Strength and Femininity Go Hand in Hand.

My name is Kirsten. I'm a young woman from Arizona, USA, and I have been clinically diagnosed with anxiety and depression. I'm only a kid, really, but I've certainly felt dismissed or misunderstood by people; especially the men in my life. I recall from a really young age, being ridiculed by classmates for wearing dresses, or simply indulging in traditionally feminine behaviors. I wanted the approval of my male classmates, and didn't really understand the differences between male and female that society has instilled within classrooms. So, I tried to be like them, and everything I did as a kid was for others to like me. I wasn't developing an identity that was true to myself, but rather an identity based off of what men wanted from me. But when I was around nine or ten, I recognized one of the first things that I truly could associate with who I was. I developed a huge crush on a girl in my class, and came to the realization that I was gay. It was a refreshing and authentic aspect of myself that, as it turned out, many around me shared that too. Of course, being a woman attracted to women completely surrounded me with femininity, and all of the different variants of it, along with all of the wonderful women portraying masculine behavior as well. It kind of made me realize, oh. I don't have to make sure that men like me. And with all of the endless diversity in the WLW community, it quickly became clear to me that I wouldn't have to pretend to be someone I wasn't in order to find love and acceptance; the whole point of coming out is to be your authentic self, after all, regardless of what others expect from you. Coming out wasn't exactly a horrible experience, either. Even though all of my family is quite religious and always wanted me to settle down, get a husband and become a housewife, they soon kindly accepted that this was who I was; and I am forever grateful for the support of my parents and sister. I believe that this point in my life really changed my viewpoint on personality, womanhood, and the world around me. It turns out that, to truly enjoy life, you have to understand yourself and be in touch with your emotions. And, while nothing is perfect, I am beginning to become more comfortable in my own skin. Learning to love yourself, to love the woman that you are is really important, to me at least. And now, wearing a pink dress or expressing my emotions doesn't feel forbidden. Now I pursue passions that I truly enjoy, such as art, guitar, fashion, music, beauty, and poetry or writing. Especially art, honestly. I enjoy it so much, and love analyzing drawings and paintings. I'm also really getting into cinematography. Not because someone else wants me to, but because I want to. And I think that's pretty cool.