#previously just had gc2b binders

[bones-n-bookles]

GOOD GENDER VIBES

[genderqueer-karma]

little rant because i just feel Blah right now.

don’t read if you don’t feel like hearing about my drama and “mental anguish”.

y’all may or may not know this, but i came out to my parents about five years ago after a brief stint in the hospital. i wrote them letters. (because my father lived in another city at the time, i mailed his to him.) what you definitely know, or at least could figure out, is that they are incredibly christian and decidedly not pro-queer, even if they’ve never been outright violent in their bigotry.

i had conversations with both of them after they read the letters; most explaining how i felt and what was going on with me. it was vulnerable, honest, and a very dumb choice. naturally, both of them grilled me with questions, even after i’d laid my soul (at the time) bare.

suffice it to say, when i told them the name i wanted to go by at the time, neither of them agreed, and kept calling me my birth name and “she/her” without so much as a care. when i said i’d wanted a binder, they’d outright refused, so i took matters into my own hands and bought one (years later). it was a little gc2b one, the racerback kind that really looked like a sports bra.

i felt accomplished to have that thing when it had arrived, like i was finally taking a step towards enjoying my life. the only problem? it was too small. i had to send it back.

i’d tried, but my mother intercepted it (i was trying to use a previously used envelope, which apparently was a bad call. granted, i was really young at the time and didn’t know you couldn’t do that.)

she figured out i got one of those “flat bra things” because i’d (mistakenly) drawn her a picture of one in my letter, believing that she’d kindly help me get one. when the replacement one arrived, i had to immediately surrender it to her, and i never saw it again. i miss it every day.

fast forward to the present day. yesterday, in fact. i bit the bullet and recently got a replacement for my long lost binder (that i’m 100% sure was thrown away) but got it sent to a friend’s house this time. i found out it was delivered saturday while i was out of town. i haven’t gone to get it yet.

yesterday night, around 11, i was made aware of the fact that someone i grew up with changed their name to a more masculine one. now, they’ve been masc (in appearance) for a while, so i had no feelings about it except “good for them!” because that’s how i honestly feel. i’m glad they have the resources and (hopefully) support to do that.

but i can’t lie. another, uglier, feeling was settled deep in my spirit. how come they got all this support (not from my mom, who no doubt has already gone on several rants to her sisters and mother, despite the fact that they only know this person tangentially) when i was stuck having to sneak around and only be myself on the internet? i come people around them were at least marginally supportive, even if they didn’t have a complete understanding or just didn’t care? why am i not allowed to be independent?

and i know other people have it considerably worse, but this is right at my doorstep. to say that i wish i could be that person at this moment is an understatement. not even for the name change; just so i could feel what it was like to be able to express myself and explore my identity freely.

and obviously i dont know the whole story, it could be much worse for them behind the scenes. but that still doesn’t stop me from feeling bitter and envious. not particularly at them, but in a way that cuts back at me and everyone i know.

i’m 99% sure i was outed to family members, even though i expressly said i didn’t want that. but of course, nobody cares enough to treat me differently. so i live in mildly uncomfortable silence.

regardless. i’m happy for them. i am. but this is another in a long line of people who are honestly doing way better at the “growing up” thing than me. and it stings.

[transgooglesearches]

there was also a recent scandal about g2bc stealing a fundraising event and designs of someone who had previously reached out to collaborate with them, just to let you and your followers know. i think the person had to give up on trying to get any accountability but many people have not forgot

I tried looking into this personally but couldn’t find any articles or posts about it. So if anyone has some, feel free to attach. In the meantime I implore everyone to do your own research as well, as this could also be misinformation spread to harm the community and binder access as GC2B is one of the leading binder retailers. I also greatly welcome other reputable binder recommendations and shops on this post!

