Very happy to get a new update from you. I feel like your voice is very unique and needed online, we don't get many long term life updates like yours, especially not with older trans people. I realised I was trans and started transitioning quite late compared to many people and what you shared of your journey online and the way you have to calmly and directly talk about it is of great comfort to me. I get your frustration and sadness over fatphobia and diet culture and I'm glad you're talking about it, and the seemingly rising push to bodybuild as a trans man (hell, even my endocrinologist was telling me I should start exercising more to build muscles). Much love to you and I hope to get another update from you if not soon at least in another year. Take care of yourself.
Thank you so much. Your kind words mean a lot to me. I really appreciate that. Ugh, that sucks that a doctor told you build muscles! Jeez. I know what you mean - over the years, I followed many trans men on youtube who eventually stopped posting videos, and I often wonder about them. I think it's so helpful for us all to get to see trans men's experience over time as they settle into their lives as their real selves. I hadn't had any desire or motivation to make videos for over a year, but eventually I did it because it's important to me to do what I can to provide such a view to others. And also I did start to feel some interest in making videos recently. Best wishes to you!
Hey man! Glad to have an update from you. I discovered your channel sometime in the past year as I was questioning my gender. At the time I was pretty sure I'm a trans guy, but your "shadow" video was what finally got it to click for me. I started my social transition this semester (I'm a college junior) and I'm the happiest I've ever been. I just wanted to say thank you and I'm glad you're doing well!
Bro, i making this coment not because of this videos, but two of your past videos are one of the most important ponts of my journey. Im MTF and i ressonate so much of your story, and finally i found someone i could enterily relate too, and it gave me a huge sense of validation and energy to go foward. It's amazing how u transform your singular experience into words, and do not let other words validates or not your experience. Im so glas that i found your channel.
Thank you so much! I'm so glad to hear that my videos have been helpful for you and that you can relate. That's wonderful that you've gotten energy to go forward - I love that! Sending my best wishes for you on your journey.
You look good man! I just want to say thank you. I was in a rough state of mind in my early 20s because I couldn't for the life of me figured out why. Until I watch one of your videos sharing how you found out you were trans. Before my 20s, I was ignorant about the transgender experience and didn't know how to describe my own experiences. Your story aligned so well with how I was feeling all my life that it click instantly. Honestly you changed my life and I don't think I would be here today if I didn't watched your videos. I been on hrt (top surgery too) for about 3 years now and in those years I've been the happiest I ever been in my entire life. I look forward to life. I forward to growing old lol. Again thank you and I am forever grateful! 🙏🏾❤ Daniel
Hi Daniel, wow, thank you for sharing that! That's really amazing that my videos helped you that much. I feel very honored. I am so glad we can relate to each other, and I am so glad to hear that you are still around, when that might not have been guaranteed for a while there. That is awesome that you are so happy! I am so happy for you!!
Awesome to see you again man! There are a lot of good points to make regarding "body building"! People sometimes die pursuing the "perfect body". You are looking good with the facial hair... Like a handsome math teacher. Good luck with everything, bud! Keep us in the loop.
Thank you! Yeah, seriously, it can sometimes become incredibly harmful, physically, to pursue a body that our culture praises. haha, well I am flattered that you describe me that way :) thank you!
Thank you for the life update. You look GREAT! You mentioned some physical changes...I think you look even more handsome! As always your voice is so calming! I've been watching you since your very first video and followed your entire journey. This was so great to get an update!
Glad to see you're doing well! I'm a gay man, and my community also has issues with body image, etc. Self acceptance is super hard sometimes, but a worthwhile effort for sure!
Thank you! Yeah, I have definitely observed oppressive body standards in the gay male community - that's so tough. Self-acceptance is a journey... best wishes to you!
you and your videos have helped me immensely in the past year as i do not see many trans experiences like yours or mine in my country. i hope you stay healthy and happy with your girlfriend!
Thanks for your update. I'm glad to know that you are doing well. It is good to hear that you are doing well in your new career and that you still enjoy the company of your girlfriend. Best wishes for you in the coming year.
Very happy to hear from you. 8 years ago you made a video called "How I did NOT know I was trans" and that one made everything click in my head. I was still in high school at the time and very insecure. It was a relief to hear you talk about your experience. Seeing this video pop up just made me a bit teary eyed, to be honest, haha. Thank you so much for sharing parts of your life and thoughts with us.
