As I write this I find myself embarking on a new journey. I am on my way to Boston Massachusetts to attend a class at the Harvard Kennedy school of Government.
At 59, it has been over 3 decades since I attended an actual university, and never one of such prestige and reputation.
But as I make my way to this adventure, I am painfully reminded of my other journey, the journey of becoming my true self.
I am no stranger to air travel. Pervious jobs regularly sent me around the globe. Presenting as a man brought unrealized advantages. When traveling in the middle seat, as I am today, the issue of my neighboring passengers occupying space beyond their given area was never an issue.
One stern look and they would suddenly become adept at making themselves fit completely within the confines of their seat.
Today I'm reminded that women do not quite add up in a male world. My neighbor traveler, a man in his 40's (I think),spreads out overlapping into my seat to the point where his body is in contact with mine from shoulder to waist.
I can't go any further the other way without taking space from the woman on my other side.
I give him the same look that worked like a charm before. I get a smile and a 'Crowded isn't it?' but no attempt to move.
I do not think he was a bad guy, I really think it just did not occur to him that I deserved equal space.
The point is that before I transitioned this never happened. Maybe it was guy on guy contact that was found unacceptable before, maybe it's just misogyny, Does not really matter, life is different now...