I guess I should talk a little about the title of the blog (trans enough) and how that concept has had a huge impact on my gender identity. As I mentioned earlier, historically there have always been trans people but it wasn’t until sexual-reassignment-surgery (SRS) that the general population took notice. Initially, only those individuals who were thought to be able to “pass” well as the sex they were trying to become and those who would identify as straight after the SRS were allowed to go through the procedure (provided they could afford it). Because the general population began to take notice when surgeons started performing SRS, and because these people had to become “medicalized” in order to have the surgery in the first place, the distinction between transgender and transsexual was not made. Generally, transgender is an umbrella term within which over 100 gender identities exist, transsexual being one. Many people assume that if you physically change any part of your body via surgery or hormones that you are transsexual. I used to think that the only way I could pursue chest surgery was by identifying as transsexual, even though I knew that wasn’t the “right” identity for me. It seems as though many people feel there is a hierarchy within trans identities in which transsexual people are seen as the “most” serious about their identities. It is thought that all transsexual people know how they feel, know what they want, and will take any steps necessary to obtain it. As for the rest of the people under the umbrella, they are often seen as just playing around and not really serious about how they feel. I think that is where the concept of trans enough comes from. When I first started exploring my gender identity, it was complicated for many reasons, the lack of terminology and language for one. The other big one was my assumption that, because I didn’t want to be transsexual, I couldn’t be trans at all. Even after embracing my genderqueerness I still felt like I couldn’t have chest surgery (no matter how much I wanted it) because I wasn’t trans enough. Most of that feeling stems from my internalized transphobia. An entire blog topic in-and-of itself, I’ll just say now that while it wasn’t until I took this trans class (for which this blog is fulfilling a part of an assignment) that I even admitted I had any internalized transphobia. I think it stems from the concept of there only being one way to be trans and that is transsexual and always feeling inadequate as a result. It should be pointed out that the key to gender identity is the same as with any other type of identity…it is the person’s choice. No one can confer an identity on another person. In understanding this, it is imperative to understand that not all transsexual people undergo surgeries or hormone therapies. Conversely, not all people who undergo surgeries or hormone therapies are transsexual. You can claim a transsexual identity and never physically change your body through surgery or hormones. You can claim an identity other than transsexual and still change your body through surgery or hormones. I am physically changing my body because I have always felt uncomfortable with breasts and I think this will offer me the chance to feel at peace with my body. I am able to do this now because I finally understand that while some people might consider my gender identity as somehow lacking or as being frivolous, I am trans enough for me.