Even if/when it would be a useful way for someone to understand themselves.

There's a lot of incentive to conceptualize transness as an immutable characteristic - threats of conversion therapy and anti discrimination laws that only protect things that are immutable come to mind (see US vs Skrmetti). So, you don't really get much conversation about "becoming trans".

it was really good

well misgendering her definitely counts so

awruff

...i think i read this story years ago

like i'd been asking myself if i was trans or if i was not and i was never able to come to a conclusion outside of "well ill try it and see if i like it"

tbh i did it cus i wanted to see what would happen

whoah

also i am just absolutely terrified of the inevitable cliffhanger at the end of chapter 47 chapter 2

i'm a pretty fucking were

i think dorley's stated explanation for how it's subjects come to accept their genders is that they target people who are "cis-by-default" - i was never sure how compelling an explanation i thought that was, but aaron is maybe an example of what that looks like in practice.

i think aaron here can accurately be described as queering the egg/not-egg binary

Melissa's presence in this chapter, to me, serves as a reminder that the regendering can in some cases be independent of the harm of being institutionalized. she wasn't really regendered at all, but she still was hurt by her time in the hall (even as it saved her life)