An Abstract
Yelling into the void can be exhausting. Looking for the parts of myself that I stored away for emergency preparedness and danger means finding the parts of me that scare... me. Doing all of this in a world that institutionalizes what can't be criminalized is terrifyingly exhausting.
I'm not alone, but throughout the entire process I have felt very isolated and misunderstood. First, I had to realize I had misunderstood a lot about my own experience. Then, I had to forgive myself for that so I could forgive others for their reactions to misunderstanding. Finally, I'm beginning to share my experience with more control over myself in how and what I disclose at any given moment.
You are not alone either.













