Quote Originally Posted by KatrinaK View Post
8) Desexualize it. This was a big one. As I learned to accept my real self, it kind of desexualized itself.
I think this is perhaps the most important one. As much as some of us would like to keep this part of it, this is also a curse and scares us from doing it. I don't have a lot of experience, but I'm trying to push myself recently. Last weekend I decided to put on nails when I got home on Friday thinking I didn't really have anything to do the next day. I was wrong, I had a package to drop off at the post office. I went out in total boy mode with french nails. Used the kiosk instead of going to the counter. Had a nail fall off, casually picked it up off the floor and nobody noticed. Drove home with success. Fixed my nail, and then decided to push it further. Drove to the grocery store where I'd be more exposed. Hid my hands at first, but then calmed down and realized nobody was probably going to notice (not like I was wearing bright pink nail polish). Went to check out, more exposed because I was putting groceries onto the belt in front of other people. Thought I was all in the clear, then I see a co-worker walk by looking for a good aisle to check out. Fortunately not only was a family already behind me loading up, but I managed to not make eye contact. I could only imagine if he recognized me and waved and I couldn't wave back. Next time I go to a grocery store that isn't near people I know :-)