"What are your preferred gender pronouns?"

Yes, that's a legit question today, and no, it's not meant to be offensive. Perhaps you, or someone you know is struggling with gender and/or sexual identity issues. It is, after all, a very private topic that people tend to avoid because it's uncomfortable to talk about - and maybe even a little frightening for some.

While I don't profess to be an expert on the subject matter, I do have a lived experience of being a gender-fluid individual. Growing up as a gender non-conforming child, I had my share of verbal and physical abuse from people who were conditioned to believe that gender and sexuality are anything but fluid. For a time I resented them - and resented myself for being this way - and so coming to terms with my own identity had been as much a journey of self-discovery as a lesson on compassion. My wish is for you to start being kind to yourself and share your struggles with someone. Let me hear you out.

And in RuPaul's famous words, "If you don't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?"