Queer Voices trans issuestransgender menbuck angel

Introducing The First Sex Toy Designed Specifically For Transgender Men

"I am a believer that if a product exists for you it makes you feel validated."
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By 

HuffPost Queer Voices Editor

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Buck Angel is one of the most famous transgender men in the world, having built upon his experience in the adult entertainment industry to become an activist, educator and someone who seeks to create visibly for transgender men and masculine-of-center individuals. 

Now, Angel is teaming up with Perfect Fit Brand to release the first sex toy designed to specifically meet the needs of transgender men.

Called the Buck Off, the product stems from multiple conversations between Angel and the company about how trans men have historically had to adapt sex toys intended for cisgender people to meet their needs.

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The Buck Off
Courtesy of Buck Angel

“Talking with other trans men, as well as [taking into account] my own sexual needs, I knew this was an important product,” Angel told The Huffington Post in an email. “It is super validating when you walk into a shop and see a product made for you. It gives you a feeling of being recognized. I also think it says ‘masturbation and sexual needs are normal for everyone.’”

This product is both revolutionary and incredibly necessary for the transgender community. Check out Angel’s conversation about Buck Off with The Huffington Post below and head here to read more about the activist’s journey.

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Courtesy of Buck Angel

The Huffington Post: Why did you decide to make this sex toy? Why is it important that we have a sex toy that specifically meets the needs of trans men?

Buck Angel: This transmale sex toy needed to be made and I have been advocating for it for years. The reasons being, in my opinion and many of the transmen I have spoken with, is that toys are fun and they let you experience your body in ways that you might not be able to without one ― they encourage you to explore.

Some trans guys have spoken to me about not wanting to touch their genitals ―specifically their vaginas ― because they are not connected to it as male. I totally understand that as it took me years to get to the place where I am now and feel totally sexually comfortable with my vagina ― and toys helped with that. The toys that [have] existed on the market were made for cisgender people. Trans men have different genitals which means they have different needs. Many of us had to alter products in order to make them work for us. One of the things I used to do was use nipple suction devices or a cisgender masturbator and cut it up to make it fit my anatomy. I am a believer that if a product exists for you it makes you feel validated. Trans men have never had anything in the pleasure products world that said this is yours! This fits your genitals. This is so affirming in many ways. I believe it will help trans guys feel more comfortable to masturbate. In a way it is giving you permission. When you transition, sex is a big part of that. And if you are missing out of exploring your newfound body, I think this could be harmful and does not teach self love

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Courtesy of Buck Angel

“When you transition, sex is a big part of that.”

How does this sex toy work?

Great question. What I have designed along with Steve Callow, the CEO of Perfect Fit Brand, is a device that fits over your vagina. Trans men who are using testosterone have larger clitorises and genitals. So I have designed the Buck Off to be used for men on HRT. The device then enables you to get a suction and then you can actually start to stroke with it. This is why we called it an FTM Stroker. Basically, it works the same way a cisgender stroker works but for trans male genitals. If you would like to see a very graphic video of me showing how to use it follow this link to Porn Hub.

What was the process of creating and testing the toy like?

Lucky for me I met Steve. When I pitched him the idea, in less than five minutes he said, “Dude that’s a no brainer, lets do this.” So we started having design meetings and I brought in toys that I have used, as well as ones from my friends. I showed Steve how we use these. He then started to construct a sketch and from there we just started fine tuning. We made a couple samples, I used them and gave feedback on what was needed. Steve went back to the drawing board and the Buck Off was born! It was a pretty great process because I already knew exactly what I wanted and Steve is a great designer, so the two of us together made it happen.

How do we get therapists and sex educators to start utilizing this toy in their practice?

That has already started and one of the reasons I really think this is such an important product. I want to be able to teach all health care professionals about the Buck Off to show how important connecting to your body sexually through transition is so important. I speak at many mental health and sex education conferences and I am very well received. The support from these communities has been amazing. 

Want to check out the Buck Off yourself? Head here.

