Gender Presentation and Tattoos

[JavaJunkie]

I think the biggest thing i'm most self conscious about when I'm dressed and out in public isn't if I pass but more or less my ink. When I was younger (and dumber lol) I tried to do everything to make me seem more macho while trying to run away from the realization that I'm TG.

Now a few years later (and much more at ease with who I really am) I feel as if somehow it will give the wrong impression when I'm presenting as female. Because of this I'm really hesitant to wear anything not 3/4 sleeve or long sleeve regardless of the weather because of my tattoos. I mean they're not like skulls or anything too butch but my traditional Japanese dragon mural (I'm a Japanese culture fanatic and the dragon is the animal of good luck) on my arm definitely pushes it in my opinion.

Removal of the mural really isn't an option either because of the size. This is really the biggest thing holding me back from being more comfortable in my skin (and dang it I want to wear some halter and sleeveless tops ) I believe I'm semi passable but showing these off would totally crush my opinion of that.

So I guess the question to all of the other ladies out there who have the same issues is how did you become more comfortable with it? Do you hide them too or boldly show them off to the world?

[Briana90802]

Well to tell you the truth I find tattoos attractive. If think they are too masculine you may want to have them done over in a more feminine style. I have a tribal tattoo that seems rather masculine and I'm going to add to it a few swirlies so it feels more femme.

What does your tat look like?

[Jessica Ames]

I struggled with this a bit, as I have almost 2 full sleeves, chest, front of neck, hands, knuckles, and side of leg all tattooed. It was actually discouraging for a while because I thought I wouldn't be able to wear certain things. I realized though, that the girl I would be if I were a girl, would be heavily tattoed as well. My wife has tattoos, and she's hot. Now, granted, some tattoos may seem more masculine, but I think that can easily be worked with if everything else is in order (looking good!). Most people have no sense of "proper" tattoo art and probably wouldn't call a tattoo fem or masc.

I guess Im lucky that I like traditional American tattooing and have 6 roses and lots of color throughout all my work! Haha

[Miss Maxine]

I have tattoos that I thought would be a hinderance, too. However, I have found that if you put enough effort into looking and acting feminine, the tattoos will be inconsequential.

[JavaJunkie]

Haha I love color too! For now the mural (it's a half sleeve) is just black and white but needs color or shading to be finished. I wanted to do blue and purple since both are my fav colors. The borders of the mural are scalloped with water after that around the dragon. The other upper arm is a half red/ half black tribal that I was thinking about wrapping with rose vines or I could just add swirly extensions off what's already there. I was thinking maybe also doing swirlies blending into cherry blossoms to kinda unify the themes with the two tattoos.

What ties them together though is a celtic knot in the middle of the tribal and a celtic sun that the dragon wraps around. (and yes before you ask my family is 3rd generation scot-irish lol) I think even if I were born a girl I would have tattoos too though maybe not so big lol. Once punk, always punk I have been seriously thinking about a tramp stamp though with the TG symbol in the middle framed by flowers...I figure since I already have tattoos and want one anyways might as well!

[Diane Smith]

My tattoos are all super-feminine by design, but I know a female hairdresser who has two big dragons, one wrapping around her neck, and the other on her left arm, ending down near the wrist. They'd look perfectly appropriate on a guy but don't detract from her female vibe at all. There might be some design elements you could add to "neuter" yours a little bit, but I'm not sure it's necessary from what you describe.

- Diane

[Jessica Ames]

I know this is probably an easier-said-than-done sort of thing but, I think that as a community, we need to help blur and forget the gender binary by labeling things like big tattoos as un-fem. I'm not saying that I can jus put this aside, but I sure try!

[drag n fly]

About 3 years ago, after looking at my bare, boring shaven head, I decided to have a monarch butterfly, actual size, from a photo, tattooed on the left side of my bald head.
Well, three years later and I have a second yellow butterfly, a large pink bodied dragonfly, a large bumblebee , a morning glory flower and vines all over my head..
I love it...I keep my body totally shaven, even eyebrows...I may not be able to pass, but I sure won't bore anyone..Hehe smooches Jackie (I gotta get a photo posted)

[JavaJunkie]

@Jessica you know I've actually been looking at GG's specifically for visible tattoos lately and I've noticed more and more with them. Then again they don't have to deal with the whole "i'm a girl in a guys body" issue constantly chipping away at their self confidence but it's still nice to see them proudly showing them off. It is helpful to know though that there's other TG ink lovers out there Well I knew of them, but never really spoke to many others....tgirls can be really diva at times lol. The one girl I saw with a huge back piece was a total b***h and thought every person who talked to her wanted to get in her panties. Actually now that I think about it just about every guy who ever talked to me while en femme wanted to get into my panties too....touche!

[Jessica Ames]

@Jessica you know I've actually been looking at GG's specifically for visible tattoos lately and I've noticed more and more with them. Then again they don't have to deal with the whole "i'm a girl in a guys body" issue constantly chipping away at their self confidence but it's still nice to see them proudly showing them off. It is helpful to know though that there's other TG ink lovers out there Well I knew of them, but never really spoke to many others....tgirls can be really diva at times lol. The one girl I saw with a huge back piece was a total b***h and thought every person who talked to her wanted to get in her panties. Actually now that I think about it just about every guy who ever talked to me while en femme wanted to get into my panties too....touche!

