#UPDATE spoke to the resident dinosaur expert and he said could easily be archaeopteryx or deinonychus! Probably not velociraptor though

[uhohitsdorian]

So I’ve been talked into seeing my extended family this summer, which means I’ve gotta come out to them. Which, in my terror over the prospect of doing so, I decided was a situation that would be improved for all involved if it included a drawing of a skateboarding dinosaur. Though mostly for me.

Full graphic under the cut, if that helps anyone else in a similar boat, though I haven’t actually sent the message yet so I can’t say how effective the method is. I hope it’s very lovable. I’ve never actually had to formally come out before because most people who know me have watched me botch my way through my identity crisis from day one, so… fingers crossed.

[Image: a lineless, digital drawing of a small brown dinosaur, covered in feathers and wearing a dark blue, polka-dotted, button-up shirt and denim shorts, performing a jump on a skateboard in front of a warm, yellow background. They have short, fluffy brown hair and a long tail with a feathered fan, and the trans flag is visible on their pocket. The skateboard has one teal and one orange wheel visible on the side facing the viewer. End ID.]

[Second image: an expanded graphic featuring the original image to one side, and several paragraphs of text framed in speech bubbles from a small (human) portrait of the artist in the bottom corner.

The title reads: “Hey! You probably remember me inaccurately.”

The bubbles read: “It’s Cousin Rosie! A lot has changed since I last saw you all seven years ago. Namely, I’ve realised I’m transgender - nonbinary specifically, which for me means I don’t feel aligned with being male or female.

“It would mean the world to me if you could get used to thinking of me in such a light before I actually get to see you all. My pronouns are they/them, and while that may seem like a new concept, ‘they’ has actually seen usage as a neutral singular pronoun for over 700 years, including in the works of Shakespeare and the King James Bible, and predates singular usage of ‘you’!

“I still go by Rosie, but you can also call me Ray Ray if it makes remembering easier. I’m not a girl or a woman (I never have been and I never will be) but I’m still me, and knowing myself better has made me a much happier person, which should hopefully also make me more fun to be around this summer!

“This is all kind of nerve-racking to say, so I’ve included some examples of the grammatical usage and a drawing of a skateboarding dinosaur. I love dinosaurs. I love drawing, making music, linguistics, and playing Minecraft and Dungeons & Dragons with my friends. And I love all of you.”

Accompanying the dinosaur are a few more lines of text: “Whoa! Here comes your cousin/nephew/grandchild! They’ve drawn themself as a dinosaur on a skateboard! Their style is un-paralleled! If only they could do sick stunts like that in real life!” End ID.]