a girl messages me on bumble at 9:53 pm
- Britney Trachtenberg
- 4 days ago
- 1 min read
by Britney Trachtenberg
she says, heyyy girlie!! with a heart-eyed emoji, and there’s already sleep
in my eyes. how do i tell her i wear swim shorts at the beach
and flannels in the winter; learned shaina twain’s man! i feel like a woman!
on acoustic guitar; doodle with blue papermate pens; ride a skateboard
with fiery thrasher stickers; down slices of spicy meat lovers
pizza; have mud under my fingernails; try on baggy button-down shirts
at the mall; air-fry chicken legs in the toaster oven while watching
the islanders score goals; regret piercing my ears in fourth grade;
and will never wear glittery fuchsia eyeshadow? i delete the rant
and tell myself this is embarrassing without asking myself why?
why can’t i tell her that my gender doesn’t fit in a box?
i reply heyyyy! how are you? with boulders in my lungs.
***
Britney Trachtenberg earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from CUNY Queens College in 2024, with a major in English and a minor in writing. Currently, she works in public relations, representing nonprofits in the healthcare and education sectors. Her Instagram handle is @actuallyjustbritney, and her LinkedIn URL is www.linkedin.com/in/btrac0113.
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