How important is passable/female identity?

For me, passability is in the eye of the beholder, and it's not for a TS to say whether they're passable or not.

I will say this however: TS don't have the right to judge their passability but they do have the ability to observe the frequency of passing. It appears I pass pretty much all the time and get hit on by unsuspecting guys on a daily basis. For me, that is the ultimate test. If the dudes are checking you out, you're good.

My credentials show me as female. That goes for my driver license, life and car insurance and credit cards. That was important for me. I felt it was disingenuous to live as Melissa but to be officially labeled in my old name and male gender. I remember once being stopped by a cop before I legally changed name and gender. The officer did not believe I was the person in the license.

I would also like to add that from the very beginning of my transformation passability was important to me. In the beginning, I did not pass all the time. And it fucking killed me. I would cry.

Some might say passability is overrated and what's most important is that you're happy in your own skin. While that is true don't let them fool you- passing is huge for any TS.

[cham]

Option 2

Cham

[smolderingtemptress]

I'm at a point now where I'm possibly considering facial feminization surgery. I'm pretty passable as it is, but I realize there are some masculine features on my face, though even genetic women have a few. I think what helps me pass the most is my voice, which I've been training since puberty attempted to change but I won the fight, and that I've socialized as a girl. All too often I see transgirls trying to overcompensate their masculinity with obnoxious femininity, and that just isn't how it is with most genetic females.

Passing is definitely important, but when you start to dwell on it 24/7 and it starts to affect your life, it's time to reprioritize. When I look in the mirror I'm realistic about what I see, and of course I'd want to polish off a few features, namely my jaw and my forehead, but right now it just isn't as important to me as other things. I still get hit on and told I'm cute, from guys who don't even know about me... that's enough for me.

Oh, and a small rant: The goal of passing is not a beauty contest. Too many TS get plastic surgery in the name of "FFS" when really, after constant procedures, they start to cross from "feminization" to "cosmetic". Everyone has something they don't like, but it doesn't always have a distinctive gender marker, either.

Who gives a shit what you think? You should not be on my threads Mister.

[smolderingtemptress]

Grow up and get over it.

good luck at your pathetic job today and enjoy being the man that you are.

[hankhavelock]

Originally Posted by TSmelissacarter

[COLOR="DarkRed"]For me, passability is in the eye of the beholder...

For me too... I surely can say when a T-woman is too much man (for my taste), but that's actually not necessarily the same as her being not woman enough... or lovely enough... or wonderful enough...

To me, I guess, the slight socalled "masculinity" in most (not all) T-women is merely part of her charm. To some extent it can make her even more feminine...

[Jenae LaTorque]

It seems to me that passing must be important since that is the direction all Tgirls seem to be going. After all; why else dress like a girl, wear hair (wigs) like a girl, use makeup, etc if you are not trying to look like a female. While the reasons for doing so are many, the direction one goes is still the same.
And if you are trying to look like a girl, then passing would be the test of wether you have succeeded. Now some of us do have to face the fact that it would be very difficult for us to pass. The best I can do is look ok for the camera. Now Melissa looks real good to me; maybe not the foxiest babe on the block, but believable as a female.

As far as her profession goes, as far as I'm concerned, it's a honorable calling and nowdays takes a great deal of courage. If it were not for the hagover effect of Victorian morals and the stupidity of the Christian Religions then our society would think nothing of it.

So hang in there Melissa and don't let em get ya down

[Hieronymus]

Okay. I'm going to totslly pretend that there is no controversy going on and just answer the question. I voted: Very important but not all consuming.