What’s the best way to make this season more enjoyable for the transgender people important to you? Here are ten gift ideas for the transgender men in your life.
With the winter holidays approaching, it can be difficult to find meaningful gifts to give your loved ones. Transgender people can find December to be especially challenging because the holidays pose a reminder that we are outcasts from our biological families because of our gender identity.
These gifts are more than just “guy” things, since he’s more than just a guy to you; they affirm his core identity and remind him of the value of chosen family.
Disclaimer: None of these items are sponsored! All listed products are based on my honest and personal opinion, so take them with a grain of salt.
Chest Binder ($45) or TransTape ($20)
Most transgender men will bind their chest at some point to create a more masculine appearance and alleviate chest dysphoria. By getting him a chest binder, you’re also ensuring he binds safely with proper tools and sizing.
GC2B came under fire when they altered their original binder design, but I still believe they make the best binder for price, comfort, and accessibility. The GC2B Classic 2.0 utilizes the design of their beloved binder with an added durability stitch to provide a daily binder that gives excellent compression.
TransTape is a medical-grade adhesive that allows guys to flatten their chests without wearing a traditional binder. The process is pretty unique, and it isn’t suited to all body types, but it’s an amazing alternative that most guys will want to try out at least once.
Want to know more about binding, safety precautions, and recommendations? Read this guide!
Stand-to-Pee (STP) Device ($50)
STPs allow transgender men (or anyone, really) to urinate standing up through a funnel that creates a seal over the urethra. They offer a great deal of convenience since most men’s restrooms emphasize urinals over stalls and provide gender euphoria. STPs also increase safety since standing to pee delivers stealth, compared to the assumed suspicion of sitting to urinate in public male spaces.
TG Supply’s Lou is considered the best budget-friendly “all-in-one” STP for beginners. Despite sitting at a relatively low price point, the Lou is capable of daily packing, standing-to-pee functionality, and intimate “play” activities. And unlike some unwieldy STPs, the Lou takes little practice to master.
Consider yourself quirky and crafty? Basic STPs are easy to make at home, although they won’t look very “penis-like” to be stealth at a urinal.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Kit ($25)
If he travels frequently, a portable HRT kit is a great gift to keep his medication secure. These tend to use hard casing to allow users to store testosterone vials, syringes, bandages, and alcohol wipes. The case protects the glass vials in case of being dropped and ensures everything stays organized – which can reduce the hassle when going through TSA.
Note: Always keep your prescription label with your medication, especially when traveling with testosterone. HRT kits also don’t insulate medication, so remember that testosterone needs to be kept at a certain temperature to remain usable.
First-Time Shaving Kit ($30)
Hormone replacement therapy means he’ll likely grow facial hair at some point – for most guys, facial hair starts to grow patchily between three to six months after starting testosterone patchily, before steadily filling out over several years based on genetics.
Guys have a complex relationship with these early “beards.” It’s the first facial hair we’re able to grow, so we’re hesitant to shave, similar to teenage boys – regardless of how bad it may look. The Dollar Shave Club and Harry’s both provide excellent starter shaving sets that ease him into shaving.
Affirmation Journal ($20)
Journaling can be a great tool to deal with stress and self-esteem issues, which all men experience – including transgender men. By getting him an affirmation journal, you’re guiding him to reframe negative thoughts into optimistic ones and dig into core beliefs holding him back.
Unlike other gift recommendations, I don’t have a particular product in mind. Any affirmation journal works, but he’ll probably appreciate one centered for masculine experiences (in other words, don’t get a sparkly pink one unless he likes pink and has a good sense of humor).
If he’s not the most keen on journaling, you could make a challenge with a reward at the end through joint goal setting. It’s never too early to make New Year’s resolutions!
Transgender Guide & Workbook ($20)
For guys less-than-confident about their transition, workbooks provide structured guidance regarding medical, social, and legal transition. These books are both self-help and data-packed to answer questions he wouldn’t think to ask.
The Queer and Transgender Resilience Workbook by Anneliese A. Singh and Sage Buch’s The Transmasculine Guide to Physical Transition Workbook: For Trans, Nonbinary, and Other Masculine Folks are tied for this spot. Both books have interactive exercises to inspire readers to delve deeper into their identities and gender affirmation journeys.
Memoir ($20)
There’s something magical about reading a good memoir. As transgender men, we lack quality media that authentically represent our gender identity and manage to still tell a captivating story. Unlike other nonfiction, good memoirs weave advice while exploring the author’s life to inspire the reader.
There are hundreds of transgender memoirs out there, but the three I recommend most are Becoming a Visible Man, Balls, and Some Assembly Required since they’re great starting points – even for folks not into reading nonfiction.
Becoming a Visible Man was published by Jamison Green in 2004, considered a classic amongst transgender memoirs as Jamison relates his medical transition at the age of 40. Most assume folks have to transition as soon as possible, usually around the age of 18, but Jamison represents an experience just as common, even if rarely shown.
Chris Edwards wrote Balls: It Takes Some to Get Some in 2016 to chronicle his experience seeking gender affirmation surgery. There’s a stark lack of information regarding female-to-male bottom surgery, and Balls has been praised for humanizing the journey.
Some Assembly Required: The Not-So-Secret Life of a Transgender Teen was the first transmasculine memoir I ever read, so I’m admittedly attached to it. Like the other two books, it’s humorous but instead focuses on Arin Andrews’ time in high school as a transgender young person. If the transgender man in your life has identified as trans since he was a teenager, he’ll enjoy the read.
Pride Attire ($20)
Pride flags are cool. The only problem with pride flags is that most folks get the cheapest one available. Even if his current flag was purchased at a pride festival or queer nonprofit, there is a high likelihood that the quality will be terrible and that it was produced in sweatshops overseas. In my previous work at a queer nonprofit, they purchased flags in bulk from Temu to sell at full price – so it’s more likely than you think.
My recommendation is getting a flag through a small business, like Flags for Good. Their flags are made ethically for the same price you’ll see at major pride festivals. They also design flags, so you can give him something unique – like a pride flag catered to his home state or city.
Coordinated Activity (Pick Your Own Budget!)
Gifts don’t have to be physically wrapped and put under a tree to be enjoyed. If he’s more into making memories, plan something to do together based on his interests. Make a day (or weekend) trip to your nearest city, look up cool shops, drag shows, museums, concerts, and support meetings.
Even in conservative states, cities remain liberal hubs with plenty of attractions and are pretty open-minded. So get to planning!
Charity Donation (Pick Your Own Budget!)
Maybe he’s not into physical gifts, and none of the above options stuck out. For a guy who’s got it all, you can donate to a cause in his name – just make sure he’s keen on the idea.
There are hundreds of nonprofits out there, so pick a charity best tailored to him. The most common ones include the ACLU, HRC, Lambda Legal, Trevor Project, A4TE, Trans Lifeline, and SAGE, but make sure to consider smaller organizations or local nonprofits.
