G'day @Samantha83, it's handy that the products and stores I will refer to, you should already be familiar with.   Disclaimer: I'm not on hormones but I have plenty of knowledge about the resultant physical effects in the chest region.   If it's just a protective layer you're after, try something like the Bond's Comfy Crop. Personally I prefer something with a racer back, so maybe check out what is available from Rebel Sport - they have plenty of crops from the famous sports brands. There are other products from shops such as Big W or Kmart who have their own brands of gym wear crops, some with removable padding.   Of course, in the long run, nothing will beat a properly fitting bra to keep your girls in control!    

Too many ups and downs lately.

Do you consider yourself graceful? If so, in what way?

Impact on the Brain and Body:    Singing can have a positive impact on mood and reduce stress.    Music can help manage pain and even aid in physical therapy.    Listening to music can help people sleep better.    Music can increase motivation and improve mood.    Your heartbeat and breathing can synchronize with the music you're listening to.    Music can make memories more vivid and tangible.    Music can be used as a painkiller by distracting from pain signals.    Music can improve memory and cognitive function by engaging both brain hemispheres.    Listening to music can reduce stress and anxiety, and even lower blood pressure and heart rate.    Music can enhance athletic performance and improve reaction time.    Music can trigger goosebumps, a physical response associated with strong emotional reactions.    Music and the World Around Us: Music can help plants grow faster and healthier.    Music can improve cognitive performance and memory recall.    Music can be used in music therapy to help with stress, pain, and mental health issues.    Music can foster a sense of community and promote trust.    Music can even influence the behavior of animals.    The oldest known musical instrument is a flute made from bone, dating back around 40,000 years.    Interesting Facts about Musicians:   Elvis Presley was a blond, not a brunette, according to various sources.   George Harrison's wife, Pattie Boyd, wrote that he was a womanizer.   The Beatles could not read or write music, according to an interview with Paul McCartney.    Prince played 27 instruments on his debut album.    Dexter Holland, lead singer of The Offspring, is a doctor of molecular biology, says Insounder.    Brian May, guitarist for Queen, has a doctorate in astrophysics.    Haydn has two skulls at his grave, according to WNO.    Elton John's real name is Reginald Kenneth Dwight.    Marilyn Manson's real name is Brian Hugh Warner.    Lady Gaga's real name is Stephanie Joan Angelina Germanotta.    The Ramones named themselves after Paul McCartney's fake name when booking hotels.    Freddie Mercury had four extra teeth in his upper jaw.    The largest free concert ever was held in Rio de Janeiro in 1994, featuring Rod Stewart, with an audience of 3.5-4.2 million, according to Stompbox.in.    The world's shortest song is just 1.316 seconds long. 

Well we are gifted with another lovely sunny day here in the UK. Today i am going to the prod and poke department aka hospital for tests. Like all things there not the nicest of places to be so i am trying to think of something positive that i can do later, perhaps even dare i say it chocolate mint ice cream.........yUmmIe. Going to hospital is rather like ending up on a roller coaster  

So I've been on HRT about 1 1/2 months now. Things appear to be getting tender in the chest region (trying to keep PG) Been given advice to wear a tighter (without too tight) top under my normal clothes (not out yet) Any ideas on tops to wear under normal t-shirts which don't stand out too much yet but don't bind? Cheers

Hi all As topic says - assuming you had short hair, how did you go about growing the hair out? especially before coming out. In some ways I am lucky - I have very thick hair. I used to keep it quite short, however since I've made the decision to go through with transition I would like to grow my hair out. However my hair just seems to stand up. Border line afro without the curls. I've always avoided hair stuff other than short and professional (being military then law enforcement). I want to grow my hair out, at this time at least about shoulder length. I am currently off work due to PTSD but will be going back soonish. Work isn't aware of the transition yet, with my psych who is knowledgeable about the stuff, helping with my return. How did you all go about the questions and any workplace issues in relation to hair  