[ftm-radio]

You’ve probably been asked this before but do you know what the best place to get a binder is for people with larger chests? I have a pretty large chest so finding a fitting binder is a challenge. Currently I have an underworks tri top, which I definitely wouldn’t recommend - it’s a really uncomfortable material and it doesn’t bind that well. I previously had a spectrum outfitters binder which was better and more comfortable but still didn’t bind as much as I wanted it to. Next time I need a new binder I’ll probably try gc2b, are those as good as people say they are? I’m from the uk btw so I can’t get a binder from shapeshifters or any American site without a uk store

I have not been asked this before, actually! but in classic uneducated 'murican fashion, I'm sorry to say that I don't know of any other brands available in the UK aside from the ones you've mentioned. 😅

I think whether gc2b is good for larger chested people depends on the shape and proportions of whoever's wearing it. everyone's body is different & what works for some may not work for others.

As a plus-sized guy with an approx C size chest, I found that this brand didn't work very well for me. it might have been a sizing issue, like maybe I kept getting them too big, or maybe they just aren't the right shape for me. idk. either way, every time I raised my arms my chest kinda.. fell out of the binder, lmao. that was less of an issue with the full length ones, but they still weren't great at keeping everything in place for me. :/

if you want to try a gc2b binder & are able to, I think you should go for it, even if it's just to get outta your current binder. either that or, since you already know you liked it better, you could get another spectrum outfitters binder. even if it doesn't bind as well as you want, if it's more comfortable that would be probably be a lot better for you. ❤

additionally, I have no idea how much your old binder flattened your chest, but maybe there's a chance that it got you flatter than you thought? like I know that feeling of wanting to look as flat as possible and have the most masculine looking chest, but a lot of mens' chests just... aren't incredibly flat. again, I don't know you and I haven't seen you in your binder so I could be wrong, but idk, maybe reading this can help you out.

[doberbutts]

 Okay so this is going to get long and more than a little bit tmi but it’s a post summing up some strides I’ve made regarding my own transgender journey and I wanted a place to talk about it and maybe help some BabyTrans figure themselves out along the way so I’m putting it under the cut but it’ll go here >:V

Anyway long story short my insurance settlement from my car accident finally figured itself out and I found myself suddenly $30k richer and immediately spent about $10k of that digging myself out of a very deep debt hole I’ve been wallowing in for a while so now I have some actual financial stability plus have some money to throw at some things that would probably make my life a bit better.

And since I have the money to throw at some things, I bought myself a few new binders and also a packer. Binders because my old one was literally disintegrating- part of that is my fault, washing binders in an industrial machine on high heat plus throwing it in the dryer means your binder falls apart faster than it should. Remember I’m from the very end of Ye Olden Days of transmasc products, which means previously most binders lasted a year at most. My binder made it 2.5 years before giving up and becoming a sports bra instead. I’ve learned from my mistakes and treat my binder(s) much more gently now, plus I have more than one so I can rotate them out and not wear the same binder 8-12 hours daily for 2.5 years and kill it doing exactly the same shit.

For reference sake, I’m 5′10′’, 180lbs, 36C bust, and fit a XL from gc2b. Which is who I bought both my previous binder and my current set from. They are low cost, lightweight, well made, and LGBT-owned and operated which makes me super into buying from them instead of some of the other companies offering something similar.

Being that I am biracial and finding something my skintone is always somewhat... interesting... I followed the internet’s suggestion and went with PeeCock for the packer. I’d bought a zip binder from them a few years ago and actually found that to be the most comfortable binder I’ve ever used in the history of ever, but I will say the durability of zip binders is low compared to pull-over binders in my experience, as the zipper exploded one day when I bent down to pick up a small dropped item. I’d had the binder and was rotating its use with my pullover gc2b for about 6 months when this happened, and was in public when I went from flat chested to big uncontained tiddies in the span of seconds. Not great. I’ve been told that probably means it was a little too small for me, but PeeCock is a company based in Singapore, and their sizes like most East Asian clothing do run quite a bit small (I was a XXL in PeeCock sizes when I wore a size L gc2b binder) so there’s not really a lot of wiggle room for me to go up in size. Additionally their sizing taps out at XXXL so anyone who’s bigger than me in the chest/torso is a bit out of luck for their binders. A shame, because that zip binder was so comfortable I fell asleep in it forgetting I even had it on more than once.

