Growing up, masculinity had always been a weird performance to me.

Angry.

Abbrassive.

Playing the part just enough to fit in, but rejecting aspects that didn’t sit right in my soul.

______ punched ______ in the face.

One day, friends; another enemies.

The mandem are fighting…. but never over gyal.

It got so heavy at one point that school lunch times were spent in solitude on cold brick steps.

Where’s Ryan? I dunno, I ain’t seen him.

Nowadays, though, the “mandem” are few and far between. More friends than anything.

Selective with the masculinity I am around.

Safe.

Seen.

Thank you.