#this basically

i think at the beginning, her gender identity was one more thing that made her feel like an outsider in ohara, that at first, like with her devil fruit, she saw it as something that made her different and “monstrous.” but i also don’t think that feeling lasted for very long. i think being close with clover and the other librarians of ohara, plus her own natural curiosity, gave her access to tons of research on gender identity and trans identity throughout history and gave her a sense of her place in the world and within a larger community.

not to mention that after ohara’s destroyed: nobody knows her anymore. she can be whoever she wants to be, dress as she likes, present herself however she likes. she becomes known the world over as a woman because that’s how they identify her on her wanted posters.

but i think she’s probably also profoundly lonely. she can read about the history of the trans community, but she doesn’t know anybody that can personally relate to what it was like for her, growing up. There’s no one she can talk to about just how much she wishes she could have come out to her mom. and i think there’s where luffy and the other straw hats come in, and why they’re so important and good for her. aside from being the first people who have unconditionally loved her in years, they provide a safe space for her to talk more personally about her experiences. they love her even more after she eventually trusts them enough to come out.