Anyway. Since I did like that binder even though we had the wardrobe mishap, and the internet had pretty good reviews on the PeeCock packers because they are multifunctional and actually make correct skin tones for black dudes, I got one. Since money wasn’t an issue I did get the most recent model which was not cheap (~$300) and so far I like it a lot. I got so used to wearing it that when I take it off to clean it, it actually really bothers me. The weight of it is... comforting, in a way.

HOWEVER I did see a bunch of reviews about how I would be super likely to pee on myself the first time using it and then used it and went “wow I don’t have any idea what you guys are talking about this is easy” aaaaand... then peed on myself by accident. Gotta control your stream or things are going to overflow and you’re going to be really sad. And wet. And stinky. Thankfully I had the forethought to practice at home before actually doing this at work/public restrooms but be warned. Being that this is my first one I can’t say if this is common with all packers however I told several of my transmasc friends that do pack and use STP about this experience and they all assured me they did the exact same thing on and off for the first couple weeks and most of them do not have the same brand. We’ve yet to have a repeat at least?

Plus there’s a little attachment rod so I can use it for sexy times with the boyf and also feel what I’m doing to him so there’s that too. 10/10 A+ experience would recommend. The packaging warns you to be careful how you pack because of the way the silicone works, and your partner cannot be on top or ride you, so keep that in mind if you’re considering it. Cleaning is pretty straightforward however and packing feels correct and natural as long as you follow a few rules:

I’ve discovered that whatever size you consider a perfect fit? Unless you like really relaxed fit for your pants, you’ll need to go a size up. I wear tighter clothing and usually skinny jeans at that, and my exact perfect size has been 34/32 for some time now. When packing I need to go up to 36/32 because otherwise wow that crotch is way too tight. I can’t sit down in one of my pairs of jeans and I’m legit sad about it. I also can’t have anything in the pockets of a different pair of jeans or else I have the same tight crotch problem. I went up a size in underwear and that was more comfortable, so I ordered new pants from online and I’ll see if that helps as much as I’m expecting it too.

Speaking of underwear, ymmv, but I genuinely did not expect this. Jockstraps? Super comfy, super durable, and super convenient. Additionally unlike boxers or even briefs, I don’t need a special packing-specific design to be comfortable in one. I never wore one before and honestly this doesn’t even feel like wearing underwear. They’re really just a banana hammock anyway so that’s probably a large part of it, but honestly I would definitely recommend trying them if you haven’t yet. I do have a few pairs of packing briefs and boxers, as well as normal briefs and boxers, and I’ve been alternating between the various types of undies to see which ones I prefer, but I already know my decision so I bought several because I can. One word of advice, though... if your pants ride down understand that your entire butt will be out. I don’t wear low rise pants because they draw too much attention to my waistline and make me super dysphoric, but those that do, watch out.

Jockmail is highly rated and multiple transmasc websites recommend them for packing and I can absolutely see why. Usually the waistband of my underwear irritates my skin and so I was dubious because Jockmail stuff- being that it’s for athletic wear- has a minimum waistband of about 2in... but it’s actually more comfortable and less irritating, rather than the other way around. They also have briefs, boxers (more like short shorts), and boxer briefs, which I also have of the same brand, but... not as comfy. Once again Jockmail is a Hong Kong company so like all East Asian clothes, they run small. I’m a M in most men’s clothing sizes... I am XXL in Jockmail. I also had purchased a brief harness from PeeCock (goes by inches for waist) as well. (Also where I discovered you need to go a size up- I bought a 34in waist brief from PeeCock and it’s a tad tight. I bought a 36in waist brief from Jockmail and it’s perfect. I have been buying 34in waist things for the past few years now- I didn’t suddenly gain 2 inches at the waist, I did suddenly gain a need for a deeper crotch)

If you look down your body from above it will be super obvious that there is a dick there and you will go “oh god I look like I have an erection”. I have been reliably informed that it is actually not true and if you pack correctly a bulge will be there but not so obvious that it looks like you have a raging hardon the whole time. Better to look in the mirror, rather than down your tummy.

