I changed my pronouns two years ago. I cut my hair ten months ago. I picked up my testosterone a week ago. I went to Starbucks before work five minutes ago, and there, working, was someone I’d last seen five years ago. They had a mustache. They didn’t have one five years ago. I read their nametag. Their name was different five years ago. I waited three minutes for my drink. In the two seconds they had to hand me my drink, they looked at the name on my nametag and grinned. My name was different five years ago, too.
Alyx Gilbertson is a part-time student at Diablo Valley College in California. They are an English major and write in their free time.