Non-binary (femandrogyne) transgender feminist software developer from Somerville, Massachusetts. zie/zir
It made for a rough evening, the night before New Years’ Eve 2014, as I read a story of a trans woman who took her own life. I couldn’t make it through the story on first reading, but after the second I proclaimed my existence and intentions all the more…
I stripped away anything I thought might trigger an alert, including my boots. I fully expected the usual admonishment. But I had a rejoinder ready for “You may leave your shoes on”. However, no one addressed me until I was at the front of the queue at the airport security…
The signs ahead of me presented a choice, as had the journey to this point. I paused and snapped a picture before heading under the sign marked “HARRISBURG”, while watching “OHIO” flick past beside me.
The bicycle beckoned. “My body aches to be used,” I explained.
It did. The exercise of my body’s raw force brought benefits of mental health, of improved fitness, of a way to enjoy the beautiful day, and even of better sleep.
It’s been nearly a year now since I marched out of the City-County Building in Pittsburgh, flush with a court order, around town to update my identity documents. I fought hard for a new name — and a new gender. The spike heels I’d paired with my red polka-dotted…