Exercising Without Scaring The Natives

[Angie]

Hi, All!!!!

It has been...ahem...a while since I last posted. Happy to see lots of new faces and old friends here! It has been a chaotic last few years in a good way, the details of which I will spare the group.

Anywho...I'm hoping that someone has dealt with this particular conundrum...

Exercise...that evil practice. Unfortunately, for those of us whose contours tend towards the Rubenesque, it is a must. The question is, how to get the heart rate up without losing one's tenuous hold on the feminine (i.e., losing makeup to perspiration). I ride my bike outside daily. Since I am working towards transitioning fully, this means switching back to male mode for at least a couple of hours out of each day (either that or risk running eyeliner and have the natives pointing at me and screaming "Godzilla!" as I ride by). I've been trying to get by with less makeup to obtain a more "natural" appearance and don't really want to go back to something as heavy as Dermablend, but that may be the only recourse. Then, there's the wig issue. Nothing says "heat" like a wig on a hot Southern day, but Mother Nature has been stingy with natural thatch for my "roof", so the wig is a constant companion.

Any ideas, ladies???

[Carolynn]

Indoor exercise bike in your home? With a telly or confuser screen in front of it to help make time pass? Then you sweat all you want.

I dunno where you are with your transition, but estrogen and some electro or laser helps increase the femininity of the face and make makeup less needed. As far as the hair goes, scarf in place of wig might work.

I exercise daily (almost) at a 24 hr. gym, no makeup. But I use my natural hair, though it is sometimes sparse looking. There are other women of similar age with the same problem, and use scarfs or just let it go with the realities of life. One older lady wears a black wig, and it is really warm looking, but she wears it.

You might keep a wig for excercise only, and another for wearing out of the house of other reasons. No ones hair looks good after exercise (other for a few Barbie mutants.)

Besides, scaring the natives is kinda fun.

[DonnaT]

Wearing a bandana over the head is one way to hide the hair. A pair of dangly earrings will add to the illusion.
http://www.wikihow.com/Tie-a-Bandana" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.bandannaclub.com/Tie-Bandanna.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As for makeup, none should be needed. You're riding a bike with, I imagine, very little interaction with others, probably a moment in passing, not enough time for anyone to really scrutinize your appearance, I imagine.

A nice pair of sunglasses will help hide part of the face.

And as Carolynn mentioned, facial hair removal will go a long way in helping your transition, and would lessen the need for makeup.

But if you feel you must wear a wig, they make lace wigs or wefted cap wigs which are lighter and breathable. http://www.cheaplacewigsonline.com/how- ... in-summer/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.acewigs.com/shop/wigs/FAQs/13777.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Anthony Simon]

Well, there's the "Darth Vader" approach. In the UK quite a lot of cyclists use helmets and a very much smaller number combine this with some sort of face mask (against polution). The helmet doesn't alter the appearance that much, but with the mask you're in Imperial Storm Trooper/Darth Vader territory. The great thing about this (anyway in theory) you can be what gender you want to be under that lot.

You're still going to have some problems with heat - but likely no-one is going to notice your makeup (or absence of it). All they're going to see is Darth Vader clone. 'Course you may scare the natives a bit (and you better hope no-one engages you in a conversation about environmental issues).

Alternatively, for someone like me (a CD who hasn't been out), it does present a possible way of getting out of the house and up the road, made-up.

[Davita]

I was going to ask what happened to the helmet. Ya knnnoooowwwwww... there is a girl helmet specifically for dealing with hair, like a pony tail hole. You could get one and fake having the hair by filling in the hole and maybe a thin layer of hair for the vent grooves.

As for the makeup, ummmmmm my GG friends tend not to wear eye make up for the very reason mentioned -- it's a mess when it runs. If you gotta have it, I'm not sure how well the waterproof versions work or the cream shadows. That's a Consumer Reports type question, or Allure, or More, etc. If you need a foundation, then by all means, go back to the Dermablend. You know it's indestructible -- pretty much impervious to sweat. I might suggest using the touch up because I think it's lighter. I know the leg creams in a tube seem lighter too.

Hope this helps.

[Angie]

Thanks, all, for the helpful hints!!! I made a trial "run" yesterday to gauge the practicality of exercising en femme in the humidity of North Carolina.

Well...

Dermablend did hold up for the 10 mile ride and, surprisingly, so did my MAC eyeliner. My wig, however, was drenched. Muddled through my weight session at the YMCA afterwards looking like a wet rat . Think I'll shift the routine just a bit and do the weight workout, first, then ride sans wig, with a bandana as Donna suggested. My bike route is on a greenway totally isolated from traffic, so I'm going to try to skip the helmet for now.

Ya, its a bit ridiculous to go through this to get a workout, but I'm trying to present a consistent gender appearance when making my way about town. Hate frequenting a business, such as my local Starbucks, mostly as a woman, but sometimes as a man.

No one ever said this would be easy!

Take Care,
Angie