Thank you so much! That's powerful for me to hear how that video impacted you. Thank you for letting me know! I love that. I hope your journey continues with clarity and self-love!
Always nice to hear an update from you. I think you have a great head shape if you ever wanted to shave and go fully bald btw, hope that isn't too odd to say! It's clear you're a very reflective guy, which I enjoy to listen to.
Always happy to see an update from you! I think I've been watching for a good 6 years. I'm one of those bodybuilding people actually. But I try not to take it overly seriously. I try to eat somewhere in the range of what I've planned to but I don't take it to any great extremes. Personally I've never had problems with body image or dieting so I find it doesn't have great adverse affects on me and I sort of just find it rewarding to grow muscles. I think the one way it has proved problematic for me is that I use it as my only way of dealing with my feelings about gender. I spent many years wondering about my gender and eventually decided I could probably get a lot of changes in my body I wanted from T and none of the ones I didn't want from getting very muscular in my upper body, and that seemed a bit less drastic. This lead to my self esteem being crushed into smithereens when gyms closed for the pandemic. I worked through that and have come to be a bit more accepting of the parts of myself I have to accept if I really think transitioning is not for me.
Glad to see you make another video update! The aging of a transman is an interesting process for sure. I gave up and shaved my head cause it was looking rough. Haha. If you're interested in reconnecting with the community, you should reach out to your local 😉center cause there's different things going on you'd probably be interested in helping out with. Just thought I'd throw that out there.
Hi Parker! Thank you! haha, yeah I get that, I've been generally keeping my hair shorter than I have in the past. Thanks, I think I will look into things sometime soon! I do really miss the community.
Hey man! Just wanted to leave a nice comment here because you said you receive some transphobic ones from time a time. :/ Been watching your channel since I contemplated coming out, which was seven years ago, and now living my authentic self, taking T, had top surgery. Your channel helped me lot to figure myself out. You look well and you seem at ease. :) I get what you're saying about being more sensitive about transphobia. I feel it's gotten worse over the years in the public eye, at least what I register here in Germany. The conversation points usually swap over at some point from the US. I used to not care so much but now it really affects me especially because the target a lot of the times are trans kids. But I'm positive that trans rights will persevere and in a few years the media will leave us more alone and let us live and just be people. :) And I also feel what you're saying about bodybuilding and the toxicity of optimizing your body! It's been baffling me that even my doctor and therapist suggested me working out to look more manly even though I never mentioned it myself. They say it would suit me but I just don't care so much for muscles and broad shoulders. Like free time is limited and I have other hobbies. But it seems like it is expected of you as a trans man, at least people assume you want to get buff. But yeah, fitness influencers are big on social media and the best thing is to avoid them.
Thank you for your thoughtful comment! I really appreciate your kind words! I'm so glad that my videos have been helpful for you. Oh man, that makes me mad that a doctor and therapist suggested that you work out to look more manly! Ugh. You don't have to look a certain way to be a man and/or to be your true self. You don't have to be fit or thin to be your real self and to be awesome.
@@TheSLOfox Hi. I'm just a passerby. I'm not part of the trans community, but as a parent of teenagers I feel it is my duty to be aware of all kinds of issues. I wanted to comment on the point of doctors and therapists heavily pushing working out to trans men to feel more manly. In a video clip of the medical transition of Jazz Jennings, the doctor/surgeon who is also a trans woman remarked to Jazz, who was still on the surgical table, that her vagina was the envy of porn stars. The doctor proceeded to take photos. That had to be one of the most shocking interactions I have ever seen. Jazz didn't really know what to make of that comment and smiled blithely. My point is that a lot of doctors have motives for performing surgeries that don't really align with the objectives of the patient. So it doesn't surprise me in the least that a doctor would assume a trans man would be gung ho about working out to look more manly. That's probably what they honestly think. On the matter of your growing frustration with transphobia, that makes total sense. When you chose the trans path 8+ years ago, it was something that was still a mystery for people. Caitlyn Jenner was probably what people assumed celebrities do and thought nothing more of it. Fast forward coming out of the pandemic now people have no choice but to recognize that trans people from among the ranks of regular people have entered the proverbial room and will not be marginalized. But that hatred and intolerance you feel is very real. I think eventually people would have gotten over it, but now the debate is focusing on children and young adults -- children and traditional women's sports. Ultra religious people are also feeling as if they are on the edge of the precipice. Men and women are at odds with each other. The feminist ideology is under attack. And now we see the anti trans rhetoric is ratcheting up. I'm not going to tell you to be compassionate and understanding. You sound like you have figured out your life and you want respect. But a lot of different groups are finding themselves in the crosshairs - black people, immigrants/migrants, trans and so on. What is needed are rational voices to calm the temperature and suggest ways in which we can get along in a pluralistic society. I hope some day your voice will be used in a positive way. As a society we are in a dangerous place. I wish you well.
