“Facing myself in the mirror is like that. If I never cut my hair, if I don't acknowledge that I've never allowed anyone to really know me, I can pretend that a perfect road awaits me. I can pretend there's some medicine that will magically allow me to see myself. But going down that road might mean discovering that there is no magic strong enough to bring me into harmony. Breaking the illusion means acknowledging the parts of myself that will never be visible.” FearShameGenderBoundariesSelf AcceptanceWallsTrans Bodies Book:The Thirty Names of Night Source: The Thirty Names of Night
“I've been afraid of the knot of shame that was tied in my belly then: the shame of earnest belief. Don't let them see the thing you love, I wanted to shout at you, but it was too late. I wanted to cover your mouth. I'd already learned from my father and my bullies that believing in something, for people like you and me, was a punishable crime.” FearShameBullying Book:The Thirty Names of Night Source: The Thirty Names of Night