I want to preface my whole review by saying that anything I say within is influenced by my lived experience as a transmaculine person, by the nonfiction I've read by and about transgender people (limited as that is), and the fiction stories I've read including trans characters.
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"If you’ve ever wondered why trans people make cis people so mad, you can now see that it is because it threatens the arbitrariness of what has constrained their lives."
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One of the things this book highlights is how society as a whole is heteronormative, and values cisgender and heterosexual people over transgender and queer people. And to me that isn't new information, it's a lived experience, but not everyone will have seen that if they are cishet.
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It also makes a point of how listening to transgender people, and allowing them to express themselves and transition to make them more comfortable in their body is "allowable" because in blocking those actions it can lead to the s*icide rate of queer and specifically trans people being extremely high. Even now, shockingly high suicide statistics are still a primary tool to make cis people understand why trans care is necessary in the first place. Instead of “people will feel better,” it must be taken to the extreme of “if we do not allow them to do this, they will kill themselves.” There is nothing more certain than that.
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Personally, using the rate of s*icide as a way of explaining why medical and social transition is necessary shouldn't even be something that has to happen. I feel as though if more information was given at a younger age (secondary school sex education perhaps), more people would be more open to learning.
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Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a deeply personal read for me, as I'm sure it will be for a lot of people who pick up this delight of a book.

Growing up, the trans narratives that I was exposed to in the 2000s usually fell into two categories: trauma through either pain or humiliation, and surprise at 'passing' as cis (in which they were sexualised). Many depictions in the media involved cis people feeling 'betrayed' when someone disclosed that they were trans and feeling like they were 'lied to' because they weren't really the gender they presented as, and once a trans person was open about being trans, they were usually subjected to violence.

All the trans people I remember being depicted in the media when I was growing up (because this was my only exposure to trans people until I was about 15) were trans women. Transness was always viewed through a cis lens, and if a trans person did not look like they were cis, they were made fun of. The world has thankfully evolved a little since then, but it can still be difficult for a person to express their gender as they wish to, leading to more fears that they aren't trans enough because they're not doing enough to be trans. Being trans in a cisnormative society is hard, but this book gives hope that you can be trans no matter what other people think.

This book resonated with me so much because it reflected my experiences growing up and growing into my gender identity. Being under the trans umbrella but not feeling like I can claim being trans because I don't identify as a binary gender is something I have struggled with for years. My exposure to transness solely being transmen or transwomen who wanted to both socially and medically transition made me feel like I couldn't be trans. I knew I wasn't cis, but if I couldn't be trans either then what was I? It prevented me from feeling comfortable for years as I didn't know where I fit in. I felt as though I couldn't use the pronouns I wanted to because I wasn't trans enough to do so .It set me back years and I'm sure other people who pick up this book and have either questioned their identity in the past, or are currently doing so, will also be able to identify with.

This book is viewing identity from a trans gaze and providing acceptance for those who may not have had it in the past. Whilst the target audience is primarily people under the trans umbrella, cis allies may also enjoy this as an insight into the anxieties that some trans people have regarding their gender identity and expression. It covers a variety of topics and challenges why people think they may not be trans enough to call themselves trans and how this can be helped.

This book is magic.
Yes, you are trans enough.
Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
Only you can know how you feel.

A great book that every trans person should read. Some parts felt a little bit repetitive, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I really needed this book, and it helped me work through some difficult feelings and decisions.

This is a great self-help book, for trans people, by a trans person. It was incredibly validating to read and very soothing at times to know I wasn't alone in my experiences. The writing is engaging, the subjects specific enough to be helpful, and the voice gentle and informative. I highly recommend this book to any trans person, especially one like me who's early in transition, who wants a little guidance in their life that's made specifically for them.

