In a voice so steady it surprises me, I say something really stupid. “Dad, I’m transgender. I like being this way. I’m not going back, and you can’t make me.” He gets this confused look on his face, with an undercurrent of something that scares me, so I push on quickly to get it all out while I’ve still got my nerve. “I’ve known I wanted to be a girl for years. This change is the best thing to ever happen to me. I won’t go back.” He sits back in his chair, and looks at me like he’s never seen me before. The deep flush starts low on his neck and moves upward. His eyes go hard, and I brace up
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