How do You Feel About Old Pictures of Yourself -- I Mean Really Old?

[VickySGV]

I was going through a box of stuff from the estate of a dead relative and found pictures from my childhood, and I mean infancy, one of them was me at 4 months old -- in the nude, genital area hidden and no hair.  I actually had to chuckle and simply think did they ever guess?

[KathyLauren]

It depends on the audience.  There are some adult pre-transition pictures that I would share with trans friends if I had a reason to.  And my baby pics are pretty cute.

 

[Jani]

I have no issue with old photos.  They are a snapshot in time.  Some of them are dorky and some are cute (I'm talking to you @KathyLauren)  No worse than anyone else's I guess.

 

Jani

[ValerieRun]

If anything, I would rather show old pictures as I was so much more photogenic as a child than later in life and even less so now ?

[KymmieL]

As I look and think about pictures from earlier in my life. I actually wish I would have realized that I was really a girl. But then again. Even if I did. I doubt anyone I knew back then would have supported me. just about like today. I'd be alone. So why dwell on the past.

 

Kymmie

[Benji C]

I mean I havent really transitioned so my old pictures are just weird...

[Jackie C.]

I do not like being reminded of the person I used to be. I don't really like looking at them. That person staring back isn't really me. There are a couple of pictures I'm OK with, but it's more about the person in the picture with me. I'd cut myself out given half a chance. The reminders kind of ache, you know?

 

Hugs!

[Emily michelle]

I don’t look at my old pictures. All I think about is why did I hide it for so long. Maybe later on I may not mind seeing them just not now.

[Ann W]

I was just looking at all of the pictures I have of myself.  In my case, I didn't really over compensate.  Instead I rode that line between masculine and feminine.  The photos make me feel like a total coward now...but times were different.

 

One upside to looking back...I'm realizing that people may not be all that surprised when I come clean.

 

 

[Elizabeth Star]

I would rather not see old pictures of myself. Thankfully there are only a very small handful left of my childhood and not to many as an adult.  I was such a sad and miserable person before.

[Ann W]

1 hour ago, ElizabethStar said:

I was such a sad and miserable person before.

Now...

"I can't hear you over my happiness".

 

Way better.

[Heather Shay]

I got to see photos they put together for brother's funeral. Many had my former self from young until about a year ago and to tell the truth I didn't feel like I knew that person and so another reason I believe?HRT and transition continues to feel more and more like the right path I should have been on if society was more tolerant back then and I had realized all the pain and suffering I would go through to get to this point.

[Ivy]

Old pictures don't really bother me a whole lot.  That was in another life.  And they're there, so what can I do?

There were good times.  And that was certainly most of my life.

Ok.  Maybe it's a little uncomfortable…

I think current pix bother me more.  Not because I don't like who I am, but I feel like I look like crap compared to how I wish I looked.

Maybe I'll get past this in time.  At least I hope so.

I try to think more about how I feel on the inside.

 It's complicated.

[Heather Shay]

@Jandi totally understand. Although I shouldn't I use face app and dream what could have been but can't have but at least I am happy with transition no matter what the outside ends up looking like. As Jessica Lange tells the Tom Wilkerson mtg husband when she finally accepts him... "You gotta use what you got."

[KayC]

Now, when I see old photos of myself its like I know that person .. but I don't really KNOW that person anymore.  Hard to describe.

[Heather Shay]

Interestingly....my oldest brother died last week and yesterday I saw a collage of photos of his life. As you can imagine there were photos that included me at many different ages. I looked at these photos, many I had never seen before and I hardly knew that person I was. I saw a person who was lost and didn't know it at the time and looked lost. I hope as I transition I truly find me.

[Guest]

Years ago now (probably 15 or 20) I destroyed every picture I had of myself & my family of origin. My wife & I have never been picture takers. I was an only child & all of the extended family members I grew up with (including my parents) are now long-since deceased. If there are any pictures of me left in existence anywhere, I don't know about them. If I did, I would do whatever I could to destroy those too. When I die I hope to just fade away like the Cheshire Cat leaving nothing behind but my grimace... 

[LaurenA]

I looked at the old pictures I have of myself and I have to admit that in almost all of them I had a rather bewildered look on my face.  Sort like I was wondering what I was doing there.

[Teri Anne]

That depends in what stage of life I was in.

[LaurenA]

I have a couple from grade school that look horrendous.  Hound-dog look on my face and pitcher ears.

[anyanka]

I was a dorky looking kid, but who cares. Don't care if people see those, provided I'm not disclosing anything.

 

I was a hottie by college, so I'm more than happy to share those, provided, again, that I'm not disclosing anything.

 

Basically, to those already in the know, I'm happy to share old photos. To those not in the know, they don't get to see any of them.

 

For myself, I don't mind looking at them at all.

[Sally Stone]

I'm just not photogenic, never have been, never will be I guess, so I don't like looking at photos of myself, whether they are old or current.  I'm not even happy with photos of me as Sally, again, I'm just not photogenic.  I'm sure there is a psychological condition for the intense dislike I have of my own image.

[KayC]

Whhaaaat? @Sally Stone??  you're Gorgeous❣️

[Jackie C.]

5 hours ago, KayC said:

Whhaaaat? @Sally Stone??  you're Gorgeous❣️

 

I get that though. While my absolute hatred of my own self on film has faded, I still have trouble seeing myself as "pretty" a lot of the time. Honestly, I don't really do pretty. I'm adorkable, but I'll absolutely take that. I need a LOT of positive reinforcement from friends to see my good bits.

 

Hugs!

[Maid In Bedlam]

I must admit i see him as someone who has passed away. Which he has in essence.

That still doesnt mean i like them. I suppose I never really liked them very much. I was never photogenic and avoided being in pictures as much as i could. Perhaps it was my deep down dysphoria making me see the person i didnt want to be?

 

Im still not a fan of pictures of me. Theres so much involved in taking a good picture. Natural light ect. However, I much prefer the pictures of me now. I actually do not mind having my picture taken now. Some are not fantastic but a vast improvement on what was before.

 

 

 

I always remember that plot on Transparent. The person that made the pictures up changing your school photos from male to female. I think she had my idea. I was doing that in a form  before that was shown. So I guess im a pioneer. I should do it as a living. Maybe i could make a business from it Im not sure if they would stand up to scutiny. Im only a photoshop novice really but they work.