Swim Gear Tips For Transmasculine and Nonbinary Folx
By Viv Cai
CONTENT WARNING: This article mentions body parts, gender dysphoria, and the covering/hiding of body parts.
Summer can be a time of heightened gender dysphoria for many transgender and nonbinary (enby) folks. As the layers come off, there is less to play with to help us create the body image or gender presentation we feel most comfortable in. This can be especially true in situations involving water activities where our bodies might be more exposed than we want them to be. What can we do to feel comfortable so that we can enjoy summer adventures while being affirmed in our gender identity?
I would first like to say that all bodies are beautiful and that we can all find confidence within ourselves. However, “passing” can an integral part of our safety while being trans, and our emotional health is important. It's validating to be seen as your gender identity and to feel confident in your body. Of course, not everyone who identifies as trans or enby experiences gender dysphoria, and those who do will experience it differently and to different degrees. The advice here is for folks who have not yet had gender affirming surgeries, who do not wish to have gender affirming surgeries, or who are only interested in presenting in more masculine/gender non-conforming ways. With all that being said, the tips offered here will hardly be a one size fits all.
–What is the material?
–Will the salt or chlorine in the water destroy the material?
–Some material will shrink a lot in the water, which drastically increases the tightness around your chest, and can be very dangerous
–Make sure to size up at least one size from your normal binder size to account for shrinkage in water
–Be mindful of how much time you are spending in water with a tighter-than-usual binder
–Make sure to have a dry binder to change into right after
–Clean your wet binder thoroughly to preserve the quality of it
–Use old pec holders (sports bras) that you feel comfortable wearing. Again, be aware of shrinkage if you are someone that layers your pec holders. But it’s safer to not layer if you’re going in the water, as it’s very dangerous to not be able to breathe well while swimming.
If you are looking to purchase binders specifically for water activities, here are two series of swim-friendly nude color binders, available in light to dark skin tones:
–Flavnt Binders
–gc2b Nude Binders
How about if you do not own a binder or do not want to wear a binder or pec holders? Well, there is always the option to go without any binding if you feel comfortable, and just layer up with T-shirts or tank tops. This is unquestionably the best option for our physical health and comfort, but not everyone will feel mentally and emotionally safe not binding. So, in addition to wearing a binder, we're going to talk about another way to achieve a flatter chest.
Taping. This is a simple, affordable way to achieve the look of a flatter chest, but it can be very dangerous and damaging for our health when improperly done. Taping should only be done with caution, with the right practice, and with the correct type of tape if you want to utilize this method.
If you are looking to bind for the water, please use water-safe tape specifically made for binding. Also remember to use nipple covers and to never, ever tape all the way around your chest.
TransTape is a trustworthy and reliable option.
–Made for binding
–Intended for multi-day use
–Waterproof
–Does not restrict breathing
–Comes in light to dark skin tones
–Comes in three different width sizes
Read TransTape's thorough guide for more tips and safety information on chest masculinization through taping, and check out "The 6 Best Tips for Binding in the Summer" by Point 5cc for seasonally-specific advice. There's also this handy breakdown of the differences between KT Tape and TransTape, put together by crafty_trans:
So what do you wear to complete the look? This is really based on everyone’s personal preferences. You have many options! You can keep it simple with just your binder or tape, or wear tank tops, T-shirts, rash guards, swim shirts, a combination of all, and anything else you feel comfortable with. Whatever your preference, there are some things to consider:
–Go for darker colors
–Large prints on the chest area
–Stiffer material help the shirt to cling less to your body especially when wet
–Layer tanks or shirts if you do not mind feeling too weighed down in water or too wet when you get out
–Find the right fit. People generally think the looser the shirt, the more it hides but it actually depends on your body shape and the shirt shape.
Now that we covered the top, let’s talk about what to wear on the bottom! For full transparency: I'm someone who does not experience a lot of bottom dysphoria, so I'm usually not thinking about whether or not folks are wondering if I'm “missing” something down there. However, I still make very conscious choices to not purchase swim bottoms that will accentuate my hips or make me look more feminine. If you are someone that regularly packs and would also like to pack while doing water activities, there are ways to do this.
–The print color: This is more of a personal preference, depending on if you feel more masculine in a particular color or if you feel that particular colors help your gender dysphoria.
–Packing trunks: Trunks with a pocket in the crotch area that allows you to insert a packer.
Photo credit: gc2b
CONTENT WARNING: This article mentions body parts, gender dysphoria, and the covering/hiding of body parts.
Summer can be a time of heightened gender dysphoria for many transgender and nonbinary (enby) folks. As the layers come off, there is less to play with to help us create the body image or gender presentation we feel most comfortable in. This can be especially true in situations involving water activities where our bodies might be more exposed than we want them to be. What can we do to feel comfortable so that we can enjoy summer adventures while being affirmed in our gender identity?
I would first like to say that all bodies are beautiful and that we can all find confidence within ourselves. However, “passing” can an integral part of our safety while being trans, and our emotional health is important. It's validating to be seen as your gender identity and to feel confident in your body. Of course, not everyone who identifies as trans or enby experiences gender dysphoria, and those who do will experience it differently and to different degrees. The advice here is for folks who have not yet had gender affirming surgeries, who do not wish to have gender affirming surgeries, or who are only interested in presenting in more masculine/gender non-conforming ways. With all that being said, the tips offered here will hardly be a one size fits all.
Let’s start from the top and focus on folks who want to appear flat-chested while on a day out. I’m not going to go into too much detail regarding general binder safety as that could be an entire article in itself (like this one), but if you are looking to wear a binder in the water, it's especially important that you follow all general binder safety.Lmao being trans masc pre top surgery is *very* confusing.— BMI is bollocks (@itsjacksonbbz) April 17, 2019
The sunlight of spring made my spirit lift.
