Feeling okay with not conforming to gender stereotypes?

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I'm wondering if anyone else is open to the people they know about liking things that are generally associated with the opposite gender.

I really like the My Little Pony FiM TV series, and several anime series that could be called "girly", and with the exception of a few people I don't really feel comfortable telling people about the types of shows I like to watch. At the same time, I'm trying to be more open with the people I know.

The thing that made me think about this was a shirt my best friend is getting for me that has Fluttershy (from MLP) on the front and "yay" right below it (from one of my favorite Fluttershy moments). I really like the shirt, but I think I'd feel weird wearing it around other people who know me.

I wish I could just convince myself and say "F*** it. I don't care what anyone thinks"
This is one of my biggest problems though..... I'm pretty sensitive to how people perceive me.

I do what I want and don't worry about what gender it's attached to. That goes with everything, even clothes and hair. Luckily my appearance facilitates that and it looks natural.

Do what you want. Gender is a construct of society. There is nothing wrong with you; it's everyone else that has the problem.

I have no problem not conforming to gender stereotypes, but others around me seem to have a problem with that. I don't like giving in to the restrictions and obligations that society try to impose on me (and other people) because of my biological sex. I would feel silly to conform to the male stereotypes. You should respect yourself as an individual whichever sex you are, and not care about the opinions of others that try to restrict you unnecessarily.

I'm not really sure why I'm so worried about what people would think about it. I'm not worried about seeming "less masculine" or anything like that since I'm asexual.

I just really don't like being the target of "friendly banter". I understand that friends don't mean it when they poke fun at each other, it just doesn't feel natural to me and I tend to take it seriously.

I tend to dress pretty androgynous. My mom hates it and is constantly trying to get me to dress like a "girl"' luckily, I live in LA where gender "rules" are pushed to the max every day. I'm also into gaming, comics, b action movies and old kung fu s**t. But now that just seems to make me "cool" because I'm nerdy. wish nerdy had been "cool" before I was 26. Lol. I say wear it with confidence, but I get that's easier said than done. I avoid writing and characters on shirts usually because I get socially uncomfortable and think everyone is starting.

Oh hello!

I'm the OP's friend in question. I walked into that Hot Topic, saw the shirt, and both my husband and I had to get one - I ended up leaving Hot Topic with exactly 3 Fluttershy shirts and nothing else, ha!

I've had lots of "f**k it" moments in my life - like when I decided to wear mismatched socks. I'm 30 now and when I started mismatching my socks I was about 18, and that was not in style at all like it kinda is now. Or the first time I entered a chatroom - I was so nervous to interact with other people online, because I used to be a Fluttershy.

I'm wearing my shirt today!

I've always oscillated between not caring and caring a great deal.

I sometimes wish that feminine behaviour came 'naturally' to me but it won't.

I'd rather not restrict myself to the binary gender code. I know that I wasn't born my preferred gender, but I have the feeling to select my preferred gender to be in my WP profile. The whole thing about Mick Avory, my username, Sweet Peas and The Kinks is me being myself. I've also ended up looking like Mick after my final growth spurt in my late teens. I've hated being a girl since I was three or four. I wanted to grow up to be big and strong and I did grow up to be big and strong with muscular arms and an extra large frame. It also doesn't bother me that I'm larger than most members of my unchosen gender while at the same time, not morbidly obese at over 250 lbs. I'll tell you this much. I would have gotten a sex change a long time ago if I didn't look like strong and cuddly Mick Avory, especially in the face.

I kind of want one now, and I'm not even a brony.

I'm pretty butch as is, so no one has ever been surprised that I'm into typically guy things. They're usually more surprised when I show up in heels or makeup

I am basically a walking gender role contradiction so I can't say that it bothers me in the least.

The shirt looks very natural on him. Still looking pretty masculine, though. Not that it matters.

I'm fine with not conforming to gender stereotypes.