Panel 1
A panel with a background of white at the top changing to pitch black at the bottom. The white portion of the panel has small black lines in uneven rows which become progressively densely packed. The words “it’s not a” are one below the other on the left side of the panel. The word “race” is on the right side of the panel. All words are yellow in color.
Text: It’s not a race.
Panel 2
A panel with black colored background with small faint stars dotted across the panel. On the upper right end of the panel, there is one white circle with two black slashes denoting eyes and one black slash denoting a smiling mouth with six projections arising from the circle. Each of the projections has two smaller projections on either side. On the left bottom of the panel, there is a thicker, smaller circle with two black slashes denoting eyes and one black slash denoting a smiling mouth. There are five thick projections arising from the circle. Each of the projections has one smaller projection on either side.
Text: It was March, 2015.
Panel 3
A picture of a person standing with one arm held close to the body. The arm is raised at the elbow with the index finger pointing up and the rest of the fingers fisted. The other arm is held away from the body. The elbow is bent and the fingers are on the thighs. The person is wearing eyeglasses. The eyes are rounded and wide open, staring straight ahead. The mouth is twisted up on one side. The person is sporting a mustache and beard. The person is wearing a top with short sleeves and a V neck.
Text: I had just come out online as transgender.
Person: Or more specifically “genderqueer!”
I also would have been wearing a sweater.
Panel 4
A picture of two people – the person in the foreground is sitting in front of a computer and looking into it. The person is sporting a mustache and beard. One arm is held down and slightly away from the body. The other arm is going across the body to the shoulder and holding to the wrist of the person in the background. The person in the background is standing to the side and back of the person sitting. This person is wearing eyeglasses. One arm is thrown over the shoulder of the person who is sitting on one side. The other hand is resting on the shoulder of the person who is sitting. One side of the face is seen. The person’s mouth is near the ear of the person who is sitting.
Text: To my shock, hundreds of people showed their approval.
Panel 5
The panel shows a person’s head and shoulder on the right lower corner. The person is wearing eyeglasses. The eyes are shut. There is a smiling look on the face. The person is sporting a mustache and beard. There are two hearts to the right of the person to the side of the head and one heart on the left.
Text: It was lovely!
Panel 6
A picture of a person looking into a mirror. There is a wash basin which has small hair scattered within the basin. Two daisy taps on either side of the wash basin can be seen. One fisted hand is holding an electric razor while the other hand is fisted tightly. The mouth is open wide and downturned. Teeth are showing. The eyes are narrowed.
Text: With such support I decided to learn what presenting as female was all about.
Person: Yeah!
Panel 7
This is a four picture collage within the collage. The first picture is that of a box of eye shadow with brush. The second picture is of a tube of lipstick. The third is a picture of a bottle of nail polish with brush. The fourth picture shows a dress with short sleeves and a waving design on the neck.
Text: I bought makeup.
Lipstick
Nail Polish
New Clothes!
Panel 8
A picture of the back of a person standing straight with both hands held down, close to the body. There are clothes lying on the floor to the left of the person. There is an open shopping bag with double handles, an oval closed bag with a handle, and a box of tissues with one tissue protruding out to the right of the person.
Text: In my bedroom I put it all together. …and?
Panel 9
A picture of a person with a sad face. The hands are held in front with the forefingers of both hands touching each other.
Panel 10
A picture of a person’s head and neck. There is a disgusted look on the face of the person. The person has pink color across the cheeks and nose. The lips are colored pink, too. The mouth is turned down. The eyes are rounded, wide open with a distressed look.
Person: I’m a monster!
Panel 11
A picture of a person in the center of the collage at the top with a sad, despairing look on the face. The eyes are rounded and wide open. The mouth is downturned.
Text: I fell under attack by a special cocktailof depression and internalized transphobia.
You know the story…
Panel 12
A collage within a collage with five panels. The first panel on the left at the top shows a picture of a person standing under a shower. The hair is plastered to the head. Droplets of water are dripping off the person.
Text: Lots of showers
Panel 13
The next panel on the right shows a person lying on a sofa covered with a blanket drawn up to the chin. The person is lying on the front with the face turned out. The person has a sad look on the face. One hand is lying outside of the blanket.
Text: Lethargy
Panel 14
The 3rd panel on the left bottom shows the partial head of a person on the right lower corner.
Text: Isolation
Person 1: Wanna hang out tonight?
Person: Errr…
Person: Raincheck?
Panel 15
This fourth panel on the right lower end shows a picture of a person on the left lower corner of the panel. The person has a haggard look. The mouth is open with the lower jaw jutting out. There is a shadow of a person on the right lower corner of the panel.
Text: Anguish
Person 1: Are you okay?
Person: I don’t know
Panel 16
A circular panel which runs across the corners of the four panels. Within this panel is the picture of a person with the mouth twisted in a grimace – the mouth is downturned at one corner with the teeth showing. The person is wearing eyeglasses and the eyes look shut.
Text: Anger
Panel 17
Text: It was like that for months.
Panel 18
A picture of a person sitting on a chair in reclining position. The hands are crossed in front and held between the legs. The legs are drawn up against the body. The head is turned to one side. The person has a small mustache and beard. The person is looking out of the corner of the eyes. There is a tired, contemplative look on the face. There is a focus lamp to the left of the panel. There is a table with a side table in front of the person. There is a computer machine, monitor, keyboard, mouse with mouse pad, a multipoint surge protector, and a couple of pens on the table. The side table holds a modem and a printer/scanner. The top drawer of the side table is open slightly and the edges of files can be seen. There is a window to the right and behind the person.
