‘Crack This ShXt Open’ is a story about coming into who you are while accepting the things you can not change. Shay is a shy introvert who has spent years masking herself to adhere to gender norms. She’s often wished for non-binary-presenting body traits, to not be male or female. On a reflective, emotional journey through her past, Shay seeks answers to tough questions. How to avoid becoming beholden to one box and instead remain fluid while existing in between? Shay investigates experiences long ago stuffed inside the proverbial box. In running from her truth, she loses her anchor and struggles to define who she is. What she is. Her truth is muddled in the cacophony of loud expectations, bullying taunts, societal demands, and traditionalist dogma. To survive, she masters the juggling act of wearing the masks known to the Trinity—her parents, church, and community. Her act to uphold others’ expectations slowly disintegrates. The gig is up. Shay faces a very lonely choice—to stay or walk away. But first, she must become reacquainted with a long-hidden characteristic of herself: Sebastian.
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