Look at Me; Ignore Me

Hannah's thoughts on going out in public:

When I am out en femme, I scan every store I walk into. I am not only checking to make sure I am not going to see anyone that I know, but I am also sizing up the people that I will be shopping with. Being obviously trans, I know the world isn’t as safe or as friendly as we would like it to be, and being aware of your surroundings is an absolute must.

For the most part, my adventures have been either incredibly affirming or remarkably boring. Of course, there has been the occasional negative experience, but those have been (thankfully) few and far between. People do stare, people do look over their shoulders, people do double-takes. And really, that’s okay. I stand out, not only as a t-girl, but also because I am over six feet tall, wearing high heels and a super cute dress. I am waaaay overdressed for Target.

Yesterday’s errands brought a new perspective to all this. As I wandered around the store, I noticed a t-girl doing her shopping as well. She was tall (aren’t we all), had amazing eye makeup, and a cute outfit. I noticed her because of her outfit and makeup, but also, to be honest, she is trans.

I noticed her in the same way you might notice someone who is wearing a t-shirt of your favorite band on it. We had something in common, but she had no idea that we did.