Your Lie. My partial truth.

            Obviously, for a very long time I was ashamed of telling anyone the truth. I was afraid of what people would think. So for the longest time, the only people who knew besides my doctors and I were my mom, father, step-father, and grandma. To everyone else, whether they asked or I thought I should tell them, I lied. I guess I didn’t completely lie, but I didn’t completely tell the truth; just half of the truth.

            I would tell them that I didn’t have a working reproductive system. This meant that I could never have kids, or periods or anything. And I would say that I have to take medicine to help with my estrogen. If I were really close to you, I would tell you that I was born without a reproductive system at all. So as you can see, I never told anyone what was wrong with me. Just shortened versions.

            How could I expect others to understand and accept it, when I was ashamed of it myself. It wasn’t until recently that I realized I had nothing to be ashamed of. It was nothing I did. It was nothing I could control. It’s genetic. I’m still a woman, even though my DNA says otherwise. Gender is much more than just what your chromosomes say. My favorite example that I have heard involves filling out applications. When I am filling out paperwork, and I come across that section that asks for sex, I never hesitate. I check female every time. There is no question about it in my mind. I am a woman.