Being Trans Masc in High School

By. Dakota Elsner

The trans flag

Coming out as trans is becoming more accepted each year, but it is still very stigmatized and there is very little educational information in our school systems to support the young people who are questioning their gender. With this article I’m hoping to provide the much needed information for all the trans boys and non-binary people here who can’t get it otherwise. I will be going over binding safely, where to get binders, good resources for support, and binder donation programs. In addition I will also be interviewing someone who is older and farther along into their transition then I am.

First, let’s talk about how to bind safely. Binding is using something to compress your chest to make it more masculine looking. Binding safety is very important for your health and if you want to get top surgery in the future. There are many different ways to bind and not all of them are safe. Some things that you want to stay away from are wearing things like ace wraps, duct tape, pieces of cloth, sports bras that are too tight, or wearing more than one sports bra at a time. Make sure that your binder is the correct size for you. Unsafe binding can cause damage to your chest muscles, possible broken ribs, and make it difficult to breathe. You also want to avoid swimming or exercising in your binder, unless the binder is specifically made for those activities. Further, you shouldn’t sleep or wear a binder for more than 8 hours at a time to avoid damaging your chest muscles and ribs. If your chest starts hurting, it is very important to take the binder off and take a breather. Make sure that you’re stretching your back, shoulders, and ribs when you take it off. Overall, you want to make sure that you’re being safe and careful with how you bind so you can prevent irreversible complications.

Now let’s discuss where you can get binders. Many people worry about how expensive binders are or how hard it is to access them. Most of the places to access them are online. There are websites like GC2B and Underworks where you can buy brand new binders for around $35. If you don’t have access to funds, there are donation websites as well where you can donate binders or receive a binder. Point of Pride is one of these sites and the only requirements are that you have to identify as trans and either can’t afford or can’t obtain one safely. FTM Essentials also has donations and doesn’t have any explicit requirements.

Braedon Braddy

Braedon Braddy was able to discuss some commonly asked questions as he is quite far in his transition. Braddy is 22 and is on testosterone and has had top surgery. He started HRT (hormone replacement treatment) when he was 18. One big change that he wasn’t expecting after he had transitioned was that now that he is seen as male his work life has changed. He said, “Now that I am perceived as a cis-male [meaning biologically male], my ideas rarely ever get shot down at work. I’m also respected much more. So that’s been a change, and I try to use that position of being heard more to also speak up for others.”

Braddy had a lot of advice to give to younger trans guys. He emphasized finding a supportive community. He said that a good place to start is by finding friends who support you and looking into places like LGBT centers where you can have a safe place to meet people and find resources that can help you. Another big thing that helped him was finding YouTubers and bloggers that are trans men that he could look up to. He was able to live vicariously through them and see what his future could look like. Having older trans men who are farther into their transition, and are positive influences are vital to the trans community since they paved the road to where we can go today.

Transitioning as a trans person can be very scary and might seem overwhelming, but it’s important to do your research and remember that safety is key. There are so many resources out there, especially on the internet. Find a supportive and caring community to surround yourself with, and most importantly know that you are not alone in this. There are so many organizations and mentors who want to help you get to where you want to be in life. You’re never stuck where you are, there’s always time to come who you truly are.