My femininity was all but snuffed out. During Morning Meetings, I stood to sing the school "Hurrah" with the rest of the boys, my voice invariably fading to a whisper every time I reached the lyric, "Here we are, sons and brothers."

 

This inevitably got a few chuckles out of my nearest male classmates, which was something of a relief because at least they recognized the absurdity of my position.