Maya Noir, bigender model
What It's Like Having to Explain Your Gender
"On Instagram [where she goes by Cosmic Phenomenon] I get asked "are you a boy or girl" all the time. Half the time, I know the answer I give will be unsatisfactory because they don't care for an explanation — they just want to know what's in my pants. It also makes me hopeful, because if this person took the time to write me and ask, then maybe they will take the time to understand how I identify and what that means."
The Double Standard of Beauty
"Even the terms used to describe attractiveness are gendered, like beautiful vs. handsome, so it is really hard to navigate. Makeup is hardly marketed to men because all forms of it have been deemed exclusively 'feminine,' even less overt options like concealer. Men, however, do not always have perfect skin — I know I don't. In instances when I'd like to go by he/him pronouns, I can't even wear cover-up without the fear of someone noticing and challenging my gender."
