Sometimes I hate being the only boy in the girls’ locker room. Usually that coincides with my fellow cheerleaders deciding to tease me. Not verbally, visually, in the showers. That can be quite annoying. Not that I get any help from the girls’ coach either. She just smiles and say that I have no one but myself to blame.

In a way Coach Wilson is right. It was a huge mistake to try out for the cheerleading squad last Fall. When I realized my mistake, I tried to resign. Coach refused. She claimed that I had signed up for the year. I had no family issues that required me to quit. I had no medical reason to quit. Well, the last part was arguable though not in Coach’s mind. So now I’m stuck with being the only boy on the cheerleading squad. My fellow cheerleaders insist that I use the same locker room as them for the team spirit thing. Actually, it’s not that bad but I wish the cheerleading uniform was a little bit less skimpy and that we didn’t have to wear it to school on match days. I mean really hot, hot pants and a halter top is not exactly what a guy wants to wear to school (even if I have an amazing midriff). Not that we use that while training. Nope, then it’s shiny brown tights and yellow thong leotard, the school colors.

On Fridays I go directly from cheer practice to the gym. Once, in March, when we were late I was in a hurry and didn’t think about changing before heading off to the gym. Well, as you can imagine the reaction from the guys. Actually, they are great so it was just good-humored ribbing. Actually, it was quite a good experience for me. Up till then I had been very insistent on my masculinity for a while. I really had been a dick about that. That incident taught me how silly that was. I am who I am. How I dress doesn’t change that. I’m fortunate that I’m surrounded by mostly good people. Now I turn up at the gym in the tights and leo every now and then just to stir things up. My usual mates find it hilarious to see the reaction of some guys, especially in the locker room.

Of course, Ryan is thrilled when I’m dressed in the cheerleader uniform. Ryan is also thrilled to date a cheerleader. Of course, this year didn’t start out that way. Ryan and I had been best friends since kindergarten. Lately though, our paths had started to diverge. Ryan had become the school’s star athlete (track and field). I was the nerdy wimpish one, even I had started to work out at a gym and got new friends there. It really was only on a dare from Ryan that I had tried out for the squad. I hadn’t expected to qualify. I did. I accepted. I signed all the papers. I became a VERY good cheerleader and very nearly as athletic as Ryan. That was my great mistake. I hadn’t expected my reaction to all the exercise and all the femininity surrounding me. It really screwed me up. Or to be honest it made it impossible for me to keep denying who I am. It was Ryan who saw what was happening with me and made sure my parents got to know. It was Ryan who made sure I got a good shrink. Ryan even decided that we should keep apart while I got my head screwed back properly in order not to let any sexual tension between us affect me finding out who I was. That was a tough time. Fortunately I unexpectedly got such full support from the squad and Coach, well apart from not letting me quit. In hindsight I somewhat reluctantly admit Coach was right. Apart from Ryan and my family no one is closer to me than my fellow cheerleaders. I can’t thank them enough for the unconditional support I got from them. No boy could have better friends! That’s why I just grin and take it when they tease me.

Granted I was the second transgendered student in our school which meant much of the arguments, legal wrangling and just plain idiocy had been dealt with before the official transition after Christmas. Still, it was not plain sailing. One part is the locker room thing. Given the reaction from some girls’ parents when Adrian/Adriana came out as transgender I had expected some problems. Well, my fellow cheerleaders wouldn’t dream of letting that happen to ME!

For the first few weeks I was always surrounded by an honor guard of cheerleaders in school. After a few incidents people caught on that YOU DON’T MESS WITH CHEERLEADERS!

Things soon settled back to normal.

Actually, I’m surprised how little things have changed since I came out as transgender. I still take the same classes. I still work out in the gym with my friends. I’m still a cheerleader. I still have lunch at the cheerleader table. I still attend cheerleader sleepovers. I really had expected more to change when I came out as F2M. Well, the teasing from the other cheerleaders is a difference but they do that in the firm knowledge that I only have eyes for my girlfriend Ryan. Come to think about it THAT is the really big change! Ryan is the best girlfriend ever.

When Coach refused my resignation from the squad I was really upset. I vowed to quit as soon I could at the end of the year. That was way back when I thought I had to show off how much of a boy I was. Yes, I AM a boy. The only boy in the girls’ locker room through no fault of my own. However, I’m not afraid to show my feminine side, even if I don’t wear skirts or dresses any longer. That together with how awesome my fellow cheerleaders are is why I have decided to stay in the squad next year as well. Besides, Coach has just promised me to be the Head Cheerleader if I stay on the team. Well, you can imagine what my girlfriend with the dirty mind will make of that.