I received an email recently regarding this comic, so I decided to revisit it. This is a panel

I received an email recently regarding this comic, so I decided to revisit it. This is a panel from one of the comics in Gumballs. This panel makes me cringe with embarrassment. It brings me back to the fear of being caught. It’s my earliest memory of gender dysphoria. From childhood to adulthood, I would sometimes put a sock in my pants for a brief moment just to see what it looked like and felt like. I revealed my secret for the first time in this book. There are several memories I have like this one. There were plenty of times when I knew I was trans, but I repressed it deeply. I don’t know how I managed to do it for 32 years. I wish I had the visibility and the language that kids have today, but it’s better late than never. I’m thankful for the people who have made themselves visible throughout the years. I’m thankful for the advocates, the people who work to change laws, and for those who educate. Without them, I would still be hiding who I am.