My second post for Below the Belt is up!
When I practice aikido, I always wear lipstick.
That probably seems odd. I mean, getting thrown around the floor has nothing to do with my cosmetics–despite advertising claims to the contrary, lipstick won’t improve my performance or even distract my partner with my feminine wiles.
Still, I always make sure to wear some lipstick when I practice. Because I want to have something about me that looks feminine.
Normally I don’t need to worry about such things. I am a bit of a femme by nature and wear skirts about as often as pants. I’ve developed sufficient curves over the course of my transition that I don’t worry too much about the remaining somewhat-masculine features I possess.
But when I am practicing at the dojo, I find myself much more insecure about my appearance. Squashed into a sports bra and muffled under the heavy layers of my uniform top, my breasts are much less noticeable. Ditto my hips. With my hair pulled back for comfort and convenience, my face reveals a masculine cast. I suddenly become very conscious of how much taller, heavier, and broader I am than most ofthe other female students
You can read the rest here! And yes, new posts to the Blog Itself are coming, ducks!