The Third Gender

It's not that I hate dancing. I don't. I actually enjoy it to an extent. At one point, I was as good a dancer as the others.
The point of this post isn't, however, to talk about dancing achievements. It's to talk about some issues concerning dancing classes in schools.
For our school, we have a dancing section as part of the Phy. Ed. unit. It's pretty simple. Show up. Pay attention. Listen. Dance.
What isn't so simple is who we have to dance with. Either there's a shortage of boys or a shortage of girls. I would gladly dance with a friend. We were the only two without a partner. But our teacher wouldn't allow it.
I hated the thought of some guy's hands on me, and he probably felt the same. It's just so...awkward. Why couldn't I just go on the guy's side and dance with my friend? "There's no third gender", my teacher said.
Luckily, I got out early to help a friend. 'Narrowly avoided that one, didn't you?'
Still, I regretted going back. Having to dance with a boy who would never want to dance with me. Sitting on the sidelines once again with my friend because I couldn't just dance with her. It's funny...
They say that schools are "gender neutral", that they don't pick sides. And yet I see it every day. Boys. Girls...I stop.
Were those the only two?
Did I have to pick and choose? Boy or Girl...
Boy- Blue. Baseball cap and football. Short hair.
I had the short hair. I wore mostly men's tops. I might slip by, right?
Girl- Pink. Skirt and makeup brush. Colored hair.
My hair was colored. I liked women's styles. Is this one okay?
At the end of the day, once again, I can't decide. No third gender? What am I now? Two different minds? I didn't want to be that. I had one mind and it belonged to me. Tye. Or was it Tei? Stacey? Heather? Jordan? David?
Names. Labels. Judgment. Assignment.
I can't wait for the day when everyone shuts up and lets people be people. Men and Women. And the Third Gender.