Surpassing Certainty: What My Twenties Taught Me

Mock (Redefining Realness) has become a vital and indispensable voice in the trans community. Here she expands on her story, exploring her posttransition years and her first marriage. Not long after undergoing gender-reassignment surgery, Mock began performing at a strip club in Waikiki, HI, to earn extra money. It was there that she met Troy, a yeoman stationed on the island of Oahu. They fell in love and developed the trust necessary for Mock to disclose her trans status. His acceptance gave her confidence and, after they married, he supported her as she pursued her education, first at the University of Hawaii and then at New York University, where she earned a master's degree in journalism. The couple grew apart as Mock's career took off, but she credits him with providing encouragement along with her first real experience of love. She also discusses her life as a young woman in New York, as well as her efforts to create a space for herself in a field where women of color are all too scarce.