Hey Allen.. I really enjoy your videos. I'm a trans man also. Right now I'm dealing with a sense of loss (things I missed out on). Have you experienced this? Hope to see more content from you.
Hi man, thank you. Yes, I totally get what you mean about the sense of loss, and I feel that a lot - it's tough. That could be a good topic for me to make a video about sometime... we'll see.
thank you! Oh that's awesome. I think I might work on making a new email address to use for TH-cam, where I don't have to give people my last name and stuff. It's frustrating that TH-cam no longer has the messages feature.
Yes, I am happy and will absolutely never detransition. I am at peace in my gender now, as a man, in a way that I never ever felt before I transitioned. I would never want to try to live without that.
Still handsome after all these years no matter the additions or subtractions. 🙏 Glad to see you still doing good!
aw thanks!
Very happy to get a new update from you. I feel like your voice is very unique and needed online, we don't get many long term life updates like yours, especially not with older trans people. I realised I was trans and started transitioning quite late compared to many people and what you shared of your journey online and the way you have to calmly and directly talk about it is of great comfort to me. I get your frustration and sadness over fatphobia and diet culture and I'm glad you're talking about it, and the seemingly rising push to bodybuild as a trans man (hell, even my endocrinologist was telling me I should start exercising more to build muscles). Much love to you and I hope to get another update from you if not soon at least in another year. Take care of yourself.
Thank you so much. Your kind words mean a lot to me. I really appreciate that. Ugh, that sucks that a doctor told you build muscles! Jeez.
I know what you mean - over the years, I followed many trans men on youtube who eventually stopped posting videos, and I often wonder about them. I think it's so helpful for us all to get to see trans men's experience over time as they settle into their lives as their real selves. I hadn't had any desire or motivation to make videos for over a year, but eventually I did it because it's important to me to do what I can to provide such a view to others. And also I did start to feel some interest in making videos recently.
Best wishes to you!
Hey man! Glad to have an update from you. I discovered your channel sometime in the past year as I was questioning my gender. At the time I was pretty sure I'm a trans guy, but your "shadow" video was what finally got it to click for me. I started my social transition this semester (I'm a college junior) and I'm the happiest I've ever been. I just wanted to say thank you and I'm glad you're doing well!
thank you! wow, I'm so glad that that video resonated with you! That makes me feel good. I hope you are doing well too and have a good new year!
Bro, i making this coment not because of this videos, but two of your past videos are one of the most important ponts of my journey. Im MTF and i ressonate so much of your story, and finally i found someone i could enterily relate too, and it gave me a huge sense of validation and energy to go foward. It's amazing how u transform your singular experience into words, and do not let other words validates or not your experience.
Im so glas that i found your channel.
Thank you so much! I'm so glad to hear that my videos have been helpful for you and that you can relate. That's wonderful that you've gotten energy to go forward - I love that! Sending my best wishes for you on your journey.
You look good man! I just want to say thank you. I was in a rough state of mind in my early 20s because I couldn't for the life of me figured out why. Until I watch one of your videos sharing how you found out you were trans.
Before my 20s, I was ignorant about the transgender experience and didn't know how to describe my own experiences. Your story aligned so well with how I was feeling all my life that it click instantly. Honestly you changed my life and I don't think I would be here today if I didn't watched your videos.
I been on hrt (top surgery too) for about 3 years now and in those years I've been the happiest I ever been in my entire life. I look forward to life. I forward to growing old lol.
Again thank you and I am forever grateful! 🙏🏾❤
Daniel
Hi Daniel, wow, thank you for sharing that! That's really amazing that my videos helped you that much. I feel very honored. I am so glad we can relate to each other, and I am so glad to hear that you are still around, when that might not have been guaranteed for a while there. That is awesome that you are so happy! I am so happy for you!!
