Hearts, Not Parts, Inc.

               "Hello, and welcome to this wonderful Hearts, Not Parts Inc. tour. My name is Alejandra, and I have the pleasure of showing you all the sights today." 

               The lost and bewildered tour shuffles in the isolated island of their huddle, not wanting to get swept away by the swift stream of big city traffic. At the sound of the voice, they all begin turning, searching for the speaker. They finish their tail-chasing circuit, and the guide appears before them in an aurora of feminine charm. Most of the men double take or gawk, and the women try to hide their jealousy. While very impressed, something lurks beneath the shimmer of womanhood. Something chiseled, strong, and distinctly masculine. Comprehension slowly dawns. 

        The being before them--strong jawline wrapped in sheer satin veils and womanly graces--is no woman, and no angel, either. Anxiety rustles through the group as the tour guide speaks again. The group edges away nervously, some members preparing elaborate diatribes shunning their guide, who they view as an atrocity. 

        "Since you have embarked together on this thrilling tour, I assume you are here for the advertised architecture. However, this may not be the architecture you expected. We do not focus on banal buildings and bridges. We focus on people." Alejandra flings her arms wide, encompassing the crowds around her. "Here is a small pamphlet put together by the agency to describe--in layman's terms--some of the gender expressions we will encounter today in our travels. Remember, these are only basic descriptions, and do not cover every facet of the gender identity spectrum due to the nature of the beast we deal with. Because everyone experiences gender in their own way, expressions and identities cannot be fully explained by single, catch-all definitions." Alejandra moves through the group, passing out the pamphlets. She then swishes back to the group's fore and waits until the pamphlets have been digested. 

        "Now that you've all had a chance to look over the pamphlet, allow me to distinguish some key points therein. First of all, sex is cold and unfeeling, yet gender isn't. Gender isn't what parts you have. Gender isn't necessarily what parts you want to have. Parts aren't a part of this. Feelings are what matter here. Gender isn't restricted to male or female. Gender identity is an entire spectrum with a separate point for each and every person's individual gender expression. You can identify as male, female, a little of both, or nothing at all. Gender isn't what you are born into, and it's not always something you discover instantly. You may move through identities for a lifetime before you discover your true self, or you may know instantly. There are no set regulations." 

        Some members of the group juggle the new information uneasily. A hand near the front timidly raises from the sea of heads. "So, what are we, and what are you?" 

        Alejandra brightens up at the question. "Fabulous, madam, fabulous! You even asked on your own. While we cannot possibly cover every nuance of gender expression and identity, we will cover the most common in our gender crash course. Taking the liberty of assuming you identify as female, you would be considered cisgender." Pamphlets shuffle as the group searches for the meaning of the strange new word. "In short, your biological sex matches your inner gender identity, and your outer gender expression reflects both of those." 

        "As for myself, I am obviously not cis. I am a post-operation male-to-female transgender. While born with male genitalia, my heart screamed female, so I underwent a sex-change to become the woman I have always been inside. Although I had a surgery, it isn't necessary for a transgender identity. Coming out of the coffee shop across the boulevard now is my good friend Alex. You may not believe it at first, but his sex is female, not male. Alex's gender identity is also transgender, but he prefers to bind his chest rather than undergo surgery. It's all a matter of personal choice and expression." 

        A loud grumble comes from a dissenter in the group's center. "That's three examples and only two genders. What else is there? I'm ready for lunch." 

        Alejandra stares down the man. "Despite the fact that normal tours often present several examples of the same architectural style, I suppose we can hold the lesson for a lunch break. Perhaps an opportunity to discuss another topic will present itself during the meal. Follow me please." 

        The group trundles along behind the swish of Alejandra's skirt, eventually reaching a small restaurant at the corner of two small avenues. As they are waiting for their meals, a young woman walks past the table. She has on a bright sundress and carries a matching yellow clutch, but her auburn hair is shorn short like a man's. The group is slightly confused, but most take it in stride. Alejandra catches her hand as she passes, exclaiming her name and standing to pull her into a tight bear hug. They engage in a boisterous back-and-forth for several minutes before the woman graciously excuses herself. Flushed with happiness, Alejandra slides back into her seat at the head of the table.  

        "While it is a dreadful shame she couldn't stay longer, our here-and-gone-again guest shall introduce our next architectural analysis beautifully. That was Emily, a friend from college and my past life. She may seem, by her effeminate dress, to be your average cisgender woman. Despite appearances, she actually identifies as bigender. I see that many of you are already checking the pamphlet's entry, but allow me to elaborate. Although she generally dresses in a more masculine manner--or gender neutral, which we'll discuss later--Emily moves freely between points on the gender expression scale. One day she may go butch--as the people say--and the next embody a flower of feminine grace. It's not that she's indecisive--rather, that she decides each day. Now, since our repast is finished, perhaps we should head out to see the city center." 

        The group slides back into the hustle and bustle of the street. Murmurs go up from the group as the members speculate the gender of passing strangers. Sometimes Alejandra listens in, smiling and gently correcting as needed. The tap of her high heels comes to a halt in front of the city center's fountain complex. She ushers the group closer. 

        "There is one gender identity still requiring its time in the spotlight: gender neutrality. Some people lean towards neither male nor female, but also do not flow between identities. They don't identify with any one side of the gender spectrum, and instead stand dead center. They can be considered gender neutral, genderless, or agender. They dress in non-gender specific clothes, and prefer non-descriptive pronouns such as 'they' instead of 'he' or 'she.' A prime example is the person cleaning the central fountain. Taylor maintains the fountains part-time, and they also do the maintenance for my apartment complex. Just because they seem confused or undecided by not identifying with a traditional gender, it does not mean they haven't found their spot on the spectrum yet. You can't judge them without knowing their true feelings. Now that you've seen all of the core expressions and identities, why don't we walk around here and see if you can pick out the special architectural features of this area." The group separates out, observing the passing crowds of people. Alejandra stands like a mother duck watching her flock of budding young ducklings. The sun sinks low as the hour grows late, and a chill hits the air.  

        "Ladies and gentleman, this concludes our tour. Hearts, Not Parts Inc. would like to deeply thank each and every one of you from coming. Remember, gender is about hearts, not parts. A person's body features denote sex, but not gender. Gender expression and identity is not limited to the traditional male-female binary. Gender identities cover a rainbow of expressions--masculine, feminine, somewhere in between, or nowhere at all--each no better than another, but all deserving equal choice of expression and complete acceptance. Again, thank you for your time, and I hope you all enjoyed seeing the architecture of the heart, mind, and soul."