Yesterday I had a great Aha moment. I was on the L coming home after being at Market Days street festival where I volunteered at the booth for the Center on Halsted, a local LGBT organization, I was dressed in girl mode for the first time in day time and I had been a little apprehensive all day. As I got up to leave the train as it entered the station at my stop a middle aged woman who was with someone who may have been her daughter said to the younger woman something that I couldn't hear and then she said, "She wants to get off," meaning me. The younger one was blocking my path and had her back to me. I hadn't quite gotten close enough at that point to say anything to her, but of course I appreciated the other lady giving her the heads up that she needed to move aside so that I could pass. The train was crowded and there were a lot of people standing. As the train arrived and slowed to a stop I moved toward the door and the younger woman stepped to the side and allowed me to pass. I didn't look the older lady in the eye but offered a hushed thank you and quickly got off. Inwardly I thanked her profusely and felt genuinely gratified that a woman had seen my as a real girl. Before leaving home that afternoon I had given great thought to what I would wear and taken considerable time to do my makeup. It pleased me to no end that my first outing in full girl mode was such a success. My aha moment obviously was that I realize that it is vital to attend to every detail if I am going to be accepted as a woman in public. That includes my attitude and what I project toward others.
