Passing as male in 1970

[reddon666]

It's 1970 in Los Angeles. The MC is a 23 year old trans man deeply involved in hippy culture who's starting to come out as FTM (in an environment that my late-90s-born FTM self is damn glad he didn't live in

Comments

[beesandbrews]

Define 'involved in hippie culture'. Do you mean played straight by day (that is to say works for 'the man'), goes to concerts/love ins/pot parties on the weekends/ or 'moved to a commune in Tujunga or up Angeles Crest somewhere to raise goats and throw pots.' The two experiences would be worlds apart.

[reddon666]

Currently the former, but was the latter in recent memory.

[beesandbrews]

For the most part men in the 1970's wore uniforms. If they worked in white collar jobs then that uniform was a suit and tie. They wore their hair cut above the collar. If they had facial hair, it had to conform to whatever their company policy dictated

[evil_little_dog]

Ace bandages were commonly used for bindings. That's about all I can help you with.

[anonymous]

I can't help you with hippie culture, but remember that women impersonating men was a thing in music hall / vaudeville entertainment in the late 19th / early 20th century. (Go watch "Tipping the Velvet" if you can't picture what I mean.) "Breeches roles" in theatre go back even longer than that. The clothing style would be very different, of course, but your character might have researched this for hints on how to bind or change his voice and such. Of particular interest may also be Stormé DeLarverie, who was a butch lesbian drag king performer who was famously involved in the Stonewall riot, so that would fit into your timeframe and maybe serve as an inspiration for your character, style-wise

[elialshadowpine]

My ex-fiance, who is pretty open about this, was diagnosed trans in SF in 79. He came out to the feminist group he had been part of, expecting support, and got called a male infiltrator, and a traitor to women and the feminist community. Because if he really supported women, he wouldn't identify as male or even consider transition, and if he wouldn't denounce what he'd said, he could get right the fuck out. (This resulted in a long-term PTSD reaction to feminists until I started explaining intersectional feminism a few years ago. The agog reaction of "There's a feminism that will let me be an ally as a man?" was... saddening.)

But yes, that's a diversion and I don't know how close it is to early 70s feminism. He found the gay leather community EXTREMELY accepting, and it's still been the most overall accepting place he's been part of in his entire life. Yes, even considering more recent years and groups he's been part of.

[tamtrible]

off topic, but the rolled-up-sock thing makes me think of certain reoccurring turns of phrase in the book Monstrous Regiment, by the late and much lamented Terry Pratchett.

The book's about a young woman who disguises herself as a man to go off to war (mostly to rescue her brother), and, well... socks end up getting used repeatedly as a euphemism for what they end up substituting for.

[bramy93]

really interesting