By Chrissy Stegman
A boy in high school said my hands were too big.
Too much for a girl. (Do you understand?)
So I carried his words like a dead bird in my pocket.
I remember the shape of my daughter’s head.
How it fit in my palms. How I wondered if smaller
hands would have made a gentler cradle.
There was a man once who laughed
as he told me to shop for shoes
where trans women found their high heels.
I went to the website and I
saw shoes and I
closed the page and I
stood alone feeling the weight
of my beast.
Do you understand? I have spent my life
staring at my body. I have spent my life
staring.
I have spent my life.
The Importance of the Arts and Humanities
The arts and creative process are vital because they help us understand our shared humanness and culture—where we’ve been, where we’re going, what we see, feel, and need. Through creativity, we connect with one another and explore the depths of our existence. Without it, we risk losing touch with our humanity, growing isolated and unknown to each other.
