The Doraemon.

I was given a Doraemon plush toy by my lady boss last month, and he has been with me for almost a month now. He kept me in comfort when I sleep at night, and I wish it happy resting before I go to work. I was deprived of any plush toys when I was young by my parents who feared that I would turn out into a female side they are ashamed of. When I received presents for Christmas, it was always in the form of something like CDs and mugs. Nothing to do with my gender identity. On birthdays, my gifts were getting more and more stereotypically male from my younger days till my last big birthday party a few years ago, from a He-Man toy to a Manchester United jersey. Nothing to do with my gender identity. So when the Doraemon spent his first nights with me, memories flood back to those days between my childhood years until the time I came out again. How I cried and cried when my mom denied me a teddy bear, to the time I was coerced into destroying my Debbie Gibson and Tiffany cassette tapes by church members. How much of time I have lived away from my real self. A girl that nobody wants in their world. When the anti-gay and "ex-gay" Real Love Ministry appeared in my life, I was given the choice again. Their false choice is one of complete ignorance to my being, and invalidating my life's existence. My choice is to live in honesty and integrity as who I am, as who God made me to be.

His girl. A lady. And now with a Doraemon plush toy to boot.