This was another assignment from the writing course I am taking. It is to describe a scene that evokes strong emotions for your readers. All these scenes that I am writing about are scenes that I want to write a fiction book about growing up transgender. Remember, these are just brief scenes, not stories. Here is what I wrote for this assignment…

When Missy was nine years old, her clothes repulsed her. The hearts and flowers stood out as needles in her skin. Her leggings squeezed her leg like a thick fog surrounding her body, threatening to cut off the circulation of her blood. She longed for the freedom of loose jeans that drew her body in ways that brought relief. They would make it easier to play baseball in the streets with her friends, but her mom, dad, and brother had a look that penetrated deep within her.

Her hair was cut so short, shocked that Mom let her keep it that short, but they stood oblivious to the inner turmoil she was feeling. Their eyes were pierced with rejection, especially from her father and brother. Missy’s dad stood her in front of a mirror naked that felt vulnerable and exposed, and told her, “You know, you are a girl. Look at your body. Start acting like a girl,” which made her stomach turn, almost to the point of throwing up. The humiliation and shame were like a block of ice in her throat, threatening to be suffocating.

Her reflection in the mirror was someone else’s reflection. She had no emotional connection to her physical body parts. Missy’s reflection was a stranger she didn’t recognize. Despite her dad’s words, she quickly put on her baggy jeans, which were like a fresh bit of air in her lungs, and the plaid button-up shirt that called out to her like a loud trumpet within a symphony. The blue and white were a fresh scent to her senses. She once again felt the freedom that she neglected to feel looking at the stranger in the mirror.