Best description I could think of for topic Few questions for those that have either gone through or are going through MTF process (i'm just on HRT atm but any thoughts are welcome) 1. Thoughts on muscle composition? Did anyone do any weight training before/during/after the process? thoughts on what changed during the time? 2. Endurance side of things. Any thoughts on your endurance again before/during/after the process 3. I currently do a lot of Muay Thai (thai kickboxing), some BJJ and Mixed martial arts. I just started wearing compression tops due to tenderness (as in rash tops, not binders). Any tips in this regard? 4. Any other thoughts on how your body has changed in relation to its ability to participate in the field of exercise Thanks for reading this far  

Trans Group Zoom Meeting Tomorrow!!   Trans Groups Zoom Meeting Times:   May 17, 2025 6:00 PM Pacific Time May 17, 2025 8:00 PM Central Time May 17, 2025 9:00 PM Eastern Time May 18, 2025 11:00 AM Australia/Melbourne   Topic: Trans Groups Zoom Meeting Time: May 18, 2025 11:00 AM Australia/Melbourne Join Zoom Meeting   https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84542533641?pwd=9CyFKNxbLS0dDcrba7H4NGdpqJaJjY.1   Meeting ID: 845 4253 3641 Passcode: 236021

I definitely understand the military's desire not to pay for somebody's medical bills related to transition.  They can find a way to avoid that.  But spending time hunting down and expelling people who are doing their jobs competently?  That's a waste of time and resources just as bad as $1000 toilet seats and $400 hammers.  The tendency to prioritize ideology over results is ludicrous.  As we say in the South, "that dog won't hunt." 

Its also important to have information on where those people were surveyed.  Evenly distributed around the country?  Online or in-person polling?  Rural vs urban?  Rich vs. poor?  America is very, very, very different depending on where you go.  Even political party affiliation isn't necessarily useful.  A California Republican and an Oklahoma Republican are likely to have significant differences.  If you have a sample size of 1,100 people, you have to be very careful about where they come from if you want to get a reasonably representative sample.    I just don't see that sort of attention to detail in polls and studies.  And even when the folks doing the research paid attention to those details, they are frequently difficult to access.  It makes me question the results, when they don't seem to match my experience.   In my area, people basically don't seem to care about the trans issue.  Its not what people are discussing at church, at school, or in the grocery line.  "Get back to the real work" is a common perspective.  So for me reading survey results like in the original article, without specific information about how the survey was conducted, here's the options I have:   1.  Assume that the survey is correct and my area is politically unique 2. Assume that my overview of the world around me is correct, and the survey is wacky 3. Assume that the truth is something unknowable in the middle   These are the things that enter my mind   Its really not my fault...my husband gives lectures in history, military studies, and politics.  GF worked in a tech field for years, and gets all worked up about data.  I pretty much question everything I read.     

https://apnews.com/article/transgender-ban-military-discharge-troops-0218f0b6fec595c420bd0ac072d87335     Carolyn Marie

Not to belabor the point, but in reviewing three different articles about the accuracy and methodology of polling, not including this one from SciAm, a polling size of roughly 1,000 people for a national poll is statistically sound for a result that would get you to within an accuracy of 3-5 percent.   https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/howcan-a-poll-of-only-100/   If it were necessary to get 5 K to 10 K respondents to have an accurate poll, polling companies probably wouldn't do them, because obtaining a sample size that large would be prohibitively expensive.   Carolyn Marie

I did some digging to see if I could find the details of this poll, specifically the sample size, which was only 1,175 people nationwide.  In my opinion, such a miniscule sample size results in a very inaccurate poll, exactly the point I believe @awkward-yet-sweetwas trying to make.  The link to the AP Poll site is below:   https://apnorc.org/projects/most-say-gender-is-determined-at-birth/   I was actually surprised the sample size was so small, but sadly not surprised that other news outlets chose to site the results anyway.  It kind of shows how misleading the news can be.