transmasc-advice-center

[transmasc-advice-center]

"Breathe looks like a thin, cropped tank top with mesh panels to keep the user cool. While it's normally tight fighting, Breathe contains a smart alloy material called Nitone that, when electrified, loosens the garment. It's battery operated and can be adjusted with a remote controller, so the user can discreetly change how tight the binding is -- there's no need to change their clothing or go into a private space in order to take a break. There's also an optional feature that will automatically loosen the device when the user is playing a sport."

[transmasc-advice-center]

reading progressive sex ed caricatures with accurate and detailed and realistic diagrams of sexual organs + shows their variation, but all i can think about is how there is no discussion of what srs is besides the fact that it exists

[transmasc-advice-center]

until i found you

[transmasc-advice-center]

How to Make Your Own Binder that Fits Well and Looks Good

A while back I was in need of some new binders and thought hey, I bet I can make one way cheaper than buying it from somewhere (especially cus some of the ones I’ve bought in the past didn’t really fit right). Except when I started looking for a binder patterns online, I was very surprised that I really… couldn’t find many that looked very nice lol. Most of them had really wrinkled necklines, or didn't bind well, or just overall looked weird. A lot of the patterns also required a serger, which I don't have.

So I just said fuck it and made my own pattern! And it ended up being relatively easy! And the binders fit REALLY WELL and are comfortable to wear, even for long periods. The neckline doesn't show under shirts with loose collars, and the bottom hem doesn't gap or stick out. Here's me wearing one:

(plus I was able to make myself 5 of them for a total of like ~$50.)

So I figured I could throw together a guide to help out anyone else who wanted to make their own binder but was dissatisfied with the patterns available!

Disclaimer: This tutorial is going to assume a baseline level of sewing experience, and also will require access to a sewing machine. It is not a complicated pattern, but it will most likely require some tweaking and adjustments after you make the first one. Don’t be afraid to make alterations to make it fit better!

This tutorial is for a gc2b-style half-tank binder. It could be altered to be a full-tank binder, but all instructions will be for the half-tank design.

Materials needed:

Stretchy fabric, probably listed as 'athletic fabric' (I use this kind from Joann’s. Most athletic stretch fabrics should work, look for around 80% nylon/20% spandex blends)

Stiff fabric (I use this shirting cotton because I like how lightweight it is. If you want something a little stiffer with more structure, you can use a cotton or cotton/poly blend twill like this. gc2b binders use twill for theirs.)

Lightweight fusible interfacing (I use this kind) (get FUSIBLE not sew-in)

Fusible webbing like Pellon Wonder-Web (this is technically optional but it WILL make your life easier when you’re sewing - just make sure to get the kind with the paper backing!!!)

“But kiwisoap thats 4 whole kinds of materials, surely I don’t need that many!” Ok sure, you can probably get by without the fusible web and interfacing, but consider: they are both dirt cheap (im talking like $1-2/yard), they will make it much easier to sew the final product, and will give you an overall better-looking result. This tutorial is written with the assumption that you’ll use them.

"How much fabric will I need?" Measure the circumference of your chest below your armpits. Add 6 inches just to be safe. This is the yardage of stretch fabric you’ll need, and should give you enough material to make at least 3 binders without much excess left over. You will need around half as much stiff fabric.

Other supplies:

Big Paper (for drawing the pattern)

Flexible measuring tape

Sewing machine

Iron

Pins

Step 1: Measuring

You will need 4 main measurements for this pattern.

A) Measure the circumference of your chest just below your armpits, then divide the number in half. This will be the widest part of the pattern.

B) Measure from the top of your shoulder down to where you want the binder to end. For most folks, this will usually be around the natural waist (narrowest part of the torso), about 3-6 inches above the belly button. This will be the overall height of the pattern.

C) Measure the distance from below your armpit to where you want the binder to end. This will determine where the arm hole starts.

D) Measure the circumference of your waist where you want the binder to end, then divide the number in half.

So for example, after dividing A and D in half, my measurements are 17", 15", 7", and 14.5".

Next:

Subtract one inch from measurement A - This will help provide some compression. You might need to take it in even further depending on how it fits, but one inch is a safe starting point. I take mine in around 1.5 inches.

Subtract half an inch from measurement D. This will help prevent the bottom edge of the binder from gapping. Again, you may need to take it in more or less, depending on your own body.

Add 1.5 inches to measurement B and one inch to measurement C. This is to account for the hems and armhole placement.

This makes my final measurements

A = 16"

B = 16.5"

C = 8"

D = 13.5"

From here on out, we are only going to be working with the measurements that we have added/subtracted to, NOT the ones we initially took.

Step 2: Drawing the Pattern

You will need a piece of paper large enough to accommodate the entire pattern. This may involve taping multiple pieces together, or using a piece of newsprint, etc.

I recommend folding the paper in half to ensure that you get a symmetrical pattern. However, this means you will need to divide measurements A and D in half again, or else you’ll end up with a pattern that’s twice as wide as it should be!

