Ah, life in Canada! We had our first real snowfall here this weekend.

I know, who comes here for the weather report? Well, sometimes all the mumbo jumbo about life as a trans woman comes down to simply living your life.

The keen-eyed among you will see from the photo below that I am shoveling snow… in front of my home… in broad daylight… The fact that it is no big deal is, for me, a big deal. It took a long time to get to this point, and now simply being is the biggest reward of all.

I saw someone asking a question on a message board last week about how often CDs dress. Coincidentally, I had a similar discussion with a couple of gurls at a TGirl Night a few days ago. The only thought that went through my head was, “I dress all the time – except when I shower. I try not to walk around naked for the most part.”

Of course, I get the question. But, to me, womanhood is about being, not dressing. Are you or aren’t you?

I realize that the answer to that is often unclear, and I know that for those starting out, wearing women’s clothes can be the strongest symbol of their femininity. Also, when circumstances stand in the way of expressing one’s womanhood, clothes are a tangible sign of defiance, however fleeting. But, eventually, I think we all get to the point of having to ask, “Are we, or aren’t we?”

And, when we do, it’s not the 4-inch heels, or the impossibly tight corsets, or the scandalously short skirts that provide the answer. Snowboots and jeans will make the same case, if the light comes from within.