In private, I harbored an even bigger secret. My experimentation with gender presentation had expanded beyond sneaking into my sister’s room. I’d go to little stores in town—the mall was too far away, and I didn’t want to ask one of my parents to take me there—and steal things to try on in front of my mirror at home: makeup, bras. I’d stuff socks into the bras to see how I looked. But when I was done, I’d throw it all away and promise myself I would never do it again.