I am pretty lucky being that I live in New York (Brooklyn actually, which I love even more than Manhattan, but beside the point). There are so many girls here with lots of tattoos, as well as the fact that you can get away with anything here. Haha!

[JavaJunkie]

I am pretty lucky being that I live in New York (Brooklyn actually, which I love even more than Manhattan, but beside the point). There are so many girls here with lots of tattoos, as well as the fact that you can get away with anything here. Haha!

Haha lucky you girl! I'm living way down in the land of yee hawww look at the size of my muddin' tires I just got for my truck! Well that and all the stuffy, super duper conservative bible thumpers running around dictating to everybody how everybody "should" be! It makes finding like minded GG's who aren't butch lesbians like trying to find a flamboyant gay guy in a southern baptist church...you just don't come across them that often lol. God I miss the "real" big cities. DC was a blast but wayyy too expensive! Seoul is where I left my heart at, and my mind is still in Tokyo

[Suzette Muguet de Mai]

We all have made stupid decisions in our youth. Mine was not tattoos but to build the body up to be more masculine. How I regret that now. SO I am trying to lose weight and find clothes that engage the eye away from thick large chest and big arms. I guess tattoos are a lil different but its a decision too that was made when young.
When I got my ears pierced the piercer is beautiful despite tattoos and a number of piercings in her cheeks, lips and chin. She is absolutely stunning and I just gaze into her eyes whenever I say Hi. I hardly notice her tattoos because she does her make-up perfectly and has an amazing smile and chats sensibly.
Another girl who is "drop-dead" gorgeous went and got a perverted tattoo on her lower leg. Now she dresses with full length jeans or opaque tights. The tattoo image is not very nice even though I adore horror art and goth, demons and fantasy erotica there are some images that go a lil too far.
I think don't freak out, but enjoy to mold a style that suits you and I think you will be quite amazed as the majority will not see anything else but you. Sure one or two will notice but heck, to hell with them.

[JavaJunkie]

Oh and Scarlet I know of dermablend quite well and have used it a few times in the past. It works great, doesn't run if you sweat, and really only makeup remover can get it off. The problem though is that's not coming to terms with who I am though and getting comfortable with my gender presentation. I don't just do this once in a blue moon sweetie. As it is now I spend half my time en femme and the other half presenting androgynous. That can get really expensive if I was to have to buy a tube of dermablend a week! >.< I'd rather spend that money on shoes anyways lol

[JavaJunkie]

Haha Tania I tried that as well....at one point I was in the gym twice a day lifting trying to get big...but my body didn't want to cooperate thank goodness! Haha all it really did was make me more cut and make my chest a little bigger...which comes in handy at times

Try cutting down to a 1200 calorie a day diet and doing lots of cardio. You'll burn muscle before you burn fat but if you keep at it over the long run it'll all melt off

[Ellyn]

Speaking of living where the girls have tattoos, if you ever have an idea that you have to be beautiful to pass, to dispell that idea i could send you a photo of the large tattoo lady living down the street. The first time I saw her my comment to my wife was, "Not long ago you had to pay a dollar to get into a tent to see something like that". I often wonder if people flock to tattoo parlors like sheep, or if they ever really think about what they will look like when their situations change. You know when I mean. Or, if they think their crisp colored new tattoo is still going to look good in a couple of decades as their skin ages and wrinkles, and the dye fades. I hate to see a pretty girl with ugly gobs of tattoo ink spoiling her good looks.

[Suzette Muguet de Mai]

Great advice Java. I used to load (bulk) on thick shakes, raw eggs, yeast and wheat germ then go protein shakes. Workouts involved heavy weights, low reps, increase weight with set but reps decrease. Stupid here had a feminine body before I started but thought I was a freak back then and got a lot of ridicule so I "bulked up". Wish the forum was around then. I have reduced meal size, run about 6km per day 4 days a week and do a lot of isometric exercises. But will try lowering calorie count and increase cardio exercises. God it sucks harder than a poddy calf, the stupidity of my youth.

[JavaJunkie]

Also when you first cut down to 1200 calories you'll feel hungry like all the time until your stomach shrinks due to the smaller portion sizes. Load up on caffeine (aka coffee or green tea) but stay away from the soda as caffeine suppresses hunger urges and helps a lot! By doing cardio with a low calorie diet your body will start burning muscle and fat for energy which is what you want in order to slim down.

BTW unsweetened green tea is actually a great antioxidant and helps boost your metabolism too due to the caffeine!

Also Ellyn when people get tattoos I hope they understand that there is proper care for them as well (i.e. sun exposure fades the ink faster) and getting a touch up on color isn't a bad idea either every 5-10 years or so. As far as the wrinkly skin goes....well we'll just keep moisturizing, moisturizing, and even more moisturizing to try and keep the evil wrinkles away lol. A little bit of exercise never hurts either for keeping firm, supple skin longer. Yoga is a great way to keep that flexibility, get better circulation which helps manage blood pressure issues, and keep the pudge away