This is a great book but I'm only giving it 4 stars because I'm not sure it's always the book it's trying to be. It presents itself as a kind of support book for trans people who have doubts or insecurities around their identity and certainly in places it was very reassuring and validating for me as a trans person to read. However, I felt like it mostly read as an informative book for people who want to be allies or maybe who have family or friends who have just come out as trans or are questioning their gender. I was hoping for something very affirming or more like a pep talk, but I felt this book was a bit too focussed on awareness raising of all the difficulties of being trans. Without a doubt, it is an important and welcome contribution to the canon of texts by and for trans people and their allies, it's just not exactly what I was expecting based on the title and description. I also thought it could maybe have made more use of quote marks/inverted commas/italics because thoughts or spoken words were sometimes interjected mid-sentence without any kind of demarcation which occasionally made those sentences difficult to parse and I had to read them again to make sense of them.

If you're wondering whether you're trans enough, the answer is yes. But also, there's kinda no such thing as "trans enough". This book does a great job of exploring why people may not feel trans enough, and it covers topics from internalised transphobia to gender (and sex) as a social construct, and the trauma of being trans to relationships, sex, representing the trans community, and setting boundaries.

I found this book extremely helpful. I must admit that I didn't think this was a book I needed, I read it purely out of interest, but it actually couldn't have come at a better time. This book helped me start facing up to my feelings about transitioning. When I started reading this book, I had no idea that it would be so impactful, but I'm so grateful that it has given me the opportunity to look into myself and start figuring out what I need.

Thank you so much for the ARC. This is a vital read for trans and cis people alike.

I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4.25 stars rounded up

I read this book while struggling with a modified version of the title. "Am I nonbinary enough" was the specific question I struggled with. The general; "am I trans enough" I have been able to confidenily answer yes to. Living as an out trans man for 4 years has been great and feel confident in my trans identity. However lately I have been thinking if I might not be a trans man, but maybe a nonbinary trans person. With this I especially struggled with my first named question.
Thus, I picked up this book in the hope it could help me and give me an answer, and it did.

The biggest things this book did for me was dismantle my internalized transphobia and let go of any expectations of any label I might consider.

This book was very good at showing different angles of different trans people. There were some parts that made me feel very seen and accepted. But others that showed me trans people I didn't much understand before. The book then however explains potential reasons why such trans people might be like that and why it would maybe be interesting for you to consider. A good example was a part where it explained why some trans men might be into femininization in the bedroom. From my perspective as a transmasculine person I never understood such things, to the point it often made me frustrated when I was having some time alone. The book however explains really well how engaging in such behavior as a trans masculine person gives you authority back on your feminine side and a could also be a way to reclaim it. My own relationship with femininity is troubled. I love skirts, but don't really dare to wear one, even though when I try I don't have much dysphoria. I very strongly feel the need to prove I'm a manly man. While I definitely am not a manly man. During this book I was able to realize I would very much like to be a nonbinary man, or a gender nonconforming man. And by explaining so many sides of being trans I was able to understand others better, let go of my bias, and able to explore my own feelings.

By explaining things trans people do, or people who don't realize they're trans yet do, I was able to analyze a lot of my own previous behavior too. It explains how s some tans people have a phase of hyper masculinity or femininty. And it made me realize I did this. For both sides of the spectrum, and neither felt right. Hyper masculinity definitely felt more right, but as stated above, I'm realizing now that it doesn't fit me.

It also gave a lot of good tips on how to deal with transphobia when it was relevant to the chapters journey. I definitely picked up some things to use as an reply for any next time someone isn't being all too kind.

At the end of the book it comes back to the original question in the title. And while it doesn't answer the question literally, which would've been perfect as a solution, it cannot do that for you. However, the book does give you the tools to get there yourself.

Part in-depth overview, part advice, this book offers a trans perspective for the trans and questioning communities. It is densely informative yet written with accessible language for a variety of readers. Spanning a wide range of topics such as trans history, mental health, relationships, discrimination, and physical and mental transition, this trans-pride book provides thoughtful and genuine guidance for readers.

