Haiku For Those Who Say My Wearing Skirts Perpetuates Stereotypes

This is another single phrase written on Facebook that turned into a short post here.

The phrase became haiku dedicated to that section of society for whom a trans woman can't win no matter what she wears, how she acts, or who she is.  These are the people who tell me I'm living according to gender roles set down by a repressive patriarchal society and that I'm a backward thinker standing between women and progress.

They're wrong of course!  Totally wrong.

I don't give a damn about enforcing gender stereotypes.  I don't believe in gender roles.  I don't even believe in gendered clothing.  I think the societal rules about genders and pieces of cloth are all a bit stupid.  I believe in people wearing what they want - as long as it doesn't cause too much offence.  I believe in them doing what they want and breaking glass ceilings and

Thankfully I don't meet these people that often. I didn't meet them today. Or if I did they were kind enough not to say anything out of place.

Thankfully it's not often I'm attacked for my dress sense or for my interests. Thankfully, most of the time I meet the same kind of broad acceptance as I did when I lived outwardly as a man.

Thanks everyone for the support and safety that's been generally offered to me since that very scary time four years ago when I spoke the truth. Thanks for making it much easier than I thought it would be to be me. Not easy, especially earlier in transition. But much easier.

You perpetuate

Gross gender stereotypes

By being yourself.

That's what's said to me.

That I stand for man's sexism.

My crime: I wear skirts.

They've no right at all

To dictate what I should wear.

They are the sexists.

Proud, they stand between

A woman and her free choice

To wear what she wants.

No apologies!

I like my clothes. Honestly,

I look good in them.

No point arguing,

Or changing to satisfy

Their pointing fingers.

If I dressed less "femme"

Their fists would keep on shaking

New accusations.

You're not trying hard

Enough. This proves to us you're

Not a proper woman.

With no victory

I will point out their error

And rest. Just be me.