The Power of One Three Letter Word

Not long ago I became embroiled in a sports conversation with two genetic female friends.
I happen to believe some of us are genetically predispositioned to dislike certain opposing sports teams as much as we are to be transgender. (Well, not really but it sounds good!)
In this case both of them are Pittsburgh Steelers  fans and if you must know I have felt the pain and abuse of rooting for the Cincinnati Bengals since they were founded in the 1960's. Of course (as I would have done to them) they were blasting me the same way the Steelers have blasted the Bengals over the years.
The problem? None, because they had to have used the "she" word in reference to my poor choice of teams at least 4 or 5 times in five minutes. "She" doesn't know football, "she" is the only Bengals fan left etc...(hey, I live an hour from "Cinci"...can't fool me. I know there are a couple more of us out there!)
Of course I knew it was in good fun and no matter how passionate women think they are about sports, rarely can they bring the pain like a man.
I'm fairly jaded and secure about my little place in the world but little did they know how much their acceptance of me and the use of the "she" word meant to me. They don't read this so it's very difficult to express my gratitude to them BUT there are more than a couple more of you who I know read "Cyrsti's Condo" who are in the same boat.
I can only say you make my soul sing with your unconditional acceptance of me and I thank you!!!
On the negative side, if my soul sings the same as the rest of me-maybe I should find some other way to express it!