• Swimming as a Trans* Guy

Swimming as a Trans* Guy

Binding in a pool, the ocean, or natural bodies of freshwater

If you bind, you may be concerned about the effect of different types of water on your binder or may be considering purchasing a swimming binder or another form of swim top just for swimming. Chlorine and saltwater may damage traditional binders, so that should be taken into consideration before wearing your brand-new binder to the pool or beach. Many guys opt to wear an older, stretched-out binder when swimming just in case the water does damage it. Underworks also offers a swimming binder that looks just like a rash guard that has fairly good reviews. Lesloveboat also sells a swimming binder, but it is considerably more expensive.

For those who can’t afford a swimming binder, don’t have an older binder on hand, or don’t want to bind while swimming, many guys wear a tighter rash guard or underarmour tanks that offer a little compression and are made of water-friendly materials. If you’re chest is a little bigger or your swim top is a little looser you may want to wear a sports bra underneath. Many guys will also wear a rash guard or underarmour over their binder if they bind in the water.

Binding with ace bandages is dangerous on shore and also in the water! Also you should not bind so tightly while swimming that you have difficulty breathing or otherwise risk passing out.

Packing in swimwear

Underworks also sells swimshorts for 34 dollars that appear to have a pouch for packing. Transzwear also has shower/swim briefs that are specifically designed for packing and can be worn by themselves or under swim trunks. Depending on your swim trunks, you may be able to keep your packer secure in the mesh cage that often line the inside of men’s swimwear and have no need to buy special packing gear. You also can pin a pouch to the inside of your swim trunks to carry your packer.

As for whether or not the water would damage the packer, that depends on your packer. Silicone packers like the Mr. Right or Sailor Soft Pack will be significantly more durable than the superskin Mr. Limpy. The biggest concern would be damage from chlorine, so this shouldn’t be an issue when swimming in natural bodies of water. Even so, it is unlikely that chlorine will immediately and irreparably damage your packer, though there may be a risk with packers made of cheaper materials so this is something to keep in mind.

Scars

Many guys who are post top surgery worry about others seeing their scars at the pool or beach. They may simply feel self-conscious about the way they look or be concerned that their scars will out them. A good fix for this is to wear a rash guard or a t-shirt while swimming. These options are popular with surfers, those who sunburn easily, and those who are uncomfortable with showing off their bodies, and so you will not look out of place. These are also good to wear if you are newly post-op and need to protect your scars from the sun. Even if you aren’t newly post-op, it is a good idea to make sure you at least use plenty of sunscreen on your scars to protect them if you do not cover them with clothing.

Keep in mind that, particularly if you live in an area without a large, visible LGBTQ population, very few people recognize top surgery scars and associate them with trans* people. People are also often hesitant to ask about visible scars or injuries, and if they do ask it is perfectly acceptable to tell them that you don’t feel like sharing if you don’t want to go into detail about your surgery. While bright red scars may draw the eyes of some people at the pool or beach, they won’t be very noticeable once you’re in the water. What’s more, people probably won’t be examining your chest, so if your scars are smaller or more faded people might not even notice them at all.