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Before You Go

15 Things To Know About Being Transgender By Nicholas M. Teich
1. Defining Transgenderism(01 of15)
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The root of the word "transgender" comes from the Latin word "trans," meaning "across." A trans-Atlantic flight goes across the Atlantic Ocean; a transnational issue affects people all across the country; and so on. "Transgender" literally means "across gender." "Transgender" is defined today as an umbrella term with many different identities existing under it. Image via ccharmon on Flickr.com (credit:Flickr: ccharmon)
2. A Few Words Of Advice(02 of15)
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When trans people reveal their trans identity to someone, it is a highly personal moment. It takes trust and courage to talk about gender identity or gender transition. The best-case scenario is probably to: 1) ask what questions, if any, are appropriate; and 2) give the trans person an out if he or she feels like you are overstepping your bounds (even though your questions may be born of an innocent curiosity). This makes it easier for a trans person to maintain privacy and integrity. (credit:Alamy)
3. The Gender Binary (03 of15)
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The gender binary exists for easy categorization and labeling purposes. For most people, it is something that is taken for granted. Females who identify as women use the women's restroom. Males who identify as men dress in suits and ties or tuxedos for formal events. It is the way it is, and that fits well for many people. But for trans people living in a culture where the gender binary rules all, it is a daily battle.Image via kimberlykv on Flickr.com (credit:Flickr: kimberlykv)
4. Gender Expression(04 of15)
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Out of the three terms -- "sex," "gender identity," and "gender expression" -- which do you think we notice most about people on a daily basis? If it were a person's sex, then we would have to see under that person's clothes or test his or her chromosomes (and even then we could get a conflicting report). If it were a person's gender identity, we would have to either ask that person how he or she identifies or somehow get inside the brain and find the answer for ourselves. By process of elimination, you guessed it: it's gender expression.Image via MuLaN™ on Flickr.com (credit:Flickr: MuLaN™)
5. Orientation And Gender(05 of15)
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If we look at society as a diverse group of individuals where heterosexuality might be the most common sexual orientation but not necessarily normal, then we can more easily see that human sexual orientation varies: some people happen to be straight, some gay, some bisexual, and so on. This does not necessarily have anything to do with a person's gender identity or expression. (credit:Jennifer Levo/Nick Teich)
6. Coming Out To Oneself (06 of15)
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Realization that one is trans can take anywhere from a few moments to several decades. Usually, trans people have an inkling early on in their lives that their assigned gender feels out of sync with their bodies. The self-realization process is extremely complicated. The human mind does its best to help us survive, which can translate into triggering intense denial. Because of societal constraints, it is common for a person to try to ignore signs pointing toward transgenderism, whether consciously or unconsciously. (credit:Jennifer Levo/Nick Teich)
7. Surgeries(07 of15)
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Health insurance covers transgender surgeries in very few cases. Some people have fewer surgeries than they would like because of the high prices. Still other trans people elect not to have surgery at all because they simply do not want to.For a long time, and still in many places today, people refer to some transgender surgery as "sex-change" surgery. Later on came the less-harsh sounding "sex-reassignment surgery." Today, more and more people are realizing that surgery for trans people is not a gender "reassignment" but rather an affirmation of the gender that a person has always been. Gender-affirming surgery seems to be the most accurate reflection of this. (credit:Alamy)
8. Hormonal Transition(08 of15)
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For trans women, taking hormones is a two-step process. To help feminize a genetic male, it is very important to suppress production of testosterone. The other step that transgender women frequently take is the administration of estrogen, which is the chief hormone at work in biological females.Unlike their male-to-female counterparts, trans men do not have to take any estrogen-suppressing substances as part of their hormone treatments. Testosterone (called simply "T" in the female-to-male community) is a powerful hormone. The raising of testosterone levels in a trans man overpowers existing estrogen levels. (credit:Alamy)
9. Transgender Children(09 of15)
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There can't really be transgender children, can there? Kids can't know for sure how they feel when they're really young, right? Wrong. Gender identity is thought to be solidified by age 6. This does not mean that children absolutely, positively know how they identify by that age. It simply means that their gender identity is there. If it doesn't match up with the sex they were assigned at birth, then that will start to manifest itself in different ways.Image via libertygrace0 on Flickr.com (credit:Flickr: libertygrace0)
10. Sex, Gender And Nature(10 of15)
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Many plants and animals can be both male and female, biologically speaking, at the same time or at different points in their lives. In a comparison of 34 postmortem human brains, scientists found that the part of the brain comprising a small group of nerve cells thought to pertain to gender and sexuality were similar in trans women and non-trans women. Although the study only had one trans man's brain, it found that group of nerve cells to be similar to that of a non-trans man. Perhaps Dr. Milton Diamond put it best when he said, "Biology loves variation. Biology loves differences. Society hates it." (credit:Jennifer Levo/Nick Teich)
11. Transgenderism As A Mental Health Issue(11 of15)
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Gender identity disorder (GID) appears in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), which is the American Psychiatric Association's official diagnostic book. GID, soon to be changed to gender dysphoria in the DSM 5, is classified as a mental health condition in which a person desires to be the "opposite" sex of that assigned to him or her at birth. Due to its criteria, many trans people fall under this diagnosis.Update: The latest edition of the mental health manual used by psychiatrists to diagnose disorders reveals a change in thinking on gender identity. The perspective change is similar to a decision made in 1973, when the American Psychiatric Association eliminated homosexuality from its disorders' list. See more here. (credit:Jennifer Levo/Nick Teich)
12. The Bathroom Debacle (12 of15)
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Imagine resigning yourself to not ever using the bathroom in a public place. For trans people, this is often a reality. Those who are in transition or do not pass on the outside as "clearly male" or "clearly female" are thrown out of both men's and women's restrooms on a daily basis. Some places provide "unisex" or "family" restrooms, but the majority do not. If a transperson wants to go out and enjoy a concert, sporting event, or simply a day outside the home, he or she must make concessions that most people never have to think about. (credit:Jennifer Levo/Nick Teich)
13. Lesser-Known Types Of Transgenderism: Genderqueerism(13 of15)
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People often find the notion of genderqueerism difficult to understand. They may hear that a genderqueer person is in between male and female, or is neither, but they may continue to ask, "OK, so what sex or gender does that make them, really?" This is where it is perhaps most difficult to live as a genderqueer person. The constant explanations that sometimes get nowhere can be frustrating and disheartening for genderqueer people. (credit:Alamy)
14. Transgender By The Numbers(14 of15)
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Unfortunately there is no major consensus on the number of transgender people in the United States or the world today. Hard-and-fast statistics are lacking for a couple of reasons. One is that many trans people are not out and are either living as trans behind closed doors or living stealthily, meaning that people do not know that they were born differently than they appear now. Another reason for the lack of statistics is that so many different varieties of transgenderism fall under the umbrella term that it is hard to discern which subcategories should actually be statistically counted as transgender and which should not. (credit:Jennifer Levo/Nick Teich)
15. Parting Words(15 of15)
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In America we have seen that teenage suicide because of bullying has reached epidemic proportions. Many of these kids are LGBT, and most of them are taunted due to some component of their gender expression. I hope that you will talk to others about what you have learned about transgenderism. No one should have to suffer because of who he or she is, but we know that reality tells us differently. People have been bullied and persecuted for who they are since the dawn of time. But we are not defenseless. The more education that is out there about what is means to be different, the better. (credit:Alamy)
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