I Wanted to Be a Dancer

Sheila D. discusses the growth of her love for ballet as a child, and how her height discouraged her from pursuing it. As a college student, Sheila started frequenting goth night clubs, which allowed her to interact with people expressing their gender in a variety of ways. Sheila centers her own relationship on gender expression, writing about the different stages of her life in which she would switch from wearing skirts to shorts. As an adult, Sheila’s typical outfits include a t-shirt, a long skirt, and boots. —Alekhya