Also note: the pattern is drawn with the seam allowance built in! You don’t need to add any seam allowance.

To draw the pattern:

Begin with your folded paper. Measure and mark B and C on the paper, and draw a line extending across the paper. These will be your guidelines.

Measure and mark A and D along the middle and bottom guidelines, respectively. Remember, the paper is folded, so you only use half of the measurement for A and D.

Draw a loose curve connecting the endpoints of A and D. If needed, you can also just draw a straight line between the two.

Mark the opening for the neck hole. Depending on your size, it will measure around 6-8 inches across at the top (remember to divide this in half for the folded paper) and about 5-6.5 inches deep. (mine is 6.5" across and 5.5" deep) Draw a curve to connect the two points. This part will take some tweaking and adjusting to get it to look right lol.

Measure the width of the strap - this should be somewhere between 2.5 - 4 inches wide. They will end up about 1/2” to 3/4” narrower once you sew them. Draw the line at a slight angle, as shown.

Connect the endpoint of the strap to the endpoint of line A with a curve like in the diagram.

This will be the pattern for the front piece.

To make the back piece, trace the front pattern, but make a very shallow curve for the neckline instead of a steep one, as shown:

The last piece is the stiff front panel. This is what provides the flattening effect of the binder. To make the pattern, trace the front pattern again. Trim 3/8” in on the sleeves and neckline, and 3/4” to 1” along the bottom. This gives a flatter hem. Then trim the straps shorter by a few inches. This helps the binder lay flatter along the shoulders.

When you're done, you should have 3 pattern pieces that look approximately like this (stiff panel shown overlaid on the stretch fabric to show how it fits together).

NOTE: If you want more compression or just want to make it a bit sturdier, you can add a second panel of stretch fabric to the back piece. Just use the bottom half of the back pattern (from the widest part down to the bottom hem) to cut out another piece of stretch fabric. Attach it to the back piece with a strip of fusible webbing and a zig-zag stitch along the top.

Step 3: Putting It All Together

Once you’ve made the patterns and cut out the pieces of fabric, you should have something that looks like this:

The next step is adding interfacing and fusible webbing. Use your pattern to cut out 3/8" strips to fit on the top of the straps for both pieces, and to the neckline, sleeves, and bottom hem of the back piece, as shown:

If you want to add it to the bottom hem of the front piece, it will help keep that hem flat when sewing it down later, but it's not essential.

If you choose to also use fusible webbing (WHICH I RECOMMEND), you will apply it to the stiff front panel similarly to how the interfacing was applied, ~3/8” strips along the neckline, sleeves, and top of the straps. Cut out two strips for the neckline and sleeves, because we'll use those later too.

Iron the strips onto the front panel as shown:

Once it's on, just peel off the paper, position it webbing-side down on the stretch fabric, and iron it to fuse the two pieces together so everything stays in place while you sew. THIS MAKES IT WAY EASIER TO SEW.

After the stiff front panel is fused to the stretch fabric, you’ll sew the straps of the front and back pieces together, then join the pieces along the sides. Pin the hell out of it to keep everything in place -this type of material is VERY prone to puckering.

When sewing, USE A ZIGZAG STITCH. A straight stitch will NOT WORK for stretch fabric. I adjust mine to 1.3mm long and 3.5mm wide which has worked well. If your machine doesn’t let you adjust stitch length or width, well. That sucks, I don’t really have any advice.

After you sew the front and back pieces together, you can add more fusible webbing to the front panel to help hold the hem down flat and prevent it from puckering while you sew it. Just add the strip, peel the paper off, then fold the hem over and iron it down. This part isn’t really necessary, but it does make the hems look nicer. If nothing else, I would recommend adding it to the neckline.

After that, you just fold & pin all the hems and sew them up with a zigzag stitch, then go over the raw edge at the top of the stiff panel (where we cut the straps shorter).

And that’s it! You’re done! And now you can make your own binders whenever you want!

And hey! If you used this tutorial and wanna throw me a dollar or two on ko-fi, I wouldn't complain.

[transmasc-advice-center]

“Is it normal?” The binding edition

Yes:

Getting winded after walking quickly/upstairs with binder on, but able to catch breath

Chafing in the underarm areas (You may want to get a larger binder size so it doesn’t chafe, but in the meantime try lotion or baby powder and see which helps more)

Soreness (during or after) in arms, shoulders, or back

Increased acne on chest or back (You may want to wash your binder more frequently, shower after wearing it, and get an over the counter acne cream.)