Then I remembered I'll be binding in the summer heat.... with a large chest that I'll no longer be able to hide underneath layers / jumpers. pic.twitter.com/tGDUZGrhqd
THINGS TO BE MINDFUL OF
–Is your binder swim-friendly? (Don't bind while exercising unless you binder is specifically made for it, please!)–What is the material?
–Will the salt or chlorine in the water destroy the material?
–Some material will shrink a lot in the water, which drastically increases the tightness around your chest, and can be very dangerous
–Make sure to size up at least one size from your normal binder size to account for shrinkage in water
–Be mindful of how much time you are spending in water with a tighter-than-usual binder
–Make sure to have a dry binder to change into right after
–Clean your wet binder thoroughly to preserve the quality of it
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PURCHASE A BRAND-NEW BINDER JUST TO ENJOY WATER ACTIVITIES
–Re-use an old binder! Use an old one that is already loose or one you don’t mind being damaged in water.–Use old pec holders (sports bras) that you feel comfortable wearing. Again, be aware of shrinkage if you are someone that layers your pec holders. But it’s safer to not layer if you’re going in the water, as it’s very dangerous to not be able to breathe well while swimming.
If you are looking to purchase binders specifically for water activities, here are two series of swim-friendly nude color binders, available in light to dark skin tones:
–Flavnt Binders
–gc2b Nude Binders
haven’t been swimming in forever, thank you transtape!! from r/ftm
How about if you do not own a binder or do not want to wear a binder or pec holders? Well, there is always the option to go without any binding if you feel comfortable, and just layer up with T-shirts or tank tops. This is unquestionably the best option for our physical health and comfort, but not everyone will feel mentally and emotionally safe not binding. So, in addition to wearing a binder, we're going to talk about another way to achieve a flatter chest.
If you are looking to bind for the water, please use water-safe tape specifically made for binding. Also remember to use nipple covers and to never, ever tape all the way around your chest.
TransTape is a trustworthy and reliable option.
–Made for binding
–Intended for multi-day use
–Waterproof
–Does not restrict breathing
–Comes in light to dark skin tones
–Comes in three different width sizes
Read TransTape's thorough guide for more tips and safety information on chest masculinization through taping, and check out "The 6 Best Tips for Binding in the Summer" by Point 5cc for seasonally-specific advice. There's also this handy breakdown of the differences between KT Tape and TransTape, put together by crafty_trans:
So what do you wear to complete the look? This is really based on everyone’s personal preferences. You have many options! You can keep it simple with just your binder or tape, or wear tank tops, T-shirts, rash guards, swim shirts, a combination of all, and anything else you feel comfortable with. Whatever your preference, there are some things to consider:
–Large prints on the chest area
–Stiffer material help the shirt to cling less to your body especially when wet
–Layer tanks or shirts if you do not mind feeling too weighed down in water or too wet when you get out
–Find the right fit. People generally think the looser the shirt, the more it hides but it actually depends on your body shape and the shirt shape.
Now that we covered the top, let’s talk about what to wear on the bottom! For full transparency: I'm someone who does not experience a lot of bottom dysphoria, so I'm usually not thinking about whether or not folks are wondering if I'm “missing” something down there. However, I still make very conscious choices to not purchase swim bottoms that will accentuate my hips or make me look more feminine. If you are someone that regularly packs and would also like to pack while doing water activities, there are ways to do this.
TIPS FOR SWIM TRUNKS
–The right length: Swim trunks that are too short can look puffy and accentuate the hips.–The print color: This is more of a personal preference, depending on if you feel more masculine in a particular color or if you feel that particular colors help your gender dysphoria.
TRUNKS MADE SPECIFICALLY FOR TRANSMASC FOLKS
–Trans-specific trunks: Trunks that traditionally look masculine but have wider hip areas to accommodate the body type differences.–Packing trunks: Trunks with a pocket in the crotch area that allows you to insert a packer.
PACKING
–Make sure your packer is water safe!
–Use cornstarch or baby powder to help with irritation from a wet pack
–It’s better to not have the pack directly on you; this can cause irritation as well as infection, especially in wet environments
–Swim trunks made specifically for packing, or you can wear underwear made for packing underneath your swim trunks. You can either purchase or do some DIY.
–Make sure to clean your packer afterwards and let it dry completely.
I’m not recommending a list of specific trunks or packers because there are just so many different options, and as someone who does not pack or wear packing trunks, I don't have a lot of personal experience to go from. However, there are a few popular brands, such as TomboyX and Jockmail, that some folks swear by. Check them out if you're looking for a safe place to start shopping.
Photo credit: TomboyX
Photo credit: TomboyX
Hopefully you were able to get a good start from this article on how to find the proper swimming attire for your water adventures. Leave a comment below if you have any additional tips or personal experiences that you would like to share with folks!
Thank you so much for this post!!!! It was great for me to see, not just for the great advice, but also just to see this topic talked about in detail with all the options available felt normalizing and less scary. Just went swimming this weekend at a lake and taped up, it was the most joyous wonderful experience swimming ever. Also cause I had my few people supporting me too.
ReplyDeleteAgain thank you!!
Thank you so much for this post!!!! It was great for me to see, not just for the great advice, but also just to see this topic talked about in detail with all the options available felt normalizing and less scary. Just went swimming this weekend at a lake and taped up, it was the most joyous wonderful experience swimming ever. Also cause I had my few people supporting me too.
ReplyDeleteAgain thank you!!