People are frequently confused to why I'm nonbinary even though I'm so "hyperfeminine." In honor of #PRIDE , lemme clear some things up.

I've never felt a strong attachment to the label of Woman, or the concept of being gendered at all - (1/?)
Before my nonbinary revelation, I only went along with it out of convenience, and I still do the same in circles that don't recognize Nonbinary as a thing you can be.

"But gender roles aren't that rigid anymore! You can be a woman and still do XX!" some people say - (2/?)
- but that's not the issue here. There are those who work hard to expand what the social construct of "woman" looks like and encompasses. I applaud their efforts and will always stand with them in solidarity, but it has nothing to do with how I just don't want to be a woman (3/?)
- at all, while not wanting to be a man either. No matter how the label of "female" is expanded, I don't feel attached enough to it to squeeze myself in if I don't have to. It makes me much more comfortable to just reject gender labels altogether. (4/?)
Like most queer people, I've felt like this since I was a kid. It's not a phase. In elementary school, I would revolt any time the teacher split the class into boys and girls, demanding to join the boy team. I hated the very gendered English name my parents gave me - (5/?)
I was known as a "tomboy." In high school, I would pick male roles in drama and RP as a guy online. I wore a tux to prom. I wondered if I was trans, but no, I didn't really want to formally announce myself as a boy either. I just wanted to reject being labeled as Female (6/?)
To me, me being nonbinary in itself is a challenge to what people associate as Female or Male. I don't believe that in order to be nonbinary, you have to distance yourself from all gender-associated aesthetics and present as a gray-clothed blob (7/?)
Why must long hair, dramatic makeup, and outlandish clothes strictly label me as a woman? The pretty boys in Chinese historical dramas have flowing long hair and fabulous clothes, and no one questions their gender. If I could grow a beard, I would (8/?)
My ideal self in my head is 6'4, full bearded, muscular, and has no genitalia whatsoever. And I'd dress and do my makeup exactly the same. But I'm working with the body I've got, folks (9/?)
Though I must also clarify that how I and other nonbinary folks feel should not be used to question how binary trans people feel. Some people don't experience gender in a fluid way. They feel strongly attached to a gender identity that isn't the one they were assigned to at birth
- and they would do anything to transition to it. The existence of nonbinary folks does NOT invalidate that. In fact, it's a similar struggle. I'm sure plenty of binary trans folks have been asked "why do you need to transition when you can be a man/woman and still be XXX?" 10/?
No, they just don't want to be their birth-assigned gender at all. The difference between us and them is that we don't have a need to transition to another specific gender, while they do 11/?
All that being said, I'm personally very pragmatic about my gender identity, especially as a first gen immigrant who has to navigate two different societies. In an ideal world, I would be free from all gendered associations - 12/?
- but in this one, I recognize that I was socialized as a woman and am perceived as a woman by the vast majority of people. Female-centric issues affect me, and I will always be a feminist (though everyone should be a feminist anyway) 13/?
Even though they/them pronouns are my most preferred ones and they give me a sense of peace, I don't strictly mind being called she/her in casual circumstances 14/?
I don't correct people bc I've seen too many instances of them getting defensive like WHY DIDN'T YOU MAKE THAT MORE CLEAR? WHY DON'T YOU HAVE IT IN BLINDING RED LETTERS ALL OVER YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA? HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW WHEN YOU HAVEN'T MADE A VIDEO EXPLAINING YOURSELF? 15/?
And I just…don't want to deal with that. I appreciate those of you who stick up for me though.

As for terms like Sis or Queen, I mind them even less, because to me, they're no different than calling someone Dude or Bro. So they're 100% okay to use for me. 16/?
But again, how I feel about these gendered pronouns and terms is not necessarily how all nonbinary people feel. Please be mindful of this. Double check if you're not sure, and don't get so defensive or overly apologetic if you accidentally make a mistake. 17/17

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More from @XiranJayZhao

5 Jun
HELP MY FILIPINO FRIENDS ARE SAYING HER NAME LITERALLY MEANS 'GENITALS' IN TAGALOG
'GENITALS ARE HEROES' SPECIFICALLY

HEEEEEEELPPPP
Y'all the person I QRT'd from didn't create the character. The artists shouldn't be harassed either, they didn't necessarily have any control over the name. @Marvel or something 😂
Read 5 tweets
29 May
if any white vegan comes for me for making the occasional exception again i'm revoking their tofu eating privileges
anyway normalize the idea that vegans and vegetarians can take breaks whenever they want for whatever they want because making it all or nothing just intimidates other people from joining the lifestyle

the food I cook for myself is 100% vegan and it can be really fun, honestly
my favorite recipe blog: brandnewvegan.com/recipe-index

vegan recipes make you get creative with ingredients and there's always this sense of achievement when you successfully replicate something non-vegan. I never even feel any cravings for meat anymore.
Read 5 tweets
29 May
calm down I'm an environmental vegan, not a moral vegan. that means I refrain from animal products as much as possible bc of those industries' devastating effects on the ecosystem

holding veganism over people's heads as a moral necessity is classist - 1/?
- not everyone has access to the massive supply of fresh fruits and vegetables that's necessary for a vegan diet. Some people live in food deserts. Some people live in poverty. That's why I never push my personal life choices onto others.
"Try to refrain from animal products as much as possible" is a lot easier to promote and maintain than "YOU CAN'T EAT OR USE ANYTHING FROM AN ANIMAL, EVER." Veganism doesn't have to come with guilt. It just has to come with some level of consciousness about the animal industries.
Read 4 tweets
28 May
Ok im disqualifying Thailand and Vietnam from the SEA food tournament finals because they're too well known in the west and skewing the results so

WHICH OF THESE SEA COUNTRIES HAS THE BEST FOOD? Pls include pics to back up your claim
WHICH OF THESE SEA COUNTRIES HAS THE BEST DESSERTS SPECIFICALLY? Pls include photos to back up your claim
WHICH OF THESE SEA COUNTRIES HAS THE BEST DRINKS? Pls include photos to back up your claim
Read 4 tweets
28 May
Yo i was thinking of going to Southeast Asia after the panini, which country has the best food? Pls include pics
Hold on lemme just make a poll

Which SEA country has the best food
Which SEA country has the best food Part 2
Read 4 tweets
9 May
totally late on this but i watched 3 minutes of Shadow and Bone and good god it's the most clumsy writing of racism that I've ever seen,, like seriously HITTING YOU OVER THE HEAD about it. it makes me SO uncomfortable that it's hard to continue
what really gets me is i could be experiencing this same exact story without having to see shit like this every other minute Image
ok didn't expect to be this upset but i am because it's SO HEAVY HANDED, all while I'm hyper aware that it won't lead to any in-depth exploration of racism and racial dynamics bc Alina was white in the original story. her race change is only there to cause her more pain.
Read 5 tweets

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