Throughout the past few months I've written articles about cats, artists who paint cats, social issues, and even reality-shattering spelling errors. However, today I'd like to write about something different.

I would like to write about myself.

I'm a pretty simple person. I like writing, prog rock, and Star Trek. I study psychology, and I'm also a public speaker. Also, I'm intersex.

Oh, sorry. I suppose I should elaborate. Like I said, I'm intersex, which means that I'm not male nor female, but rather was born in-between. Though the topic of intersex has quite a few factors that play into it, it's not a very complicated idea; intersex encompasses anything and anyone that is not entirely male or female, regardless of whether or not they resemble a male or female. However, I've found that the term "intersex" is foreign to most, even those well-versed in medical and social terminology. Most seem to think that "intersex" is a different word for "hermaphrodite," or even that it's a new concept. Needless to say, most people cannot say they fully understand the concept of intersex, and that's something I'd like to help you achieve today.

Not only am I intersex, I also have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), which causes excess amounts of testosterone in my body. PCOS is said to cause some "embarrassing" side effects such as obesity, skin discoloration, and excessive hair growth.

I think you know where I'm going with this.

Yes, I will be completely candid about the fact that I am a 16-year-old female-appearing person... With a beard.

Lovely, I know. Now, despite the unattractive nature of a "bearded lady," I've been taught to accept. You may be surprised to discover that I not only accept my facial hair, but I actually embrace it.

Now, this is the point when all of the CEOs of razor companies read this and hastily grab their torches and pitchforks and plead for me to shave that bush off of my chin, reasoning that it renders me completely repulsive.

This is also the point when I laugh in their faces and shrug, admitting to them that I really, truly, from the deepest depths of my heart and soul, don't care. In fact, I like it. I have always enjoyed the appearance of well-maintained facial hair (though mine still has quite some ways to go), and I see no reason why I cannot enjoy it on myself.

This month, known by most men as No-Shave November, is when I have finally decided to put away the razor for good. For so long I had shaved my face, not out of my own preference, but out of the preference of others who have pressured me into getting rid of it. So, what was it that made me finally decide to keep my beard?

All of the other women who decided to keep theirs.

Believe it or not, I'm not alone. There are a handful of others who have decided to embrace their body's natural, yet rare, phenomenon.

Little Bear Schwartz

Harnaam Kaur

Mariam (Her last name is anonymous)

First off, props to these lovely ladies for growing beards better than I could ever dream of growing. Second of all, these women are just a handful of the immense population of those of us who are female/female-appearing and proudly bearded. Now, it should be said that all of these women are entirely female, but all of us share something in common: we all have PCOS, and unfortunately, all of us have been mocked for our choices.

I have made my decision official to proudly display my facial hair, and what better month to do so than No-Shave November itself? After all, even women who don't grow beards tend to participate in the holiday, allowing the hair of their underarms and legs grow for a month in the name of cancer awareness (the rarely-considered purpose of the event). However, even these women face heavy criticism for their decision to participate, and when one considers the illogical nature of shaming a person for such a natural and harmless event, it starts to become clear that it wouldn't hurt for No-Shave November to be all year long for those who want it to be.

The thing is, it can be.

It's hard to deal with criticism sometimes, but that's one of the reasons why I finally made my decision. I have seen first-hand the mocking that the proudly-hairy woman faces, and I hope that with more of us proudly embracing ourselves, it may become normal for a person who does not wish to shave to not feel pressured to do so.

Of course, it's also a great opportunity to raise awareness about what it means to be intersex. After all, is there a better conversation piece than a beard? It's so easy to think of a condition as a condition, but it can be so difficult to see the person with the condition. Until a short while ago, intersex infants were forced to live as either a boy or a girl, and were kept from knowing the truth about themselves. However, society is starting to realize that intersex is not an illness, but rather just a third sex located between male and female. Perhaps when people meet and befriend intersex individuals they will discover that we're no different from anyone else.

(At the end of November 2016 I will post an article as a follow-up to this one with more pictures and a full report of the social aspects of the month.)