A guide for transgender and gender expansive people and their allies

Tuck and Cover

Having a penis can make it hard (pardon the pun) to present as femme. Whether it’s to lessen dysphoria, perform in drag, or feel safer in public, people smooth and shape their crotches through a process called tucking. This post will be very NSFW because I won’t be beating around the bush (sorry).

Long story short, the goal is to push the testicles up inside the groin, pull back the penis between the legs, and hold it all together. There are many ways to tuck, with minor differences in what holds everything together. The first two steps are the same across each method, so let’s start there.

Tuck the Testes

A drawing of penis and testicles. Arrows indicate to push each testicle upward into the abdomen to demonstrate the first step of tuckingFirst we must make like squirrels and find out where to hide our nuts. When you’re first learning, lie down and try to gently push each testicle up toward your stomach until it fits inside. Lying down relaxes the muscles in that area and makes these pockets easier to find. Once you know where those are and what this feels like, you can try it while standing up.

Pull back the Penis

There’s not much to this other than to gently pull the penis and scrotum back between your legs until your crotch is smooth.

Keeping it Together

This is where the methods diverge. Let’s talk about a couple different ways to keep everything set in place. I’ll start with my personal method of choice.

Shapewear

Photo of underwear being used for this method

This is the easiest method of all because you simply wear a tight pair of panties. Shapewear also has the benefit of a slimming effect on the waist.

Starting from the beginning, put on the underwear most of the way. Follow the steps for tucking and pulling back, then hold everything together with one hand.

With the other hand, pull the briefs up until they pull everything tight and upward. You may have to tuck the briefs around the scrotum to comfortably and smoothly hide everything away. You could also do this with a couple pairs of underwear that are a size too small, although the shapewear will usually cost about the same and may be more comfortable.I demonstrate the final, not-so-flattering, result of tucking using shapewear

With practice, this can be simple, comfortable, and reasonably cheap (you can buy these online or most department stores for $5-10 each). I swear by these, but they don’t work for everybody. For example, this method doesn’t provide the tightest tuck and may be less effective for those with larger equipment. Also, shapewear are often high-waisted and may show panty lines, which may make them hard to wear with bikinis or tight dresses.

Making a Gaff

If you can’t afford to buy several days’ worth of shapewear or want something slightly tighter and more discreet, you may consider building a gaff out of a cheap pair of pantyhose (or an old pair of boxers) and a tube sock.

First cut out the waistband of a pair of pantyhose or underwear to get a ring of elastic.

Next cut the tube sock at the seam of the foot and ankle to harvest a tube of fabric 4-6 inches long.

Finally, pass the elastic band through the tube of fabric to create a sling. Place your feet and legs through the two holes and tuck the same way as with the shapewear.

I step one foot into one hole in the gaff.

A few notes on materials. When choosing the band, you may consider choosing a couple different colors to match different outfits. As for the tubes, avoid fuzzy socks as they tend to shrink in the wash, fray, and leave threads everywhere. You may consider hemming the edges of your tubes if you sew. In fact, those with sewing experience can buy elastic on its own and make the tube of fabric from a soft, stretchy material.

This method can give a very tight tuck and is extremely customizable. Those with sewing experience can even custom-make each component to suit their needs. However, these are also the weaknesses of a gaff. It can take a lot of trial and error to find what works best for you, and the tightness can be uncomfortable, especially while moving around for long periods of time.

I would also still recommend wearing another pair of underwear over the gaffe to prevent it from slipping (another problem) and to provide a backup just in case. You may also cut a pair of shorts from the remaining pantyhose to wear over the gaff for extra tightness and security.

Pro Gaffs

A model wears a bright red gaff, making the author a little hot and bothered

From crossdressbreastformstore.com

If you have the money, you can also shell out for underwear specifically designed for tucking.

I’ve never tried one before (they can cost $15-30 each), but they come in many sizes, colors, and styles (including thongs to avoid panty lines). Some even feature a pocket to slide the penis into for a tight tuck. Since these are built for the specific function of tucking, they’re worth looking into.

Tape

Personally, I’ve never used tape for tucking on a regular basis. It usually requires shaving regularly, can make bathroom breaks difficult, and isn’t ideal for long periods of time. However, tape can be very secure for short periods of time with lots of movement. That being said, be very careful putting it on. When you’re finished for the day, wash with warm, soapy water until it peels off on its own.

First, shave everywhere, including between your legs. Next, after making sure that you’re completely dry, wrap the penis in toilet paper to prevent tape contact with the skin. Run a strip of tape up and down the shaft of the penis.

Next form a triangle of tape out of three pieces, with the longest running to the back.

I take one long piece of duct tape then attach two shorter lengths diagonally to form a Y-shape structure of duct tape

Attach the wide side of the triangle to the crotch and pull the rest back through the legs, attaching the longest strip to your back. You may also choose to reinforce with cross strips of tape for extra security.

I show off the final tuck using the duct tape and feel slightly embarrassed how much of my crotch is on the internet

This method can be done with athletic tape or duct tape. Athletic tape is designed to come off skin easier, but it loses its stick when it touches moisture. Duct tape is beloved by drag queens the world over, but shouldn’t be worn immediately after shaving and should be taken off very gently.

Final Thoughts

There’s one more important note I want to make. There’s a reason your bits normally hang outside. Sperm form at slightly below body temperature. Since tucking brings the testicles inside the body, it may harm your ability to produce and store sperm. So if you would like to tuck on a regular basis and may possibly want to have biological children in the future, you may want to visit a sperm bank and save a sample for later, just in case.

Tucking can feel uncomfortable at first, but it becomes more natural over time. It may take some experimentation to figure out what works best for you. However, with time you can become as smooth as your tuck.

1 Comment

  1. Marion Smith

    Pantie liners are a lot easier to use and come in different sizes and
    styles along with ones that collect some water wastes collection
    not for a full load but a little sprinkle. They stick to the skin and stay on for hours. the ones that collect waste water l would use inside a larger pad
    to keep in place. You can do this with 2 for thongs one regular size
    plus if you want the leak protection one more. Cheap to purchase and use
    as the are always on sale some where

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