Haircuts Pre-T?

[Guest CalvinFTM]

So, I'm pre-T, and as long as I don't open my mouth, I pass as a guy, especially if I'm binding. I still have a noticeably non-male voice, although even so I'm probably read as female maybe a third of the time now.

My hair has always been very short - I usually just cut it all one length with my hair clippers (about an inch long) and then let it grown for a couple months and then shave it again. I have super curly dark hair, so it's not really possible to do any cool spiky styles or anything like that.

My question is, I was thinking of going to a cool barber shop in the queer section of town and just explaining my situation and asking for a real men's haircut. But what I'm worried about is whether that will just make me look weird, since I'm pre-T, or whether I'll pass better because it'll be an unmistakeably men's haircut.

What do you guys do, how have you handled this?

Thanks!

[Guest Zolrek]

Go and say you want a male cut bluntly. Or you could... If you want, go in and look through a male hair style book in the hair salon(normally they have a few.) Once you find one that may suit you, or suits you exactly, so up to the lady/man and say you want this haircut. If they ask if you want the female version or something say no. "I want this male haircut exactly, thank you."

[Guest CalvinFTM]

But will having a men's haircut make me look weird because I'm pre-T? Will I stick out more as a weird-looking woman, or will I look more like a guy?

Or maybe that's not the point - I should just get the haircut I want, for me?

[Guest Donna Jean]

Personally, I like the haircut in your profile pic....

Nice!

Donna Jean

[Guest Melodium]

I've never had much trouble getting "male" cuts.

Only once did a hairdresser give me a bad time about cutting my hair short, and I never went back to her, simple as that.

If they give you crap about the hair style you want, then they aren't being very good hair dressers.

[Guest Melodium]

I'm pre-T and no one gives me grief about my short hair style.

[Guest OneSmallStep]

But will having a men's haircut make me look weird because I'm pre-T? Will I stick out more as a weird-looking woman, or will I look more like a guy?

Or maybe that's not the point - I should just get the haircut I want, for me?

I came out to my step-sister and her boyfriend a couple months before starting on testosterone (my therapist said since they lived in the house I was living in if I didn't she wouldn't give me testosterone.) Her boyfriend's reaction was to get psyched and decide that since he is a barber he wanted to give me my first official "male-haircut" (besides this one time I have cut my own hair since I was 18, starting off with the same method you mentioned.) So he hooked me up with a real nice fade, Puerto-Rican style would be the best way I could describe it. He shaped the little bit of sideburns I had, and "boxed" out the back near the neck.

Bottom line, it made me go from maybe passing a third of the time to literally passing 99.9% *before* starting testosterone. So yes, definitely the right haircut does have the potential to help you and not hurt you. Especially since you bind already, I don't think it will make you look like a weird woman or anything. Especially since I was able to pass without ever binding. I never binded due to it hurting my chest too much and since I'm a heavyset guy I found an extra baggy shirt just made me look like any other fat guy

Oh and yes I do think ultimately you should go with whatever you feel most comfy having... it's your hair and your life. Think about all the "fads" that have been started by guys just being happy with what they were wearing and not thinking about how other's felt (ie skinny jeans, etc) they didn't start out as a fad the first guy who decided to do it. He just did it because he wanted to (or maybe his girlfriend wanted him to? LOL I don't really know the story behind that fad, I'm just speculating) ... but I digress, yes go with what makes you feel comfy, and with a good barber a good male haircut definitely has the potential to help you pass.

[Guest Zolrek]

Eh, if they put up a fuss ignore them. As for people outside the Salon, most wont care. Lots and lots of female bodied people have masculine cuts.

[Guest CalvinFTM]

I came out to my step-sister and her boyfriend a couple months before starting on testosterone (my therapist said since they lived in the house I was living in if I didn't she wouldn't give me testosterone.) Her boyfriend's reaction was to get psyched and decide that since he is a barber he wanted to give me my first official "male-haircut" (besides this one time I have cut my own hair since I was 18, starting off with the same method you mentioned.) So he hooked me up with a real nice fade, Puerto-Rican style would be the best way I could describe it. He shaped the little bit of sideburns I had, and "boxed" out the back near the neck.

Bottom line, it made me go from maybe passing a third of the time to literally passing 99.9% *before* starting testosterone. So yes, definitely the right haircut does have the potential to help you and not hurt you. Especially since you bind already, I don't think it will make you look like a weird woman or anything. Especially since I was able to pass without ever binding. I never binded due to it hurting my chest too much and since I'm a heavyset guy I found an extra baggy shirt just made me look like any other fat guy

Oh and yes I do think ultimately you should go with whatever you feel most comfy having... it's your hair and your life. Think about all the "fads" that have been started by guys just being happy with what they were wearing and not thinking about how other's felt (ie skinny jeans, etc) they didn't start out as a fad the first guy who decided to do it. He just did it because he wanted to (or maybe his girlfriend wanted him to? LOL I don't really know the story behind that fad, I'm just speculating) ... but I digress, yes go with what makes you feel comfy, and with a good barber a good male haircut definitely has the potential to help you pass.

That's an awesome story. What a cool guy to get all excited and give you your first man-haircut.

[Guest ShortyT]

Heh, the last two times I saw the hair dresser I was determined to ask for a men's cut. Bawk bawk. Ended up trying to direct as best I could, and then adjust by the ears when I got home. I've changed my name since the last visit, so time to grow a pair and request what I actually want.

[Guest CalvinFTM]

Well... I accidentally solved my own problem today, I guess. I decided to give myself my usual all-over inch-length haircut with my clippers, and somehow the guard popped off while I was cutting and shaved a big swath of almost baldness. CRAP! So then I was forced to buzz my whole head. So that's that, for now. I can't tell if I look like a boy or like G.I. Jane.

[Guest harvester52]

I shave my head almost bald (no guard) when I cut my hair, and it helped me pass a lot when I was pre-T.

[Guest Kade]

Heh, the last two times I saw the hair dresser I was determined to ask for a men's cut. Bawk bawk. Ended up trying to direct as best I could, and then adjust by the ears when I got home. I've changed my name since the last visit, so time to grow a pair and request what I actually want.

If you bawk at asking for a mens cut just take a picture of a guy with the cut that you want with you and show it to the person cutting your hair.

[Remus]

Last time I had a hair cut (which, admittedly, was still not that short, just to the bottoms of my ears), I asked for the hairdresser to do X or Y (I forget exactly), but to not feminise it. So you're not exactly blatantly stating "I want a man's cut", rather, stating it "I DON'T want a woman's cut" and leaving it for them to draw any conclusions.

But yeah, maybe after your spontaneous buzz cut have a try or take a photo or something. But definitely do it for you, not the rest of the populace.

[Guest ShortyT]

If you bawk at asking for a mens cut just take a picture of a guy with the cut that you want with you and show it to the person cutting your hair.

Well, that would be even weirder for me. Anywhoo, I'm fulltime now, so the next one it will be.

[Guest Soran Vs]

I think it really depends from person to person. I know a few FtMs who pass better when they have slightly longer hair-- I myself prefer to keep my hair a bit longer because I like a more androgynous look. But again, it differs for everyone. But if it is something you want, go for it! It's not like the people I know didn't pass when they had shorter hair; they passed well either way, but more so when their hair was a tad longer. Whatever you decide to do, make sure its something you want and are comfortable with getting.

Oh, and I hear ya on the voice thing. That's about the only thing holding me back now too. >.<