Awesome to see you again man! There are a lot of good points to make regarding "body building"! People sometimes die pursuing the "perfect body". You are looking good with the facial hair... Like a handsome math teacher. Good luck with everything, bud! Keep us in the loop.
Thank you! Yeah, seriously, it can sometimes become incredibly harmful, physically, to pursue a body that our culture praises.
haha, well I am flattered that you describe me that way :) thank you!
Great to hear from you! Always insightful & looking to further understand yourself and the world
Thank you so much!
Always so great to hear you and your thoughts. Thanks for the update.
And I really appreciate the book recommendations. We, as a community, do not talk about this enough.
thank you!!
Thank you for the life update. You look GREAT! You mentioned some physical changes...I think you look even more handsome! As always your voice is so calming! I've been watching you since your very first video and followed your entire journey. This was so great to get an update!
Aw thank you, that's so kind! I love that! :)
Looking great mate !
It's nice to hear an update from you !
Thank you!
Glad to see you're doing well!
I'm a gay man, and my community also has issues with body image, etc.
Self acceptance is super hard sometimes, but a worthwhile effort for sure!
Thank you! Yeah, I have definitely observed oppressive body standards in the gay male community - that's so tough. Self-acceptance is a journey... best wishes to you!
Looking great and always good to hear from you man. 👍
thanks!
Yes yes yes, so many god points, love your honest long ramble! Want more!! Love from Jim
Always great to have a new video of yours in my subscription feed.
thank you!
I love you, Allen wow. This resonates with me deeply. I'm so happy for you and your sweetie. Happy New Year dear one.
Love hearing from you & appreciate your vulnerability.
Thank you so much!
Always nice to see another video from you, you're one of the few trans channels I'm still following after all these years!
thank you!
So happy you uploaded again!
thank you!
Nice to see you again Allan. You look good. I hope life's been treating you well.
thanks so much!
you and your videos have helped me immensely in the past year as i do not see many trans experiences like yours or mine in my country. i hope you stay healthy and happy with your girlfriend!
thanks so much! I'm so glad my videos are helpful to you. I hope you have a happy and healthy new year, yourself!
Thanks for your update. I'm glad to know that you are doing well. It is good to hear that you are doing well in your new career and that you still enjoy the company of your girlfriend. Best wishes for you in the coming year.
thanks!
Very happy to hear from you. 8 years ago you made a video called "How I did NOT know I was trans" and that one made everything click in my head. I was still in high school at the time and very insecure. It was a relief to hear you talk about your experience.
Seeing this video pop up just made me a bit teary eyed, to be honest, haha. Thank you so much for sharing parts of your life and thoughts with us.
Thank you so much! That's powerful for me to hear how that video impacted you. Thank you for letting me know! I love that. I hope your journey continues with clarity and self-love!
Always nice to hear an update from you. I think you have a great head shape if you ever wanted to shave and go fully bald btw, hope that isn't too odd to say! It's clear you're a very reflective guy, which I enjoy to listen to.
Aw thanks! Haha, thanks, I appreciate that! sometimes I feel like my head is "too small" or something, so I appreciate your positive comment. :)
good to hear from you as always!
thank you!
Love this video. Love catching up with you.
Thank you!
Always happy to see an update from you! I think I've been watching for a good 6 years. I'm one of those bodybuilding people actually. But I try not to take it overly seriously. I try to eat somewhere in the range of what I've planned to but I don't take it to any great extremes. Personally I've never had problems with body image or dieting so I find it doesn't have great adverse affects on me and I sort of just find it rewarding to grow muscles. I think the one way it has proved problematic for me is that I use it as my only way of dealing with my feelings about gender. I spent many years wondering about my gender and eventually decided I could probably get a lot of changes in my body I wanted from T and none of the ones I didn't want from getting very muscular in my upper body, and that seemed a bit less drastic. This lead to my self esteem being crushed into smithereens when gyms closed for the pandemic. I worked through that and have come to be a bit more accepting of the parts of myself I have to accept if I really think transitioning is not for me.
Super nice video !
Aw thank you!
Glad to see you make another video update! The aging of a transman is an interesting process for sure. I gave up and shaved my head cause it was looking rough. Haha. If you're interested in reconnecting with the community, you should reach out to your local 😉center cause there's different things going on you'd probably be interested in helping out with. Just thought I'd throw that out there.
Hi Parker! Thank you! haha, yeah I get that, I've been generally keeping my hair shorter than I have in the past. Thanks, I think I will look into things sometime soon! I do really miss the community.
