(I am meeting my boyfriend’s family for the first time. He warns me that his mother is very mother-hennish. Here’s what happens when I approach the front door. It’s worth noting that I have a unisex name.)

Boyfriend: “Hey, Mom and Dad, I want you to meet my… girlfriend.”

(When I walked in the door, they had a giant poster with the LGBTQ symbol on it, saying, “Celebrating [My Name] and [Boyfriend], who finally came out of the closet!” The look on their faces was enough to make any girl doubt her relationship when they saw that I’m a skirt-wearing, female-born girl. Later on, though, they apologized for the confusion, but I never went over to their house again, and we broke up six months later.)

(I go to a Catholic all-girls private high school. As I’m FTM trans, I can’t be “publicly” out without risking expulsion and being forcefully outed to my parents. Despite this, most everyone I’m friends with knows and is cool and respectful about it. In my sophomore year, this happens when I decide to tell one of my newer freshman friends about it.)

Me: “So, my name isn’t actually [Deadname] but [Chosen Name], and I mostly use masculine pronouns.”

(I guess at this point she realizes that she’s been unknowingly misgendering me for the past three or so months we’ve known each other and kind of freaks out.)

Friend: “Oh, OH! I’M SO SORRY, ‘HE.’ I WON’T DO IT AGAIN!”

Me: “Sweetheart, that’s not how pronouns work.”

(Thankfully, she’s learned how to use grammar far more effectively since then!)

(My best friend is questioning bisexuality. I am asexual. We are both female. This happens over text.)

Friend: “I’m gonna take a shower, babe.”

Friend: “BRB! I SWEAR I TYPED BRB!”

Me: *laughing*

Friend: “Oh, my gosh, even my phone thinks I’m a lesbian!”

(I came out to my parents a few days ago, and after the advisement of my mum, I had decided not to tell my grandparents just yet. I get a phone call from my grandmother today.)

Grandmother: “You b*****d! You should’ve come out to me first. Your mum’s just tried to get £100 out of me by betting you were gay!” 

(I could hear my mum cackling in the background.)

(My friend and I are both transgender. Every month, we go to the theater together, and we always eat at a certain fancy restaurant beforehand. We have a very sweet regular waitress who has addressed us as women from the start. One night, an elderly gentleman at a nearby table calls our waitress over.)

Elderly Man: “You realize that those two are men, right? Why are you calling them ‘ma’am’?”

Waitress: “I don’t know what you’re talking about, sir.”

Elderly Man: *louder* “They’re men in dresses! They may be queer, but you should still call them ‘sir.’”

Waitress: “They look like ladies to me, sir. And they’ve never told me otherwise.”

(Later:)

Waitress: “So, how is everything, ladies?”

Me: “It’s wonderful, and thank you for what you said to that man.”

Waitress: *blushing* “I don’t know what you’re talking about, ma’am.”

(We left a huge tip that night.)

This story is part of the Pride Month 2023 roundup!

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