Forums and social networks enable people to come together around shared interests and causes. For transgender people they can also be an invaluable source of community. Part 2 of TransGuys’ Finding Community Online series highlights a selection of forum and social networking sites for trans men.

Forums for Transgender Men

T-Vox
A large and active forum offering support and social connection for genderqueer, intersex and transsexual people as well as their friends and family.

TransDude
An online community for transmen, FTMs, genderqueers, and their allies, ages 13 and up, to discuss issues related to gender and sexuality.

What Is Gender?
A support forum for transgendered, non-binary, and significant others.

FTM UK
Support forum for trans men from around the world.

TransFriendly
A virtual meeting place where all kinds of conversation can take place in an environment that is trans friendly.

Laura’s Playground
This community has been around for several years, and the FTM sub-forums are very active.

Susan’s
Another older community, Susan’s FTM section is also quite active.

CrossDressers.com
The scope of this community is larger than the name suggests, and you’ll find a good dose of FTM discussion going on, including a number of private, invite-only sub-forums.

Social Networks for Transgender Men

The Men’s Room
This is a private social networking community exclusively for transgender men. You’ll find a fast growing International membership offering support, advice and friendship.

TransQueer Nation – A popular private network for Transgender, Gender Queer, FTM, MTF, Androgynous, Gender Fluid, Non-Binary / Non-Gender Identifying, Transsexual, Pan sexual, Questioning, Queer, Spouses, Partners, Allies, Friends and GLBTQ Supporters. (75% of the citizens of TQ Nation are Trans Guys).

TQ Nation is built on the Ning social network platform. Others include:

• Frat Bois (new in 2010)
• Beef Heads (new in 2010) – Fitness, weight lifting, nutrition for trans guys.
• Transmen and Friends – A social network for transgender and transsexual men (FTMs), and people interested in dating trans men. (Thx Ian)
• FTM Social – An open social group for FTMs.
• The Definition – A network for masculine identified women and trans men.
• gender blender – A network for Trans + Gender Variant Persons,  Friends and Allies to share ideas, art, events and culture.

GenderVoice
A central location for the transgendered community and supporters to come together in a safe environment, free from discrimination, to network and foster friendships.

TransPassions
A free online dating and social networking community for the transgendered community, MTF and FTM transsexuals, transvestites/ cross-dressers, drag queens, drag kings, female impersonators, male impersonators and everyone else who loves the trans community.

FTM Mentors
This is a unique community where members can search for a local FtM friend to either mentor or to find an FtM to turn to for support.

YouTube
There’s a very active community of FTM vloggers on YouTube. Sadly, YouTube’s Group features have been poorly implemented and aren’t used by very many people. Smaller FTM communities are also developing on other video sharing sites such as Vimeo.

Facebook
Like YouTube, Facebook’s Group features are lacking and the result is a dense mass of transgender related Facebook Groups with little or no activity. While you may need to sift through a large number of defunct Groups, you’ll also find Groups for trans guys that have memberships of 1000+ and a high level of engagement. There are also numerous Fan Pages for transgender related websites and brands.

LiveJournal
LJ hosts a number of FTM communities such as FTM International’s FTM group, TransCanada, and TransToronto.

Do you know about other forums and social networks for trans men? Please leave your comments below. In particular, it would be great to see this list expanded with International, non-English speaking forums and social networks.

Also see: Finding Community Online Part 1: Twitter, Finding Community Online Part 3: Mailing Lists