Belly up
Posted on 10 Aug 2012 at 8:00am
Trans man Draconis von Trapp explains transitioning ... to belly dancing
http://www.dallasvoice.com/belly-10123297.htmlYou might think there is no common ground between the transgender and Middle Eastern dance communities. But actually, they do have two things in common: Both are slowly gaining more mainstream popularity and acceptance (though most people get tongue-tied if you bring either up in casual conversation); and both are huge markers of my everyday life.
I started feeling the first inklings of gender variance when I was in third grade and cut all my hair off. I distinctly remember younger kids asking, as unapologetically and bluntly as young kids are apt to, whether I was a boy or a girl. Of course, I hadn't given it much thought — I just didn't like brushing my hair — but it would be a catalyst for my journey down the gender spectrum.
Throughout middle and high schools, I couldn't shake this "not quite male, not quite female" feeling, even though I was very clearly a biological girl. At 16, I confused not only myself, but all those with whom I had confided in about my gender issues, by joining a weekly belly dancing class at the Isis Studio of Performing Arts in Bedford. My interest in belly dance, in their eyes, conflicted with my "gender variance." Undeterred, I pursued it.