Mild anxiety about tightness

Chest sagging

No, take it off and rest, see a doctor if problem gets worse or doesn’t go away after taking the binder off (or after one week):

Nausea during or after binding, including nausea caused by pain

Bruising

Out of breath/can’t catch breath when not wearing binder

Skin rash (other than heat rash)

Sharp pains in ribs

Not able to cough or sneeze

Numbness in arms

Feeling too tired/sore to do everyday activities

Suddenly having any of the above symptoms even if you’ve been binding for years 

No, see a doctor ASAP, could be a sign of serious injury:

Anything from the above category if you can just tell/feel something is wrong, better safe than sorry

Extreme claustrophobia/panic attacks 

Sharp pain in chest/heart skipping beats or beating very fast

Not able to breathe  

Dizziness

Blueness in lips or fingertips

Change in shape of ribcage

Fainting

[transmasc-advice-center]

It is simultaneously true that it’s best to give trans kids puberty blockers if they need them and that if you went through a first puberty you’re not doomed forever like both of these things are true

[transmasc-advice-center]

I know everyone’s worried about the election results, but don’t give up!!

If you want to help, the ACLU has a bunch of ways you can take action, from petitions to organized events.

Please check out their website for ways to take action, because we need to show the Trump administration that we aren’t going down without a fight.

[transmasc-advice-center]

dysphoria life hack:

just refer to your boobs as ‘the men’ the way people refer to them as ‘the girls’

“oh yeah i need to let the men out, it’s not good for them to be stuck in a binder all day”

[transmasc-advice-center]

can we stop pretending like it’s so super easy for trans men to pass. “oh just put on a baggy shirt and cut your hair-“ it literally doesn’t work like that and I refuse to believe you actually think it’s that easy

[transmasc-advice-center]

hi! i don't know if you might have any advice on this but i'll ask. i was thinking about going to support group for trans folks but i'm nervous. i'm worried that when i'll start talking about how i feel etc. i'd start crying or they will secretly judge me ;_; i wouldn't mind crying if this was a private session with a therapist, but if there will be more people i'd feel anxious. unfortunately support group is the only option i have rn

Hey Nonnie, sorry for the late response!!

I’d say that support groups are a great idea, and if i’m being honest, you probably aren’t the only person who will cry there. All trans people have a part or parts of their transition that are hard to talk about and usually involve quite a bit of crying.

Also, support groups exist both online and in person! You could totally find a free support group online that you can join which allows you to share your experiences without being in a room with strangers.

Finally, support groups are an amazing recourse because you have not only one therapist to help you, but also lots of advice from other trans people who’ve had lots of different experiences. Plus, it’s not a permanent solution, so if it doesn’t work, nobody’s forcing you to keep it up.

I hope you can find something that works for you<3

- Transmasc Advice Center

[transmasc-advice-center]

i feel very dysphoric and i hate having to have any social interactions, i'm closeted and everyone perceives me as something i am not and i can't stand it. in the language in a country i live in almost every verb, or adjective is gendered so i constantly hear people misgendering me. they even do it when we speak english and call me fvcking miss all the time. and even if they don't say anything i know how they perceive me. i don't know what to do, and i have no space to exist out of the closest

I’m so sorry that you have to deal with all of this. Being in the closet can be the worst, and really traps you in other people’s perceptions.

If you can, I think that online communities can be super helpful for closeted people. Discord servers, subreddits, or even LGBTQ chat rooms can be so helpful in getting support while also keeping your identity safe.

If you have a person or people who you trust to come out to them, a small support group in person can make all the difference.

No matter what, you are valid and amazing no matter what people think of you.

- Transmasc Advice Center

[transmasc-advice-center]

[transmasc-advice-center]

[transmasc-advice-center]

this is what anti-trans logic sounds like.

[transmasc-advice-center]

i need top surgery so bad sometimes it hurts

[transmasc-advice-center]

Now that it’s getting warmer, all y’all who bind need your trans big bros advice on how to not die.

First off- button ups, Hawaiian shirts, all that jazz. Loose, comfy, covers your chest

Jean vests- allows airflow and keeps you looking masc. in normally just wear the vest, nothing under it, but you could wear a tank top or something under it

Hoodie without the sleeves- hoodie but less hot

[transmasc-advice-center]

hello! I'm genderqueer and kind of femme presenting at the moment but I want to present more masc sometimes and see if it brings me joy, I have long hair and I want to work out how to tie it more masc without cutting it

I was wondering if you or anyone else had any tips or ideas? thank you :) have a nice day!

- an aspiring gender developer

Heyo Gender Developer (i love that nickname so much it’s beautiful)

When I first started out presenting masc, i had to tie my hair up too to make it look shorter. Baseball caps and beanies are lifesavers for this. Youtube has some awesome tutorials and you’ll have “short” hair in no time:)

Another thing i’d suggest is getting a binder and seeing if that makes you happy! You can get some lightly used ones for free at Pointofpride.org which has giveaways, or you can buy one (I’d reccomend getting one from Fytist if you can).

Finally, try out masc makeup such as contour or drawn- on facial hair. Masculinizig your face can be a great way to play with presentation.

Most of all, have fun and do what brings you joy!

- Transmasc Advice Center