Sharing some Friday Feels - chatted with @tecuanehair about beauty and what defines my beauty standards. From a very young age, and being the only boy in my family, I found myself feeling like I needed to portray a masculine/macho tough exterior. I’ve often said this to friends but growing up and navigating the real world, as a queer child, you instantly know you’re “different” in a way. You’re already on alert. The care free childhood you’re supposed to have is stripped. The amount of anxiety I had to even answer the phone because of my soft spoken voice. As I got older I purposely would deepen it when friends of my sister would call in. The anxiety that even a simple trip to the barber shop would give me - the reason I learned to cut my own hair tbh. I became mindful of my mannerisms - carefully expressing myself to not show any “feminine” mannerisms that would label me “girly” or “joto”. When I got older and stopped running away from myself, I began to realize that a lot of the qualities I was suppressing came from the powerful women who raised me. My mom (who worked long hours), my grandma Ita who looked over us (and put up with us)while our parents were at work, and my 2 older sisters who were like second moms to me growing up. These hard working women didn’t just teach me life lessons or skills, they taught me respect, and how to love and care for someone. I carry all of these qualities, skills, mannerisms with me everywhere. Wearing all of them proudly. This is in part why my IG bio for a long time read: “Tio looks with Tia vibes”.