Text: Luckily I have smart friends.
Person 1: “You should take baby steps!”
Person: Baby steps?
Panel 19
A picture of a person sitting in front of a laptop computer. The person has hair cascading down the back in long curls. There is a fringe lying across the forehead. The person’s head is down bent, peering into the laptop. The person is wearing nose rings on both nostrils. The person is wearing one short chain and a long chain with a pendant.
Text: “My friend is slowly building up to presenting female.”
Panel 20
A picture of a person sitting on a high back chair in front of a computer. The person is looking down into the computer. The eyes are wide and round. The mouth is downturned. The person has a short mustache and beard.
Text: “She tried doing it all at once but found it was overwhelming.”
Panel 21
The first picture in this collage shows an engine of a train. The words “Obvious Express” is written on the side of the train. A person is seen partially, hugging the front end of the engine. One arm is wrapped around the side of the front end of the engine. One leg is also wrapped around the side of the front end of the engine.
Text: First of all. Duh?
Frt.
Panel 22
A picture of a person pushing an enormous boulder uphill in the left lower corner of the panel. The hill is shown as a green triangle while the background is black.
Text: I had always thought of gender transition as a massive undertaking.
Panel 23
A black background panel with the outline drawing of a bull. The bull is marked with lines traversing horizontally and vertically breaking the whole into smaller pieces which are numbered.
Text: But in breaking it down into bite sized pieces…
Panel 24
The panel shows a background of boxes in four rows and four columns with words written on them. Some of the words are partially seen. The words which are clearly seen are: boots, skirts, lip gloss, jeans, bracelets, nails, liner, tank tops, earrings. There is a picture of a person superimposed on the background. The person has one hand hanging down while the other is bent at the elbow and raised across the body on the opposite side with the index finger pointing towards the words in the background. The person’s mouth is slightly open. The eyes are rounded and wide open. The person has a determined, emphatic look on the face. The person has a mustache and beard.
Text: …I could explore on my own terms.
Person: I think I’ll do my nails today!
Panel 25
A set of three panels forming a collage within a collage.
The left panel shows the picture of a person with both hands folded across the front with one arms tucked into the other near the armpit. The person’s yes are closed and the mouth is open. The head is tilted slightly to one side. The person has a moustache and beard.
Text: Feminism was a huge help.
Not only could I confidently reject certain expectations?
Person: I don’t see why I have to wear mascara to feel pretty.
Panel 26
The right panel shows the picture of a person on the right lower corner of the panel. The person has the eyes closed. The person has a sublime expression on the face. The person has a mustache and beard. The person is holding a tube of lipstick fisted in one hand.
Text: But I began to draw strength from what I realized was a feminine side that was exclusive to me.
Person: I love how I look in lipstick though!
Panel 27
A third circular panel spread across both the edges of the left and right panels shows a picture of only a part of the face of a person. The person has wide open eyes with a ferociously angry look on the face. The mouth is wide open with the teeth showing.
Person: So there!
Panel 28
A picture of a person wearing a long flared skirt with a short, sleeveless tank top. The midriff shows body hair around the naval area. Both the hands are spread wide above the head. The person is wearing numerous bracelets on both hands. The hair is hanging long along the back. The person is wearing glasses which are in the shape of a heart. The person has a moustache and beard. The mouth is wide open. The person has a joyous expression on the face.
Person: Why should I shave? I don’t give a shit!
Woo.
Text: The results were fascinating!
Panel 29
A collage within a collage of four panels.
Text: What I learned was:
Panel 30
A picture of a person on the right side of the panel. The person is wearing a short sleeved dress with large polka dots with ruffles at the neck. The hair is long to down below the shoulder level. There is a butterfly shaped hair clip holding the hair in place on one side. Both the hands are thrust down and forward. The shoulders are slightly hunched. The lower slip is slightly protruding out.
Text: Some folk present entirely one way.
Panel 31
A picture of a person sitting. The person is wearing a cap with the word “yes” printed on it. The person is looking out of the corner of the eyes. The person has a mustache and beard. The hair is falling to the level just below the shoulder. The person is wearing an ear bob. The person is wearing a long sleeved jacket with the sleeves rolled up. The dress underneath has a low neckline. One leg is drawn up and one arm is resting on the knee.
Text: Others harmonize.
Panel 32
A picture of a person with a smiling face. The mouth is curved in a smile. The eyes are slightly narrowed and wide. The hair is long at the back with a fringe falling down the middle of the forehead. The person is wearing large earrings. The person is wearing a top with a medium high u cut neckline with a jacket on top.
Text: Some transition full throttle.
Person: I woke up like this!
Panel 33
A picture of a person looking slightly to the side. The mouth is open slightly. Teeth can be seen. The hair is cut in a short crew cut. The person is wearing a shift with tie and an over jacket.
Text: Others don’t.
Person: Almost. Not yet.
Panel 34
A panel with a background of white at the top changing to pitch black at the bottom. The white portion of the panel has small black lines in uneven rows which become progressively densely packed. The words “it’s not a” are one below the other on the left side of the panel. The word “race” is on the right side of the panel. All words are yellow in color. There is a picture of a person on the right corner of the panel. The person is wearing eyeglasses and has a wide smile across the face. The teeth can be seen. The person has a very happy expression on the face.
Text: And it’s fine if you don’t!
It’s not a Race.
Person: Love yourself!