(Additionally I voiced my doubts to my boyf who immediately reminded me that most people don’t spend their time staring at someone’s crotch and as long as I wasn’t constantly messing with mine, no one was likely to notice even if I did have an obnoxiously obvious bulge. He then gave me some tips on how to let it hang if I wanted a “natural” look, and when we walked around while I had it on he made sure to check in on my mental health. He’s cute y’all.)

Some (cis) guys will have a specific leg they like to let things hang against. Some switch it up. Some are okay with it hanging straight down provided there’s not a lot of squish happening. Find what feel comfortable and needs the least amount of adjustment for you, and then stick with that. For me, I’ve found straight down or off to the left feels better- a friend of mine prefers off to the right, another straight down only, etc. Also can depend on the size- some (cis) guys I know are a bit smaller down below and are more comfortable with straight down than those with larger weiners.

If you pack you probably need to shave. I was very uncomfortable until I shaved. Now I feel much better packing. So trim that jungle or else you might feel a pinch every few minutes when a hair gets pulled.

And there you have me this morning before I got dressed. As you can see, both fit very nicely. I’m not particularly happy with my stomach or feminine hip set but eh, I cover those with layers and no one bats an eye.

At this point it’s figuring out the whole hormones thing, yelling at my insurance to cover certain surgeries, and... fixing some minor details with my wardrobe... and I’m feeling way more confident than I was a few years ago.

Anyway if anyone has questions feel free to hit me up

[this-is-me-aspie-blog]

Transman Binder Review

Underworks Cotton Concealer Tank Top

I have recently found the best binder that I have owned! So I wanted to share my review of it so that others like me might find something that works well for them too.

Due to my sensory issues, it has been difficult thus far to find a binder that is not only functional, but comfortable for me. Previously, I have owned two binders: the Ultimate Chest Binder Tank by Underworks and the Nude No. 3 Tank by GC2B. Both of them gave great compression which I liked, but there were other things that were unpleasant for me. The fabric of the Ultimate Chest Binder Tank was scratchy and rough. That was fine for the most part, except for the seams. The GC2B fabric was much softer, but because the compression panel only went down to the bottom of my ribs, the midseam was extremely irritating to my skin. I would constantly have to pull at it and re-adjust. Both of them had a problem of rolling up often, which would change how the rest of the binder was positioned, and caused a sensory nightmare. They both also did not come up high enough under the armpits for my liking. This caused a lot of uncomfortability as well.

Finally though, on my third try, I’ve found the perfect binder for me! It is also from Underworks. It’s called the Cotton Concealer Tank Top. It’s listed as a compression shirt, but it works just like a binder. I got it in black and I got the large size, like my other binders. It compresses just as well as my previous two binders, which is great! The material is mostly cotton and therefore is much softer and more comfortable. It binds all the way down, so no annoying midseam! Since it goes down to just beyond my hips, it doesn’t roll up and the occasional shift isn’t enough to cause the rest of the binder to change its position. One of the biggest differences for me is that it comes up much closer to the armpits, giving complete coverage and really reducing my sensory irritation around that area. Instead of constantly slouching like I did with my other two binders (it was really painful for my back), I find myself able to keep better posture because the binder is supportive and stays put when I do. It is very easy to move in without it shifting (like lifting my arms for example) and it’s breathable. I have found that I don’t pick at my clothes as often now that I’m wearing it. The pressure from the all-around compression also makes me feel a lot calmer. The added bonus is that it looks and feels like a regular undershirt, so you could just wear it if you wanted. Overall, I would rate a 10/10! I will definitely be buying this again when I need a replacement.