How “Extroverted Dressing” Led Me to Gender Euphoria

I’m social and love a good party, but I also cut a fine figure and enjoy the simple pleasure of feeling the sun on my skin. I love cleavage and naked dressing, as well as a ball gown skirt worn with a vintage T-shirt and sky-high stilettos; or a raincoat in an eye-catching color. The resurgence of #normcore seems nigh, and we’re all inundated with quiet luxury on social media. That’s all well and good, but I don’t want to blend in with the crowd; I want to dress up and out, reveling in the gender euphoria it gives me.

For the unfamiliar, gender euphoria is what a transgender person experiences when their appearance matches their gender identity. For trans men, it can be the change in voice due to testosterone; for trans women, it can be the barista using one’s preferred pronoun based on appearance alone. For me, gender euphoria is a lingering look from a cute guy walking past me on the street, the Uber driver referring to me as “Miss,” or even drunken revelers complimenting my outfit. (The latter is the easiest way to feel euphoric. By putting my best Manolo-clad foot forward, I ensure that I look good, even if I don’t feel it.)

In cities like New York, where there is always an occasion to dress up, dressing not only well, but with purpose, is pervasive among those who live here, including the transgender community. Post-pandemic, we are expressing ourselves and taking pride in our appearance, and we should. This is our time to shine, by embracing what I call extroverted dressing.