If I Don't Transition Does it Mean I am NOT Transgender?
Can you be transgender if you don't transition? Dr. Z says absolutely yes—transition is not mandatory.
Some say "you're not transgender until you transition." Complete bullshit. Gender dysphoria stems from numerous factors. Three most predominant: (1) Body dysphoria—you're not comfortable with particular body parts because they denote/communicate a particular gender to the world and you're not in alignment with that gender. (2) Social dysphoria (more common in younger population)—you're comfortable with your body, feel it's gender neutral, but uncomfortable with how the world sees and categorizes your body in a particular gender label. You may or may not desire medical/surgical transition but dysphoria is still there. (3) Neurological dysphoria—brain is strongly not in alignment with biological sex, brain patterns similar to opposite sex, causing incongruency about body, social interaction, feelings, hormones produced.
Some don't go through transition because: health issues, financial hardships, where they live, or they don't gender-label their body (world does, but they don't) so they don't personally need it.
Watch to find out why transition is in no way mandatory to be transgender, why that mentality breeds unnecessary interventions, and why social/legal/interpersonal/relational transition also exists—if changing name and pronouns alleviates dysphoria, you're transgender.
