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transcross-posted to my own journal
As I was headed into my counselor's office yesterday I noticed someone else ahead of me on the stairs (her office is on the 3rd floor and most take the elevator). I had my standard "secluded spot, alone with stranger(s)" reaction - I stuck my hand in my jacket pocket and held onto my pepperspray.
Turns out I catch up with the people - it's a girl (maybe 9-10 years old - I suck at estimating kids' ages) and her father. They were going slow because she's counting the stairs (apparently 46, btw)and lost count for a second. They get to the top first and her dad holds the door for me. I follow them down the hall and into Dr. Kim's office.
Now, I'm wearing jeans, a grey paisley on black button down shirt undone a couple buttons over a grey tank, and sneakers. My hair is fairly long and loose (see user pic - but that is 2 months ago). I'm wearing eyeliner. Plain ("masculine") silver hoop earrings. On a scale of my "butchest" to "femmiest" (jessi's terms, but they work) I'm about middle of the road. I'm not trying, but I'm not in guy mode either.
The dad goes and talks to the office manager in her office, leaving me with a little kid in the waiting room. I sit down and look around for a magazine (Time, normally). The kid is staring at me, but that's fairly standard. But then:
"Are you a boy or a girl?"
As I said, I'm definitely in between, appearance wise, and this kid is vocalizing what a lot of people are noticing and guessing at. Could have knocked me over with a feather. Anyways, I answered "Good question. I'm a boy."
"But you look like a girl with long hair and everything".
"Thank you." thank you, you just made my day.
"I have a friend at school, he has long hair. I thought he was a girl at first, but he's a boy too."
As she is saying this last part her counselor comes out to get her and looks me in the eye and smiles. She overheard the last sentence as she approached. I wave "bye" and wait for Dr. Kim (who is out in less than 15 seconds).
If her dad had been there, she wouldn't have talked to me or he would have shooshed her (most likely). I make grown ups nervous and kids curious.
I wanted to answer differently, but educating strangers' children about gender variance didn't seem like the best idea.
Anyways, that's it - my first direct "WTF?" about my appearance. Really little kids (3-4) have always asked why I haveboth ears pierced, but that's more of a noticeing something that doesn't compute. This girl thought about it and was confused enought to ask.
As I was headed into my counselor's office yesterday I noticed someone else ahead of me on the stairs (her office is on the 3rd floor and most take the elevator). I had my standard "secluded spot, alone with stranger(s)" reaction - I stuck my hand in my jacket pocket and held onto my pepperspray.
Turns out I catch up with the people - it's a girl (maybe 9-10 years old - I suck at estimating kids' ages) and her father. They were going slow because she's counting the stairs (apparently 46, btw)and lost count for a second. They get to the top first and her dad holds the door for me. I follow them down the hall and into Dr. Kim's office.
Now, I'm wearing jeans, a grey paisley on black button down shirt undone a couple buttons over a grey tank, and sneakers. My hair is fairly long and loose (see user pic - but that is 2 months ago). I'm wearing eyeliner. Plain ("masculine") silver hoop earrings. On a scale of my "butchest" to "femmiest" (jessi's terms, but they work) I'm about middle of the road. I'm not trying, but I'm not in guy mode either.
The dad goes and talks to the office manager in her office, leaving me with a little kid in the waiting room. I sit down and look around for a magazine (Time, normally). The kid is staring at me, but that's fairly standard. But then:
"Are you a boy or a girl?"
As I said, I'm definitely in between, appearance wise, and this kid is vocalizing what a lot of people are noticing and guessing at. Could have knocked me over with a feather. Anyways, I answered "Good question. I'm a boy."
"But you look like a girl with long hair and everything".
"Thank you." thank you, you just made my day.
"I have a friend at school, he has long hair. I thought he was a girl at first, but he's a boy too."
As she is saying this last part her counselor comes out to get her and looks me in the eye and smiles. She overheard the last sentence as she approached. I wave "bye" and wait for Dr. Kim (who is out in less than 15 seconds).
If her dad had been there, she wouldn't have talked to me or he would have shooshed her (most likely). I make grown ups nervous and kids curious.
I wanted to answer differently, but educating strangers' children about gender variance didn't seem like the best idea.
Anyways, that's it - my first direct "WTF?" about my appearance. Really little kids (3-4) have always asked why I haveboth ears pierced, but that's more of a noticeing something that doesn't compute. This girl thought about it and was confused enought to ask.