I Cross Dressed for the IRL Meetup

I'm going to say this now, if you're expecting me to just talk about what happens in this manga, you're going to be a bit disappointed.

I will give a bit of a rundown. The story follows a group of crossdressers and a trans woman, who at the start all think the other people are cis. It's pretty quickly revealed though. It's extremely funny, extremely cute, and honest very respectful in it's representation. It's handling of topics around gender, sexuality, and even surgery. I have to make a big note of the trans woman, Kantentaro, who aside from a couple throwaway lines, is treated very well. She is generally always referred to as a girl, but express no interest in getting surgery. She's also generally presented as liking other girls, though does end up dating one of the other characters who is explicitly just a femboy. Which is, admittedly, sort of where my sexuality falls too.

The main reason I want to talk about it at all though is just how it connects me in these ways. Though it deals with it in very light hearted ways, it very accurately I think covers my struggles with gender and sexuality. The unsureness of it, the confusion, and the acceptance. I see bits of myself in each character, though I think Cocoa's struggles are sort of the most direct comparison. Throughout the series, he's constantly question what gender even means, struggling to be open with those outside of his group, or even accepting himself. These are all issues I struggle with myself. I've been constantly back and forth on my own gender identity. From nonbinary, to trans woman, back and forth. At some points I questioned if I was at all. At this point, I sort of just. I'm whatever. I'm me. I like being feminine. It's something I'll probably always struggle with, but there are people around me I feel I can exist in that way around, which is also a big point in this manga. None of the characters judge each other upon finding out everthing, they're all more or less accepting of each other right away. Each of them dealing with their own struggles around the concept of identity. Some of them are more sure of themselves, Kantentaro constantly reaffirming to everyone that she is in fact a woman, and that it doesn't matter if she's "got something extra," I believe is the wording used. It doesn't make her uncomfotable or anything. Lemon on the other hand is described multiple times as the "quintessential femboy" and doesn't seem to take issue with that at all. This isn't to say the characters don't have their own set of problems, of course they do, but they're more assured about things than say, Cocoa.

It's honestly so refreshing to read a manga that deals with gender and sexuality in, what I personal feel, is a very realistic and genuine way. This isn't to say that there are no other manga that do it, or that this manga is always perfect with it. I'm aware there is plenty others, and also that this manga does have it's slip ups.

Also there's a character later on, who's very worried about being able to pass as feminine. They're tall and broad, generally very generically masculine. Upon mentioning the desire to be more feminine, the main cast help them turn into like, the cutest one. They all help with their makeup, finding clothes that fit them, and basically show them that like, it's totally possible, with some work of course, to look how they want. It's really cute. Sadly, they're only in it towards the end of the series.