thanks for your input xenophusrex. i think developing emotional strength is the most important. like you said pretending to be male isn’t going to help b/c deep inside, the more i pretend to be a masculine, the more i’m not appreciating who i am as a person. i should focus more on who i am as an person, the whole of me and the talents i have rather that the letting the parts that limit me hold me back. sometimes i wish i was taller since i’m only 5’5” b/c i would like to have more height on me and look more domineering. a lot of my friends at school are taller and sometimes it makes me feel a bit insecure around them. we have our false notions of what gives us strength and power brought on by societal images when we should focus on who we are on the inside. even though males are stronger physically than women, both when they work hard can meet the same standards academically. but women receive less income than males do and also women are more prone to self-image issues to meet the ideal body type of society. i never want to be that body type and confined to such a limited view, i just want to be normal and self-fulfilled. i think part of the reason i hide my body is b/c i don’t want people to judge it. also anita, i think i will post on the other forum, look for a post.