#safe binding

honored!

It has been a large point of my dysphoria and because of my family I wasn't able to get anything to help. At one point I tried binding with duct tape. Clothes never fit me right, just adding to the dysphoria.

Yesterday my best friend offered to give me one of his old binders since we're a similar size. My other friend said that they were planning on getting me a binder for my birthday. I cried alot, and I probably will again when I get them.

It will get better. It's not perfect yet, but it's getting better for me and that's all I can ask for

(also not deal with struggling to find a binder or sportsbra every morning)

Um. Yeah. I’m getting the starter kit bc it’s cheaper than buying everything individually off the site. But I’m excited to be able to not have anything there when I’m minding my business. No more crashing out over shirts not being loose enough or that junk being in my way.

First thing's first, I'm going to address the folks who are looking to masculinize that inspired my post: if you are using a heavily sized down sports bra to bind (more than one size), please DON'T unless it is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. Binders are not like sports bras. They evenly distribute the compression so that it doesn't harm your body. Sports bras are stretchy all-around and do not have that tough panel on the front. I've been there where it felt like there was no other choice but to size extra down on a sports bra, but I promise you it is worthwhile to at least read this and see if there's something safer you can do, that might not be on your radar. There are a LOT of options for trans care these days that don't involve subjecting yourself to damage. If you get through this and still do not have a feasible alternative to follow up with, THEN wear the sports bra. But do NOT go down more than one size at a time, and do NOT exercise while compressing if you can stand it.

Folks looking to feminize, I don't know what it's like to be in your shoes! But I'm sure there are plenty of unsafe things that go around as advice for y'all too. Please take the mic from me in the comments if you have advice for your siblings. I'll reblog everyone I see to give y'all better reach!!! I know privilege makes it "easier" for cis people to listen to me than you. I don't want to speak on something I'm not an authority on, but I would love to learn more so that I can help spread the word. All of the websites listed offer care and prosthetics for y'all too!!! Standing up for mascs should be standing up for you too. Fuck any misogynistic asshole who doesn't include you 🖕

Androgynous, genderless, genderfuck and nonbinary folks! I see you! Again, all of this is for you too. Take what resonates and leave what doesn't. You can literally be whoever you want all the time when you're trans (in any flavor, honestly) so just follow your intution and think practically about what works for you.

A safe place to order from with discrete packaging (meaning the packaging is completely unlabeled and no one will know what's inside):

There are waterproof options for both masculinizing and feminizing gear, including prosthetics (top and bottom). Please measure well to check that what you buy fits you and double check that you're not allergic to the materials, especially if they will be in contact with your skin. Returns are possible, but only if the tag stays on.

I'd also like to introduce everyone here to Trans Tape! It's good for binding, packing, lifting, AND tucking. Their shipping is discrete and one roll lasts me a long time. The great thing about tape is that you can wear it overnight, in the shower, and exercise in it without any risk of damage (supposedly. It's pretty new just like binders were for my generation. Always exercise caution). It comes off with oil (like jojoba, olive, or vegetable) which dissolves the adhesive. Tape is unlike binding in that it does not compress or bind, it just RESHAPES what is already there. This means you get to choose how your chest or package looks and experiment with what gives you the most euphoria and/or comfort. There are videos online about application and removal for every kind of body, no matter how large you are. That's what I love most about tape, there's no "sizing out" of it. You just may need to purchase more tape depending on the shape and girth of your body. I've had a really great experience ordering from them in the past, just like with Untag. Everything was discrete (unlabeled box-wise) and didn't take too much time to get to me. I'm close to the wearhouse so definitely refer to their FAQ or reach out if you've got questions.

Again, be sure to measure and expect it to take some time to get used to, like anything you're using for the first time!

For packing, STPs, and play (that is an option but only order if you're of legal age ofc) you have a few (also discrete) options. Yes, everything on this list is pretty expensive, but these are the most affordable options I've found for something more realistic. I wish I lived in a country where Healthcare was free for everyone, but sadly we're not there yet.

I always refer to Trans Tool Shed for prosthetics. Genuinely I got my first and only packer from here and it was the best decision of my life, I wear him every day! There are also chest prosthetics which is really cool. I don't know exactly how much I can share on this site but if you're of age, shop around and I hope you find what you're looking for. There are binders and packing shorts on this website too, but I can't be sure if they're good quality or not since I've never ordered one. They sell really fast, so I'm assuming they're good.

And lastly, I'll bring up DIY. There are THOUSANDS of DIY tutorials online from everything under the sun. Before I could afford a binder, I did use the sports bra method. I went one size down, did my best to not wear it while exercising, and stuck to baggy clothes to help me cope with my dysphoria. I also experimented with making my own packers for years. Socks, rubber gloves, and rice-filled amalgamations were my go-to for years. There are a bunch of different methods, and you can find them on wikihow. When I was a teenager, there weren't tutorials on how to safely make your own binders, but a high-control sports bra got me through a lot of shit. I'd totally recommend that to anyone who needs their stuff to just not MOVE anymore while exercising, because genuinely it was lifesaving for me.

I want to do my absolute best to demystify what it looks like to know you're trans for a long time but just have a lot of barriers (financial, family, social, mental and physical health) blocking someone from recieving the care they need. Since I've already been through it, I hope I can help at least one person out there. Mind you, it is ABSOLUTELY NOT YOUR FAULT if you have barriers towards care. Please never let the assholes upstairs fool you into thinking there is something wrong with YOU because you can't afford or get motivated enough or find a way out of dysphoric hell. You are doing enough just by surviving. Alright?

Okay. So there's actually an entire section related to transitioning and at-home gender affirming care on wikihow of all places, if for whatever reason you don't have the resources or freedom to order something for yourself, or have a friend order something for you. I'll drop the link below.

There are so many options for you, even if they're off the beaten path. Including DIY hrt, I'm pretty sure. Lots of folks will tell you it's unsafe but as a last ditch option (like let's say it's banned in your state), I can't imagine passing that up. I hope this helps.