Intro To Gender Affirming Items
Gender-affirming items include clothing, garments, or prosthetics that help people feel more aligned with their gender identity. These items offer non-surgical ways for people to feel more comfortable and authentic in their appearance, supporting well-being and confidence in everyday life.
Our recommendations come from Andres (they/them), a former Community Support Specialist and Caden (they/he), CSS Specialist.
What Kind of Gender Affirming Items Does GHC Have?
These are a list of the items we order, though some may be out of stock.
● Half tank binders
● Transtape/KT tape (for binding or tucking)
● Pasties/nipple covers
● Bras
● Bra inserts
● Femme Shapewear
● Hip pads
● Packing underwear (boxers)
● Joeys (packing pouch)
● Tucking Kits
● Tucking underwear
● Packers
● STPs
● Packing STPs
● Makeup
If you have any questions or are looking for a specific item, feel free to call (916-455-2391) and ask with any additional questions.
Safer Chest Binding Guide
Binding helps transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming persons feel more aligned with their gender identity. By reducing chest dysphoria, binders and tape boost comfort and confidence. They offer non-surgical options for achieving a more affirming appearance.
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Scoop or shift your chest tissue so your nipples are centered across the midline of your chest in the binder to create a flatter look and prevent falling out.
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Do not bind with your nipples pressed downward, as this can cause chest tissue damage.
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Why use tape?
Using tape instead of a binder may offer several benefits:
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It may be easier to breathe.
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You can swim, exercise, sleep, and shower in it.
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It can be worn for 3–5 days.
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Some feel it looks more natural for their body type.
Safety Note: Be patient, as this method requires trial-and-error. Listen to your body, and if something hurts, take it off.
What you’ll need
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A roll of body-safe tape (e.g., Trans Guy Supply, TransTape, KT Tape).
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Scissors.
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A bit of toilet paper or bandaids (for nipple guards).
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Clean skin.
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Coconut, jojoba, or baby oil (for removal).
Taping Technique
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Nipple Guards: Use band aids or toilet paper larger than your nipples to create guards to prevent pain.
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Preparing Tape: Cut pieces of tape long enough to reach from the middle of your sternum all the way to your side, and round the edges.
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Anchoring Tape: The first and last 2 inches of tape should be un-stretched to prevent blistering.
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Application: Place the tape at your sternum, then scoop or pull chest tissue to the side toward your side or armpit.
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Larger Chests: You might need longer or wider pieces of tape. Bend over to move the chest tissue around, then tape after you stand.
Blistering
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Do not stretch the tape near the anchor points (where it begins and ends on your body); this can cause pain, itching, and blistering.
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Make sure the tape is entirely flat before adhering it to prevent blisters.
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If you are already blistering, do not use tape until the blisters are healed, and see a doctor if they don't improve.
Removal
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Massage oil into the tape.
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Soak the tape and skin for 5–10 minutes.
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Take off the tape in the shower.
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Some people use skin-safe adhesive remover as well if the tape doesn’t come off easily.
Do NOT use: Duct tape, packing tape, etc., as they are not body safe and can cause pain, blistering, chemical reactions, and acne.
Tape Recommendations
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Widths: 3in, 4in, 5in
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Options: Comes with 6 skin tones
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Price: $11-$15 for 16.5ft
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Widths: 3in, 4in, 5in, 7in
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Options: Comes with 5 skin tones, 6 colors, and tattooed options
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Price: $14.50-$19 for a 16.5 ft roll
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Special Feature: Sensitive skin friendly
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Width: 4in
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Format: Pre-cut into 10-inch strips
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Note: This tape is less multi-directional stretchy
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12.5cm (5in), 10cm (4in), 7.5cm (3in), 5cm (2in)
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6 tones
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$12 - $18 for 16.4ft
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Packing
Packing uses a prosthetic or item in the underwear to create a bulge, helping trans men, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming people feel more aligned with their gender. It offers a non-surgical option to enhance comfort and confidence, promoting a sense of congruence with one’s gender identity in daily life.
How to Pack: The Packer Guide, (made by community members) is currently the most comprehensive guide to packing and how to pack. Some people use harnesses, some use KT or transtape to attach their packer to themselves, some place their packer in their underwear directly. There are various types of packers.
Types of Packers
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Where To Buy
Here are some brands that have options priced under $200.
● Peecock Products focus on the STP features of the packers.
● They feature several stroker and extender features that attach to your natal genitalia. This can be good for self-pleasure or play with a partner, though not ideal for everyday packing.
● They have a variety of more affordable options, include bulge only packers, soft packers, STPs and testes only. They offer single and dual density packers.
● Custom, made to order soft packers. Excellent choice for realism, variety in size and shape, and uncut options.
● Good variety of options for STPs, soft packers and hard packers including options for meta (metoidioplasty) extension and strokers.
● Axolom features soft packers, hard packers, and STPs and all their products are priced under $100 making them ideal for people with limited funds. They offer single and dual density packers and have a variety of sizes.
STP
Standing to pee can be extremely important for some transmasc folks, whether it be for practicality, safety, or gender euphoria. In order to STP successfully, there are a few things to consider.
1. Locating your urethra TW: anatomical language mentioned
a. Your urethra is located below the clitoris and above the vaginal canal. It’s exact location may vary however, and some people have very forward urethras (closer to their clitoris) and some may have their urethras set far back (closer to their vaginal opening). If you don’t know where your urethra is, you can trial and error or you can get a mirror.
2. How to Position: If that sounds too dysphoric, feel free to test out STPing in the shower. Your urethra is probably farther back than you expect. Your STP should be positioned directly under you. You want to aim to be peeing directly into the opening of the STP.
Packing Gear:
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Non-packing STP (Stand To Pee Device)
Tucking
What it is: Tucking involves safely positioning or securing genitalia to create a flatter appearance, helping trans women, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming individuals feel more aligned with their gender identity. This technique can reduce dysphoria, increase comfort, and boost confidence, providing a discreet, non-surgical way to feel more at ease in their body.
Tucking Gear:
Shapewear
Corsets can be used to compress the stomach area of the body to give a more curvy shape and narrower waist.
Adjust the corset where you want it on your body and start latching the front closures one by one, starting from the bottom. You may have to adjust or apply tension to the front to get the latches on correctly.
Once it is completely closed, if there is a zipper, zip the corset up. It should now be in place where you want it. Make sure you can take a deep breath.
It is not recommended to wear them more than eight hours at a time.
It can take a while to put on a corset for the first time. As you learn and practice it will get easier and faster. Depending on the quality and material of the corset, you may need to put on a thin tank top underneath to put a layer between you and the corset.