Dear Janus, Earth Angel:

Wikipedia, I learned this very morning, has lots, long entries on transgenders, three of those are titled: “Transgenders”,  “Transgender history” and “History of transgender people in the United States”.

I wasn’t aware, didn’t know that the transgender history goes as early as the beginning of human society, long before modern history, anywhere and everywhere on the face of this earth. I also understand better that  indeed gender identity is separate and independent of sexual orientation. I knew this before, but seeing the statistics verifies it for me. Transgenders existed long, long before any activism and  before any  advances in medicine. Gender Identity really is a  spectrum issue and has  been so from the beginning of human history.

I clearly see the difference between biological sex and gender identity.

I want to point  out the  following quote from “Transgenders”:

“Many transgender people experience gender dysphoria, and  some seek medical treatments such as hormone  replacement therapy, sex reassignment surgery, or psychotherapy.  Not all transgender people desire these  treatments… Since the 1990s, transsexual has generally been used to describe the  subset of  transgender people who desire to transition permanently to  the gender  with which they identify and  who seek medical assistance with this.”

This means that not all transgenders experience gender dysphoria (news to me), and  that not all transgenders desire medical transitioning, even if they can afford  it.

Another quote: “Most mental health professionals recommend therapy for internal conflicts about gender identity or discomfort in an assigned  gender role, especially if one  desires to transition. People who experience discord between their gender  and  the expectations of  others or whose  gender  identity conflicts with  their body may benefit by talking through their feelings in depth”-

what I italicized is what I see as true to you, being so very  concerned with  “the expectations of others”. So, my  understanding at this point is that the  main challenge in front  of you is not that you are  transgender, but that you suffer  from gender dysphoria.

I also  read elsewhere regarding the chest binder is that the right  sport  bra is a much better  option (??)

Back to gender dysphoria: not all transgenders suffer from gender dysphoria.  I imagine lots do. You are one  of many. This is why therapy, I suppose more therapy than what  you already had is a very good idea, sometime in the future  if not very soon. The medical transitioning is such a serious matter,  that better have  adequate therapy, explore all that needs  to be explored at depth before embarking on such a drastic physical transformation that requires lifetime medical intervention, or upkeep   if everything goes well,  assuming I understand correctly.

Wow, what  an eye opening  morning.

anita