🏳️‍⚧️Am I trans enough by @thetranstherapist🏳️‍⚧️

Thank you to @netgalley for a copy of this book, due to be published Feb 21st 2023

Wow. An easy five stars. This was such a comforting and informative read. It was really interesting to read about different trans experiences from the perspective of a trans therapist, I especially enjoyed learning about being trans& neurodiverse, trans sex & accepting yourself despite other people's opinions. I'm only just becoming comfortable in my non-binary identity, I don't fully know what this means for me yet, but I got so much out of reading this book. It made me feel valid & not alone despite a recent negative experience where a trans woman told me I was "just a girl adding they to their pronouns to pretend to be trans". This book, and lots of other lovely people, helped remind me that I don't need to look a certain way or go through specific transitions to be myself. I read a LOT of trans books for my PhD, not all of them good, but this was wonderful and I think its a super important book for trans, cis & questioning people and highly highly recommend it💗

4.5 stars

*eARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

this book was brilliant and i found it so helpful and validating. it really disrupts the narratives that cis people have constructed about what it means to be trans and what a "correct" trans person is. it actually made me realise i'd been holding myself and other trans people up to this weird hypothetical standard that no one i know fits. also very helpful to hear that basically every trans person has experienced some sort of fear or doubt and that isn't actually an instant indicator you're secretly cis. the history of transitioning integrated into the book helped as well - it's not a history of transness per se but does help to supplement the author's description of medical gatekeeping.
only a couple points kept this from being fully five star (on story graph - will rate it 5 stars on NetGalley because i think every trans person needs to read this): i wish the footnotes hadn't been at the end - i was reading it as an ebook which wasn't easily navigable so couldn't read them. also the short chapters made it easy to read and accessible, but i think i felt like the book was trying to do a bit too much. it felt like it was trying to solve every problem a trans person might have in their life in the later parts of the book, and i found the chapters about doubt and self esteem far more valuable, and i'd rather read other more specific books about the practical stuff of living in the world as a trans person.

This book gave me a lot to think about, in regards to gender. In a world that is ever evolving and expanding, it can be hard to really understand yourself in a healthy or meaningful way. I think this book takes a step forward in helping people of all ages and identities to really take a lot at themselves and learn something new. Even if you aren’t in the transgender community, this book is so informative and I really appreciated the lengths it went to in order to help the reader learn.

What a wonderful, affirming book. I'm so happy it's been written and published. It's a short read, but feels expansive. I'll definitely be re-reading this one.

This is a safe book, filled with reassurance, kindness and compassion. A must read for trans, questioning and cis ally's alike, and is particularly profound if you're on a gender journey yourself.

Thank you to Netgalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

'Am I Trans Enough' is an honest, insightful look into what it means to be Trans in a cis-normative society. The book invites readers to examine their gender in a meaningful way that goes beyond "Did you play with barbies as a kid? Congrats! You're a girl!" If you're in the beginning stages of questioning, or wanting to support someone who is, I recommend giving this a read.

Alo Johnston (he/him; @thetranstherapist on Instagram) debuts with "Am I Trans Enough?", a non-fiction, divulgative text that aims to offer insight into many concerns and obstacles trans* people might find in their journey to embracing their authentic selves.

In the span of 24 chapters, Johnston covers different topics related to transness: from the process of realising that one is trans*, and the different alternatives available for transitioning, to how the rigid gender binary model enforced by current Western societies impacts the mental health and well-being of trans* people from the moment they begin to differ from what's expected of them according to the gender they were assigned at birth. There's also a revision of the history of transness in our culture, including the hot topic of how transness is still included in the DSM system, and a glance at the trans feminine, trans masculine, and non-binary trans* experiences separately. Overall, this work provides a complete and nuanced look at transness, and provides a safe space for anyone who's wondering whether they might not be cis to learn more about themselves, and find answers to many questions they might have.

As a cis ally, I found this book to be an absolute gem, and I would recommend it to everyone - not just trans* and questioning people. It shows that it was written by a specialised therapist, since the clinical language was really accessible, but also kept objective and scientific. The chapters that dealt with mental health were excellently explained, as well as really kind. The whole book felt like a safe place, in which Johnston grabs the reader by the hand and affectionately explains different sides of the trans* experience. That's not to say that everything is rainbows and glitter, since there's also a really justified, really clear component of social denounce and critical review of many transphobic statements, realities, and attitudes. In this specific area, I was delighted to read a critical revision of TERF ideologies and of the way transphobia is starting to strip cis women, too, of hard-earned equality and autonomy.

