Sex with a fellow trans person put me off cis men for life

It wasn’t until my early twenties that I discovered the label ‘nonbinary’ (Picture: Dee Whitnell)

When my date used my correct pronouns, I felt a sudden surge of happiness.

He was a cisgender guy, and since most men had misgendered me on dating apps and on actual, in-person dates, this gesture gave me a glimmer of hope.

Telling my friend about it, however, gave me the slap in the face I needed. ‘Getting your pronouns right is the bare minimum, Dee,’ she said, shaking her head.

It was then that I realised how little my identity had been affirmed in my previous relationships with cis men, and how this simple act, which should be ...