Thursday, December 04, 2008

Transwomen And The Great Pantyhose Debate

When it comes to pantyhose, women are in two camps.

They either are ambivalent about them or despise them, and that attitude only begins to shift when the weather turns cold.

Where do transwomen fit into the Great Pantyhose Debate? Depends on the transwoman and what generation she belongs to.

Personally, I like wearing hose. I think they add an extra polished touch to whatever outfit I'm wearing. When it comes to what I wear to church, whether it's dress suits, pant suits or dresses, pantyhose are a must with them even if the temps are climbing for me.

Yeah, they can be uncomfortable when the waistband rolls on you or they slide down your legs if they're not quite the right size for us long legged people. But they also add extra insurance for pre-ops against neoclits popping out at inopportune times as well as improve the looks of my legs.

So what side are you on in the Great Pantyhose Debate?

10 comments:

AJ Plaid said...

Hey there Monica--

I love your blog and your posts at Racialicious, and this post gives me something to think about in terms of pantyhose. I've discussed the health cons for wearing pantyhose for ciswomen like myself, namely lowering one's chances for yeast infection. Because of this, I personally like wearing thigh-high stockings or socks (solid color, so they look like tight under skirts) or stockings and garter belts.

Your post gives me a good pro-pantyhose argument. It also gives me impetus to research trans helath issues, too. Thanks so much for being your wonderfully informative self!

--Abrazos,
AJ

Véro B said...

When it gets cold, I tend to wear opaque tights more often than pantyhose. I like the look, and it allows me to be lazy about leg hair removal. :)

But the feel is the same, and I'm fine with it.

Monica Roberts said...

I tend to do tights more in the winter and with jeans.

Renee said...

Had to bring up the hose...wow I felt like such a complete nob as I never considered that they had another purpose. I personally hate the wretched things and if I never wear another pair I will be extremely happy. I do realize though that the way my body is gives me that luxury.

Monica Roberts said...

Renee,
Hey, it was a slow news day ;)

Annie Social said...

The real question is, are hose okay with open-toe shoes? I think it looks ridiculous, but a lot of women disagree; here in Florida, open-toe shoes are almost all you wear for about half the year.

Unknown said...

This is one girl who'd be lost without them! If I'm wearing a skirt I feel like they straight away give a 'base' to my femininity!

Véro B said...

Chalk up one "no" vote on Annie's questions about hose and open-toe shoes. :)

Unknown said...

To be honest if we called 'Tights' 'Pantyhose' and 'Stockings' 'Hose' in Britain I wouldn't want to wear them either! A 'hose' is what you use to water the garden or wash the car!!!

Diojeanne of Signup said...

Most of the time, if I'm wearing a skirt, I'm also wearing tights (footless tights with open-toed shoes, don't worry.) Generally, I wear them because I like the color and/or pattern, or to reinforce my tuck. With pants, I tend to go barelegged, or wear something knee-high rather than full tights.

I actually really like the feel of tights squeezing my legs. (On the lower belly it's self-consciousness generating, given the crazy muffintops, but I can deal) People might think I'm bonkers, but they make me feel... awake, I guess? Frequently on my day off, I'll just throw some tights on as soon as I'm dry from my shower, and it will actually give me the energy to get some things done.