me feel dysphoric because I don't have hips. I can wear a belt. They don't sag or anything even when I don't. They just remind me that they don't make jeans that are cut quite right for hipless brick-shaped trans ladies like me.

[Aliantha]

They don't make jeans cut quite right for most shapes Ib. Honestly, as a woman, it's very difficult to find a pair of jeans that fit well unless you're an 'ideal' shape, and most of us aren't.

Welcome to the world of women.

[Aliantha]

About the crotch slimming thing. Can't you get underwear that will do that sort of thing for you? That way it wont matter what jeans you wear.

[Ibby]

Yeah, I've made the same comment pretty often myself. Complain about a thing, then point out the absurdity of my bitching by being like, well, yeah, thats the same as it is for every other woman anyway. But the difference is that instead of just hurting my self-esteem it hits me at a slightly different level, when its something thats BECAUSE of my transly state. Like, my tummy makes me feel bad like it would for anyone else... not being able to make my balls behave long enough to gaff up and hide them, and having to wear boyjeans or sweats to hide my bulge, for instance, makes me dysphoric and self-loathing on a fairly different way.

[BigV]

why not buy jeans (boy/girl/whatever) that fit in the hips, are loose in the waist then put a couple darts in the waist with a needle and thread? We're talking.. what ... 15 minutes of work including measuring pinning dressing sewing cussing unsewing remeasuring resewing and redressing?

come on. Ibram, what kind of sewing skills do you have?

[Ibby]

None whatsoever. I can barely get a button to stay on.

[BigV]

re shaving your face.

less pressure. hot water to soften the hair. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS move the blade in a direction STRICTLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE BLADE. If you need to change direction, cause you run out of face or whatever, pick the blade up, turn it so that the blade is PERPENDICULAR to the direction you wish to shave, and continue shaving. more strokes, shorter strokes, lighter strokes can help. One long curving stripe of skin appearing in a snowdrift of shaving cream is only for the commercials, it doesn't happen that way in the bathroom, not without risking blood.

you probably already knew all this.

[BigV]

I like to sew. I have basically taught myself. Hand sewing, and machine sewing. It's not that hard and the number of options it opens up for you is enormous. You don't need a lot of money either. I got my Singer machine at Goodwill for $29.99, and I've made several costumes with it, countless pieces of camping gear, etc etc. It is a very, very basic machine, straight stitch and zigzag, and reverse. It's not that hard and you could make things smaller and larger, ... IF you could sew.

Are you interested or willing to learn to sew? That sounds awkward, I mean... if you had that skill, even a basic level, you'd have a lot more options. And it's easy and fun, really.

[monster]

Current fashion is for boys to wear girls jeans......

[monster]

Originally Posted by Ibram

Bic "sensitive" one-blade safety razors. If i shave fast i end up with five or six tiny nicks, even with good razors. if i shave slow i remove slices, with these. It's not a new trick, no, but it was only slightly unsightly, not wildly dysphoric and embarrassing and outing, before I came out.

There's your problem. Those are the crappiest razors ever. Hebe and I were forced to buy some on vacation last year. So bad, we threw unused ones in the trash when we got home. We never do shit like that -I am such a miser. they were bad. Gillette "Good News" are the same price if not cheaper and much much better.

[monster]

are you wet shaving?

[morethanpretty]

More jeans companies seem to be coming out with different styles of pants for different body shapes. Levis is one of my favorite brands you can go through their guide here:
http://us.levi.com/shop/index.jsp?ca...idquiz:4370093

Hope this helps some.

[classicman]

Originally Posted by monster

There's your problem. Those are the crappiest razors ever.

totally agree!

NEVER BUY BIC!!!!! EVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

I've been shaving for 30+ years - sometimes twice a day.
I used Bic-shit razors twice with the same result as you, only far worse.

I could probably do a better job with a rusty can lid!

Gillette Sensor excel with 2 blades. I've been successfully using them since you were born (or thereabouts).

[Ibby]

never bic. noted.