Trans Joy is a weekly blog series celebrating the positive side of trans experiences, in an attempt to bring some balance to contemporary trans discourses. This week I’m talking about hair braiding.
I love having my hair played with, the physical sensation can be very relaxing, and when done by a friend or partner it can be an act of love. Grooming one another can be a very intimate experience, for me it is a wonderfully caring experience. It involves quality time, an act of service, and touch (bringing together 3 love languages in a single experience).
And when the process involves braiding my hair there’s a whole extra layer of love. Someone taking the time to braid my hair feels gender affirming, a reassuring confirmation that they see me as the glorious enby I know myself to be.
For me a braid has been coded as a “female” hair style, so wearing one feels like an act of defiance. The braid gives me another way to claim and explore my gender identity, and that feels beautifully supportive.
Pretty, cute, and femme are words which are rarely used to describe my body. So often I am seen as hulking and masculine. But in that picture those are the words which come to mind. I feel cute and femme when my hair is in that braid. I look pretty with it framing my face like that. And that feeling is precious to me.
I hope you all find some joy this week too ❤ If you want to contribute to this project then please get in touch 🙂 If you want to support the project you can order a zine here.
I love this so much. We had trans joy in our house this week although instead of braiding, it was me wielding the clippers for my eldest. The joy on their face and the way that joy extends through the next few days when they touch their hair or see a glimpse of it, spreads the joy. It’s such a simple but powerful way to give them love and show that it is more active than just acceptance.
Awww that’s lovely, I’ve written about that very think in Trans Joy – Undercut