My mother told me this morning that while she did have an ultrasound while pregnant with me, they wouldn't tell her my sex by policy back then. So I asked how anyone knew I'm male and apparently it was in fact revealed at birth by a method called "look down, see penis." 1/9

I was aghast. "You mean there isn't a shadowy cabal of doctors in a worldwide conspiracy to arbitrarily assign a gender to each and every baby, sentencing them with the stroke of a pen to a life sentence in gender prison?!" 2/9

She then asked me if I was off my meds but confirmed that in fact, there is no such grand conspiracy. But why then, friends, have I been constrained into a box my entire life by Society™, if not for that M on my birth certificate or the dangly doodle betwixt my legs? 3/9

The answer of course is that I haven't. I'm an individual, not a mass-produced representation of men. Some things considered masculine apply to me & I do many things other men also do, but the only cage societal expectations can put you in is only enforced in your own mind. 4/9

I'm generally a fairly nerdy masculine on the scale, completely indifferent to team sports but really interested in technology. Aside from a handful of rude comments, not much was ever said about me being masculine in some areas and others not. No one cares & I'm still a man. 5/9

Seriously, for the most part society doesn't give a shit about your gender nonconformity. Bullies will zero in on whatever you're insecure about, but if you're not bothered by it they have no power. None of this is enforced by anything other than judgmental comments. So what? 6/9

Be a dude who wears a dress and lipstick if you want, or ride a motorcycle and wear short hair as a woman. Whatever blows your hair back! Your sex doesn't dictate everything you have to be. But save me this talk about how either of those two examples aren't male or female. 7/9

You aren't some brilliant revolutionary just because you dress or act in ways uncommon to your sex. You didn't invent androgyny, cupcake. And frankly you're not oppressed just because your family thinks it's weird or disapproves. 8/9

Some of us are wired to break moulds and make hamburgers of sacred cows. If that's you, lean into your inner freak. Own it. There's really no one stopping you except your own insecurity. But do us all a favour & quit strutting around like you've transcended biology itself. ~Fin