Hiding in plain sight, with Goth gold

 I'm still on my travels and since I have a nosey relative buzzing around me today, I'm going to make a relatively short post. 

The thing about nosey people, or relatives (who all by definition feel have the same right to know just whatever it is they want about you), is that they actually rarely notice the glaringly obvious. Here I sit typing with my lovely long manicured nails, in my female clothes - flat fronted trousers, tights, blouse and cardigan (nothing glaringly feminine but certainly far from masculine) - and it goes unnoticed. Blow your nose or go to the bathroom, though, and they're all agog! 

In fact, this relative burst in on me when I was dressing and caught me in my knickers and didn't notice those. They're not pink and frilly, admittedly, but they are definitely women's not men's. 

People see what they want to see. I'm finding this method of dressing unisex or androgynously or whatever you want to call it is working for me. I know I am dressed as a woman outside my home even if not presenting as one but no-one pesters me about my being trans. It's a compromise between safety and privacy on the one hand and my daily need to be feminine on the other. I wrote a piece with the same title in the same situation three years ago (here) but I'm now all-in and I practically never wear anything from the men's racks any more. This system won't work for everyone, of course - and I will freely admit that it's not 'me', the true Sue - but given the increase in anti-trans attitudes in certain countries, I mention it as a compromise that might work for other trans people.

I will be writing up my very pleasant trip to San Marino next, once I am back at home. But for inspiration and as a taster, here is some Goth jewellery I saw there that was found in the territory. It belonged to a lady who was not just a Goth but an Ostrogoth living in the fifth or sixth century, presumably a wealthy women, maybe a princess. The original pieces have largely been dispersed to other museums around the world so these are copies in the San Marino State Museum. I think they're beautiful.

 

We've all dreamed of being a Goth princess, right? 

I also tried a local San Marino wine appositely called Goth gold (oro dei goti) which is an amber coloured sweet dessert wine that went very well with my fruit sorbets. Yes, I've been trying the local food and drink, inevitably. A lovely trip with truly breathtaking views from San Marino City on the summit of Mount Titano. Here's the view from my hotel:

Watch this space. Have a nice weekend.

Sue x