EDIT June 16, 2016 - probably should've done this a long time ago, but I added a watermark. If this piece is anywhere else, it was reposted by someone without my permission. However, for this particular piece, I'm just glad that the message is out there.For the 2013 Embracing Our Differences ContestThere are two versions of this: the original and the one I submitted for the contest (since I DERPED and forgot that it had to be landscape and not portrait). This is the original.--------Rather than appearance, a person should be judged by the content of their character. Gender stereotypes are a part of society. Clothes and toys are sorted based on gender; some languages require that you use certain words based on gender. Gender is fluid, and sometimes, a person may feel different than what their body presents. However, girls and boys alike have expected ways of behaving and may be judged or teased by family and peers for not being “manly enough” or “unladylike”. The dysphoria caused by the feeling of being in the wrong body combined with the pressure to fit into society causes pain. Today, many variants of gender are recognized: cismale/female, transmale/female, genderqueer, and so forth. To be looked down upon because of how one sees themself is wrong. Whatever pronoun you wish to be referred to should not affect how people view you as a person.In my work, I wanted to express how a parent could keep you from being who you are. Many kids feel like they have to live up to their parents’ expectations and make them happy. What if one of those expectations was to see them grow up to be a young woman or man?--------Thank you to my brother who helped me write the description.It's been a LONG time since I last did a piece as big as this. If you can't tell I kinda forgot how to color hair. XD I also spent about and hour and a half trying to cell shade for some reason...I ended up trashing that and starting over. I'm glad I did.Time was around 21-22 hours. Big thanks to Giovanni Civardi's Human Anatomy book. It really helped me on drawing the bodies. I don't draw faces like him, but I tried going for a more realistic look since I don't think my usually manga-inspired style would go well with the piece.In the one I submitted to the contest, I ended up having to cut about half of the whole picture. Even though it kinda looked better I was still sad...mainly because of, well.... . However it did cut off the girl's fingers, which I forgot to fix before I got to coloring :IUuuuuuuh so yeah. Hopefully everyone likes. : D It's been so long since I've submitted anything so I don't really know what to say anymore;;;Thank you for viewing! Have a wonderful day<3