(Bloom sits cross-legged, quietly reading a book. A white bird with pastel pink streaks running down either side of their body and sky blue wings is perched on her shoulder, reading along as well. Lark approaches from elsewhere.)

Lark (20s me): Hey Bloom.

Bloom (High school me): Hi Lark!

Lark: Is there a bird on your shoulder?

Bloom (cheerily): Yes there is!

Lark: What… Why?

Bloom: It’s Trans Day of Visibility today! The day we trans people choose to be visible to raise awareness of trans identities.

Lark: I don’t know if you’ve been keeping up with the news, but I’m not sure lack of awareness is a problem nowadays.

Bloom: Okay sure, but when we’re visible we can find each other more easily. It lets people who don’t know they’re trans yet see us too. Sometimes that can help them see themselves. It’s important work.

Lark: I guess that’s a fair point… It still doesn’t explain the bird though.

Bloom: Oh! This is a T-Dove! Aren’t her colors pretty?

Lark (incredulous): What!? You’re letting a bird sit on your shoulder for a pun?

Bloom (smug): I’m letting a bird sit on my shoulder because she’s a wonderful reading buddy, thank-you-very-much.

T-Dove: chirp chirp

Lark: Ridiculous.

(Libra arrives, a familiar white, pink, and blue bird perched on her shoulder.)

Libra (college me): Hey Bloom; hey Lark!

Bloom: Hi Libra!

Lark (stunned): You have a bird too!?

Libra: Of course! It’s Trans Day of Visibility!

Lark: When did this become a thing!?

Libra: Oh, Rachel Crandall-Crocker started TDoV back in 2009…

Lark (annoyed): Not the day! The birds!

Libra: What’s wrong with the birds? They’re very friendly!

Lark: So what, you’re just going to walk around with birds on your shoulders the whole day?

Bloom & Libra: Yes!

Libra: Come on Lark, it’s just one day. I know the world is scary, but it can feel kind of nice to stand out a little bit.

Lark: Fine, but like this? A bird on the shoulder just seems… Silly.

Mom (present me): You don’t like the birds?

(Lark turns to notice me standing nearby. A T-Dove is perched on my right shoulder, and a second T-Dove is standing on my left hand.)

Lark: You too!?

Mom: Hey, I think it’s a cute pun.

Lark: So everyone gets a bird today except me, huh?

Mom: Do you want one? You just said they were silly.

Lark (exasperated): They are silly! It’s a silly pun. It’s just…

Mom: You feel left out.

Lark (timid): I know it took a little longer for me to figure myself out…

Mom: It’s not that, Lark. Being visible isn’t a requirement. For some trans people it’s not safe to be visible, whether that’s because of pressure from family, work, community… Any number of places. Some trans people could be visible but prefer to stay stealth, and that’s valid too. Whether or not you want to be visible today is your choice and no-one else’s.

Libra: I mean, our story is out on the public Internet for anyone to see. I’m not sure we can get more visible than that.

Mom: Try to work within the fiction, dear.

Libra (embarrassed): Sorry Mom.

Mom: So, what’s your choice, Lark? Do you want a T-Dove too?

(Lark ponders for a moment.)

Lark: You know… I think I do, yes.

(I smile and lift my left hand. The T-Dove perched there flies to Lark’s shoulder, where it sits and settles in.)

Lark: Well hello there!

T-Dove: tweet!

Mom (smiling): Happy Trans Day of Visibility, girls.