losing community is especially hard for trans folks, because it's the only place I was seen as me.
in real life, i know the reason i will get acknowledged as a woman is because of (appreciated!) active effort, not because they can actually see me as one.
for my family, i know *this* me is a thin layer atop decades of a me that I struggle not to detest.
when meeting new people, not experiencing the pause. ~10 seconds of silence when meeting someone new while they try to understand what i am.