All in all, this book was absolutely extraordinary. Definitely a must-read.

Am I Trans Enough is a short read geared towards helping folks who are questioning their gender identity as well as new to transitioning. The way the author describes their experiences with the challenges surrounding being Trans from coming out, to wide spectrum of gender affirming care, and dealing with the world around you, was both relatable and heartwarming as someone who has been out for a while.
I would have loved to read something like this at the beginning of my journey, and I'd reccomend this book for anyone who is in need of some reassurance, and I think it could be helpful for someone who doesn't know a lot about being Trans but might have a loved one who is. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me a with an ARC to review. All thoughts expressed are my own.

This book has a wonderful premise. It's meant to show that there's no such thing as "trans enough." No matter how you identify, you are enough. I was excited to read this book, as someone who identifies as gender queer. However, if I'm honest, I struggled with this book. There were parts I could perk up about and loved, but mostly it was drier than I'd hoped. It was equal parts inspiring and boring. The facts and figures dragged me down. I think the message is excellent and would recommend for those who don't feel "enough."

(Formatting from my tumblr post changed)

This is a really affirming read! Or at least it was to me.

To some extent I think this is the kind of book which each reader will get varying mileage out of depending on what they relate to and what they need. Cishet people might struggle (but I still believe it could be useful for them! you never know what gender is lurking, plus allyship!), but people who have a more complex relationship with gender will (i believe) find parts that they relate to, if not the whole thing.

The book itself covers a variety of potential trans and nonbinary experiences and historical context, and tho I bounced off the first half (with the exception of the exploration of the strange feeling of trying new pronouns which made me feel a lot better about a fear I'd been diminishing) the second half felt much more practiceable. Towards the end there's three separate chapters, one each on being a trans man, woman, and nonbinary.

(the author also acknowledges that this doesn't and can't cover all potential identities and experiences. how you feel about that is up to you.)

And, of course, the gist of the book is that yes, yes you are trans enough.

The chapters themselves are very short, a couple of pages each, and any longer ones are broken up with sub-sections, so it's very easy to read. Plus, if anything comes up that you really need to sit and think about for a while - and like me, you have a base need to finish chapters before putting the book down - you can!

But, bear in mind, I don’t technically identify myself as trans (though i use multiple pronouns), so this was more of an interesting reading exercise, with a few hopes that maybe some of those minor niggling doubts were more universal than I'd initially thought. (surprising literally no one, they were).

However, as a person relatively newly playing with gender, I did feel very affirmed and reassured by both the writing style and the content.

It's also, for anyone concerned, open and accepting of detransition as an option, and supports more fluid experiences of gender. (low bar, I know, but appreciated.)

My only critiques with it are that it seems to try and cover too much at once, and ends up covering a lot of stuff in a very light way. This, coupled with the lack of activities to do makes it feel like a sort of superficial book. To put it another way, I feel like my knowledge around trans doubt has changed, but I'm not entirely sure how to approach *feeling* different around my own doubt.

It's not unhelpful tho! And the long list of resources and notes in the back are greatly appreciated!

But still, I think I was hoping for a bit more depth.

On the whole, I enjoyed this book and found it useful! I would recommend to anyone early in their gender journey, or perhaps looking for a little insight into other gender identities.

Am I Trans Enough by Alo Johnston is a beautiful memoir and offers a beautiful look at one person's story. Alo shares so much of the wisdom and knowledge that he has gained and earned along the way of his journey and this is a must have for every personal library!

This was an astounding, compassionate and crucial read. It is incredibly informative and well-written and is a compelling read throughout. This book covers a vast array of topics under transitioning and trans identity and self-acceptance and has an abundance of perspective. This was a fantastic read that is incredibly needed.

Super informative and clear book about trans ness as well as the complexities that come with being trans. This explores both the negative and the positive, giving potential options that trans people could do in order to continue to live their best lives as best as possible.