A friend forwarded this on to me for comment, and so I thought I would seek opinion from the women here. A company named Chrysalis has launched the first lingerie line designed for, and by, transgender women.
http://www.chrysalislingerie.com/
http://www.lingerietalk.com/2012/03/26/lingerie-news/were-do...
Because of family pressures, she is an MTF crossdresser and very much on a journey that I so hope results in her transitioning because I know that is where her heart is.
Anyway - she has said that she's sees this as being a marginalization of TG women -- one that doesn't treat them fully as the women that they are. Its as if someone said -- yes, your are women, but we are going to create TG women toilets for your use only.
I tend to agree because it seems that it says that you are only, say, 95% woman.
I know that I would feel highly offended if someone came out with jockstrap designed for FTM men.
So, are we off-base? What are the thoughts of the women here?
Trap
Comments
on the other hand,
we may have special needs that normal underwear doesnt really address - not having a lot up top and trying to figure out how best to deal with the male organ, for example. But yeah, for the most part, I want to be treated like any other woman whenever that's possible.
Real world versus fantasy.
Popular concept: pretty, effeminate fairy-boy who just needs to tuck a bit, pull on Drea's pink tutu and shazam, a beautiful lay-dee.
Reality: a body damaged almost beyond repair by testosterone, especially for older transitioning. That means longer legs, thicker waists, smaller hips, broader shoulders, deeper chests. It means women who are different dress sizes for top and bottom, and have big feet. I bought a blouse the other day, and while it firs around my chest I cannot button the cuffs of the three-quarter length sleeves because of the size of my forearms. Not something I could diet away.
I have a couple of shops I know that do my size in bra, and that is difficult, because most assume that someone with my size chest is a LOT bigger than B-cup. So I look at this range with a sharp eye. Who is it designed for? Crossdressers, who need to put everything away? Women in transition, who may or may not develop beyond the fit? Or was there something I missed, where the lingerie is cut in sizes and shapes to fit real MtF women post-op?
It's a quandry
Like women who grew up with the right hormones all along, we come in all shapes and sizes. There are AVERAGE differences, but some of us fit into standard women's clothing quite well... And some of those who never had testosterone poisoning have difficulty finding things that fit well and are flattering.
My wife and I both have issues - some are the same, some different.
I suspect a store would only work "Online" (not enough business - except maybe in major cities like San Francisco/New York/etc.) but there they'd need a very liberal return policy since you can't really try things on before buying.
Would it be nice to go to a store and have a good chance of finding clothing that were designed for ME? Most definitely, specially if the clothing fit my needs. I do quite well with standard bras, etc... It's more formal/business attire where I'm having issues. (yes, long arms; broad shoulders; long torso...) Luckily, my feet are not really big and I have a narrow heel - so women's shoes have always fit better... I have some hip... Now, if I could get rid of my male pattern belly and trade it in for a female pattern... LOL
To be honest, I doubt I'd shop in an online store even though it catered to people who's bodies grew up male yet need female clothing. An isolated item, maybe, but not in general.
Annette
For me, I would have to agree
For me, I would have to agree that it does feel like marginalisation and even if it were offered in the UK I most certainly wouldn't buy from it. I think I'd be more worried about it though if it was a major high street retail chain offering 'TG' lingerie.
"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."
I like the idea
Mostly because i like the idea of a shop who has lingerie that is tailored to a M to F body... Estrogens, when they feminize a testosterone ravaged body can only work on a frame that already exists.
I won't ever fit Victoria's Secret lingerie so having a line designed with an Ex male frame in mind delights me.
Once i get my weight under control, i'll probably order from them and not feel marginalized at all. and i won't be squeezing my A$$ into Vickie's stuff either.
Diana
I'll still buy
my lingerie from M&S, I know it fits as well as any other and better than some.
Angharad
So it would seem! =|
Indeed, this is definitely marginalization. My frame as it currently stands is pretty much compatible with regular panties (and will be even more so when I get fixed), but that's NOT THE POINT. If this gets established, will the TG toilets be next? D=
we're not a third gender
We're male and female, just like them, just not in the right body. When I'm done transitioning I want to be able to say I am 100% woman.
I think
That Chrysalis is designed more around pre-ops, without being marketed the same as stuff for crossdressers... honestly, I have issues fitting in crossdressers gaffs, I'm TINY! And my waist only seems to be getting slimmer even as my hips are filling out! Maybe if they offer sizing designed around the idea that we have a more-or-less feminine shape down there, except one errant little bugger that just HAS to get in the way, I'll buy it. I'd certainly give their line a shot, at least.
I won't feel marginalized, I won't think it's self-defeating. And when the couture line comes out, they're talking about swimwear being included... a swimsuit that I don't have to wear a gaff under? Count me in!
Abigail Drew.
Don't know if I'm entitled to an opinion, but...
OK. I'm happily male, cisgender, non-crossdresser, heterosexual and Caucasian (the reason I mention this last one will become evident soon). So I'm not directly involved in this issue, and I probably am not even entitled to an opinion. But...
...as a parallel, consider the situation of the Afro-descended women a few decades ago. Makeup, lingerie etc. were designed in colors geared for Caucasian women. They simply weren't flattering on darker skin. Eventually some smart entrepreneurs created lines specifically for dark-skinned women. Was this "demeaning" for Afro women? I would argue that it was not; in fact, they stopped being treated as second-class citizens, or afterthoughts, and became first-class consumers in their own right.
How is the availability of lingerie designed specifically to address the needs of transwomen (as opposed to having to "make do" with products that don't fit well) different? I don't know. You tell me.
Well I can understand the need
It was very annoying preop to find something that will properly control the little bugger. Basically I found one style of panty that worked for me and that was it.
To me one person's marginalization is another person's specialty provider, in this case. However there is activism merged with marketing here so that is why there is a higher profile for this product as they could've wholesaled out to any number of online T friendly lingerie sellers without raising a fuss.
It sounds like for some folks here is that, back off on the activism and the product would not have this marginalizing feel to it.
Kim
seems a reasonable idea
After reading the article, it seems to make sense, most likely as a product sold online or specialty shops, and yes for a pre-op ftm, a special jock strap may indeed make sense, but I would not know. I wish I had the shape to even consider such products as pictured.