I have always been a traveler. I love everything about new places, from finding a random movie theater in Wisconsin to eating at a great restaurant in Puerto Rico. I love just people watching. I would pack my bag, throw on my wig, and jump in my car/get on a plane. I'm that free-spirited, get up and go with just a small bag type.

Well, one of the things I started to notice was that as our country cracks down on national security, TSA/Airport personnel were starting to check for things besides the obvious weapons and ...ya know, water bottles. They actually started patting down women's hair!! I've read and heard of several accounts by women, and also experienced this myself. Both times it happened to me, I was wearing a wig and I was terrified that they'd ask me to take it off in front of everyone and put it in the bin with my shoes, laptop, & jacket. Fortunately, they didn't. When I would travel with people who weren't aware of my condition, I would sleep in the wig, do everything that was hot and unnecessary with the wig on for fear they'd ask me what happened, what's wrong with me, or some other terrifying question that I thought would cripple me and cause me to collapse and die.

Fear is a powerful thing, ya know?

Anyway, I'm happy to say that after 4 years, last week I took my first trip without a wig at all. The entire time from airport to restaurants and bars, etc. It was such a freeing experience. And let me tell you, there's a trend of women cutting off their hair in 2013 so for me to be bald in the context of this really feels special. I was in Los Angeles, I sat by the water. I did cartwheels along the water in a skirt. =) If it were hot enough to jump in the ocean, I would have. I really just wanted to feel the water wash over me with no worries.

I admit, I'm still working on getting used to not wearing a headwrap around the kids I work with in schools, as well as a few other places but I'm working on it. It's about practicing your comfort. It's about going at your pace. And along the way, we can tell our condition to one or two people at a time for support. It's about the progress we make in being comfortable in all that we are. I've overcome my fear of judgment with close friends, my family, and some strangers (how did I select which strangers I'd be comfortable around? Long story). Anyway, I can't wait until I'm at the point to be *me* everywhere.

What's some advice you have in overcoming fear of judgment??

Besitos,
Ann