Hey man! Just wanted to leave a nice comment here because you said you receive some transphobic ones from time a time. :/ Been watching your channel since I contemplated coming out, which was seven years ago, and now living my authentic self, taking T, had top surgery. Your channel helped me lot to figure myself out. You look well and you seem at ease. :) I get what you're saying about being more sensitive about transphobia. I feel it's gotten worse over the years in the public eye, at least what I register here in Germany. The conversation points usually swap over at some point from the US. I used to not care so much but now it really affects me especially because the target a lot of the times are trans kids. But I'm positive that trans rights will persevere and in a few years the media will leave us more alone and let us live and just be people. :)
And I also feel what you're saying about bodybuilding and the toxicity of optimizing your body! It's been baffling me that even my doctor and therapist suggested me working out to look more manly even though I never mentioned it myself. They say it would suit me but I just don't care so much for muscles and broad shoulders. Like free time is limited and I have other hobbies. But it seems like it is expected of you as a trans man, at least people assume you want to get buff. But yeah, fitness influencers are big on social media and the best thing is to avoid them.
Thank you for your thoughtful comment! I really appreciate your kind words! I'm so glad that my videos have been helpful for you.
Oh man, that makes me mad that a doctor and therapist suggested that you work out to look more manly! Ugh. You don't have to look a certain way to be a man and/or to be your true self. You don't have to be fit or thin to be your real self and to be awesome.
@@TheSLOfox Hi. I'm just a passerby. I'm not part of the trans community, but as a parent of teenagers I feel it is my duty to be aware of all kinds of issues. I wanted to comment on the point of doctors and therapists heavily pushing working out to trans men to feel more manly. In a video clip of the medical transition of Jazz Jennings, the doctor/surgeon who is also a trans woman remarked to Jazz, who was still on the surgical table, that her vagina was the envy of porn stars. The doctor proceeded to take photos. That had to be one of the most shocking interactions I have ever seen. Jazz didn't really know what to make of that comment and smiled blithely.
My point is that a lot of doctors have motives for performing surgeries that don't really align with the objectives of the patient. So it doesn't surprise me in the least that a doctor would assume a trans man would be gung ho about working out to look more manly. That's probably what they honestly think. On the matter of your growing frustration with transphobia, that makes total sense. When you chose the trans path 8+ years ago, it was something that was still a mystery for people. Caitlyn Jenner was probably what people assumed celebrities do and thought nothing more of it. Fast forward coming out of the pandemic now people have no choice but to recognize that trans people from among the ranks of regular people have entered the proverbial room and will not be marginalized. But that hatred and intolerance you feel is very real. I think eventually people would have gotten over it, but now the debate is focusing on children and young adults -- children and traditional women's sports. Ultra religious people are also feeling as if they are on the edge of the precipice. Men and women are at odds with each other. The feminist ideology is under attack. And now we see the anti trans rhetoric is ratcheting up.
I'm not going to tell you to be compassionate and understanding. You sound like you have figured out your life and you want respect. But a lot of different groups are finding themselves in the crosshairs - black people, immigrants/migrants, trans and so on. What is needed are rational voices to calm the temperature and suggest ways in which we can get along in a pluralistic society. I hope some day your voice will be used in a positive way. As a society we are in a dangerous place. I wish you well.
Hey Allen.. I really enjoy your videos. I'm a trans man also. Right now I'm dealing with a sense of loss (things I missed out on). Have you experienced this? Hope to see more content from you.
Hi man, thank you. Yes, I totally get what you mean about the sense of loss, and I feel that a lot - it's tough. That could be a good topic for me to make a video about sometime... we'll see.
You’re so handsome 😅 insightful chat
Thanks!
Great hear from you! I am Jewish and have found a very solid trans Jewish community, and I would be happy to talk more! Where can I reach you?
thank you! Oh that's awesome. I think I might work on making a new email address to use for TH-cam, where I don't have to give people my last name and stuff. It's frustrating that TH-cam no longer has the messages feature.
Glad to hear from you!
I've been watching your videos for a few years now and am here if you'd like a fellow trans friend.
thank you!
Most importantly would you say you are happy and 100. Only asking because there are some ppl out there that think trans ppl will detransition.
Yes, I am happy and will absolutely never detransition. I am at peace in my gender now, as a man, in a way that I never ever felt before I transitioned. I would never want to try to live without that.