I remember the moment that everything really changed. I had taken Braeden into Walmart to look at Halloween costumes. We were looking through all the different kinds, and he pulled out this silvery black glittery Gothic Fairy costume. His little face lit up, but then suddenly turned dark and he went to put it away. I instantly got it. Even now, as I type this, I am tearing up. I finally saw it. This was her, and she wasn’t allowed to be herself. He was nearly in tears when he thought he couldn’t get the costume he was in love with. (Again forgive the pronouns, it’s tricky to write about a male when we now use she/her pronouns consistently.) “I probably can’t get it because it’s a dress” he said to my husband and I. We exchanged a quick glance and nonverbally agreed, before telling him that he could be whatever he wanted to be. He lit up. I remember coming home and taking pictures of him just strutting around the living room.