I did my best to match my lip color to my earrings and dress, but as I walked around my neighborhood taking pictures and trying to pick out which ones to post, something shifted internally.

I've been bashed and worse for dressing this body in feminine clothes. Women in my local sapphic community also generally prefer me in masc fashion. So, I spent the lion's share of my time since I've come out in masc or androgynous looks due to those traumas and pressures.

But I'm looking at the woman in these shots, and I can finally see how wrong the people who put me through that were. My obvious transness, the very thing I blamed their horrible behavior on, is what I love in these pictures. It's what's gorgeous about me, it's what's strong about me, and it goes with the cut of this dress.

I'll probably always rock masc and androgynous looks, I love how I look in a button up and skinny jeans as much as in my very masc construction clothes. But I know now that I can do it when I want to, not because I have to.

Hoping every trans woman and trans femme in here stays, and keeps posting. Seeing and appreciating y'all's fashion and beauty helped me mend my way to here.