February 25th was the day I cut my hair. February 26th was the day my mom tried to get rid of me. Luckily it didn't work out that way. This one is a little sadder so brace yourself, but the moral is not everything is immediate.
Jenine McCormick was her name and a witch she was, at least for a while. I got home that day and immediately laid on the corner of my bed. Except for my brother, the house was empty. Until I heard the door slam. My mother rushed into my room to talk to me about something, but as soon as she saw my hair she started freaking out. "What did you do to your hair", she screamed "Why what did I ever do to you!" It was as if in her mind I wasn't a person with my own autonomy. Like my hair belonged to her and I needed her permission to cut it. As if I belonged to her and I needed her permission to alter my body in any way.
She yanked me out of bed by the arm and started pulling at my hair shrieking in my ear, "What is this, you're not a boy are you?"
Now I realize it was not an appropriate time to say this but I responded with "Well what if I am?" with the same conviction in my words as she had in hers. She yanked me by the hair through the hallway into the bathroom and forced me in front of the mirror screaming "Abigail, You are NOT a boy. You are my daughter. Now say it who are you."
"Your...SON." I exclaimed tearfully. She let me go as I fell onto the ground sobbing in my purple shorts and tank top. She then said "I don't have another son. I have a son and a daughter. Until your my daughter again you cannot live here. All the clothes I bought are mine. This is my house and my land. I will not feed you with the food I bought either." she said stoically.
I had no choice I had no friends I could stay with and family was off the table so I cried out yelling back "I'm your daughter. I'm your daughter. I'm your daughter."
Now as a 17-year-old it was all very dramatic. Especially because I like to live my life theatrically. I liked to imagine I was the main character in a TV series. As my best friend whom I admit is a drag queen once said, "What is life if not dramatic." Those are words I live by now.
Now Jenine has grown in the last couple of years. She doesn't completely think that way anymore. She still isn't happy about it but she has accepted it after all these years.
Jenine is proof that even the oldest most stubborn people can change their ways. Which is something I can genuinely respect. She's not an advocate yet, of course, but she's trying.
