A major turning point in everyone’s lives is puberty. During puberty, we start developing certain attributes that solidify the biological sex that we were assigned— breasts and hips, for example, if you are assigned female, and a deeper voice and body hair if you are assigned male. Puberty can be a difficult time if you identify as transgender. You start developing in ways that you didn’t choose to develop and therefore feel a disconnect from your body and the need to hide the parts of yourself that you disagree with. One way that a majority of trans men hide their breasts is through the process of binding. A common method of binding is purchasing a binder according to the size of your breasts. A binder looks just like a sports bra and works to give the appearance of a flat chest. One of the main issues with binders is that they can partially restrict your breathing and cause your back to ache from the pressure. Giving off the impression of having a flat chest allows trans men to “pass” in public. “Passing” is a term used when a trans person can look, sound, dress and behave in ways that match their chosen gender, and, more importantly, comply with society's expectations of said gender (Renard). While it sounds like a positive, to be perceived as the sex you wish to be, trans men still want to actually be that sex, not just be perceived as such. Sometimes, in order to achieve this goal and to feel good in their own body, trans men have Sex reassignment Surgery (SRS). The process of changing from female to male is a process that ranges depending on each person’s tastes. The major changes that take place come from taking testosterone, which helps with growing body hair; deepening your voice; and giving you more of an overall male appearance. There are also the options of undergoing Top Surgery, where the breasts and breast tissue are removed, or Bottom Surgery, which attempts to give the individual a working penis (most trans men do not decide to undergo Bottom Surgery).
THE SYCAMORE / SPRING 2017
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