YOU ARE CIS
A downloadable mirror portrait
You aren't tired.
You aren't confused.
You aren't scared.
You aren't hurting.
You aren't hushed.
You aren't hiding.
You aren't running.
You aren't searching.
You aren't empty.
You are cis.
What else could you be?
A rushed, raw reflection on lived and observed experiences.
Contains strong themes of transphobia.
363 words.
Download
Development log
- This isn't "the normal me."Apr 11, 2022
Comments
Log in with itch.io to leave a comment.
This is fantastic! It covers my feelings post-transition so freaking well. It even captures the weird, fleeting "why be pretty? Pretty is a huge chore, and I can probably pull off handsome way easier..." when the answer is simply "I wanna be pretty dang it!" And every transphobic thought my mind threw my way as I accepted who I was.
I'm so glad most of those feelings are over a year in the past, but this was a wonderful reminder in a wonderful way of how far I've come. And how far I hope everyone comes :D
- ✨Beth (formerly Charlie)
Aww, thanks Beth! I'm so glad you've found your way! 🥹 It sure can be a struggle, but hopefully one everyone can learn to overcome. 💖
Absolutely! And putting a spotlight on the fact that these feelings are normal is so helpful. I feel like that was my biggest hurdle: "all of my trans friends look so pretty or handsome, and I look.... just like I did a month ago, but in a skirt." It's easy to not realize so many people have these thoughts or struggle with an inner voice for like.... forever.
Thank you for writing this and putting it out there.
I’ve been dealing with similar thoughts and it’s comforting to know it isn’t just me. Too often I’ve held on to those echoes — from myself or others — that mostly just harm me. Feeling I had to ensure they never faded to silence, or I might fail at keeping up the mask. I’ll try to create some echoes that are helpful, instead.
I hope your journey is going well. <3
I am so glad that this resonated with you! 💚 Yes, it can be quite hard to break the habit of telling ourselves what we've so often heard, especially when thrown at us with such force... But I too have been learning how to replace those voices with ones that truly bring value to my life, instead of simply declaring it.
Though this road has many rough patches, always know that you are far from the only one to travel it. Hopefully with enough footprints, we'll wear it flat for future travelers together. 😊