surgery

For as long as I could remember, I had a tight foreskin. When I was younger, I didn’t realize there was an issue, and that not everyone’s penis looked like mine. As I got into my teenage years, I began to realize that it was *too* tight.

They call it “feminization surgery,” but that’s a bit of a misnomer. More accurately described, it tends to make the features of the face finer and more delicate, and people of any gender can have delicate features.

In vaginoplasty, which may require multiple surgeries, depending on the surgeon’s preference and your case, your existing genital tissue is creatively recycled into a vagina, set of labia, and a clitoris.

If you’re equipped with a clit and some labia and you’d like a penis (with or without testicles), you’re looking at either a phalloplasty or metoidioplasty. The procedures have different advantages and disadvantages that you’ll want to consider before making a decision.

In this procedure, the surgeon removes the testicles with or without the scrotum. This procedure stops the production of testosterone, which allows patients to adjust their doses of anti-androgens and estrogen.

If you’ve got a uterus and you don’t want one, you’ll be spending some personal time with a gynecological surgeon.

After about two years of estrogen, your body will be pretty maxed out in the boob department. What you see is what you get...but if you’re not happy with the look and feel of your breasts, you can explore breast augmentation. There are a huge range of procedures available, broken down by type of incision and implant, and your best option depends on the preferences of your surgeon, your body, and your desired outcome.

Whether you’re transgender or otherwise gender nonconforming, you may be thinking about the options when it comes to surgical transition, either now or in the future — and if you're under 18, “future” may be the operative (so to speak) word. While you may not be thinking about surgery for quite a while, it helps to be informed so that you can start thinking about your options and the decisions ahead.

If you’re a little older, or you feel confident and ready to transition after being on blockers and your doctor thinks it's reasonable to do so, you may start taking estrogen and an androgen blocker if your body would otherwise naturally produce testosterone. You may hear estrogen referred to as a “feminizing hormone” or “female hormone,” which is a term I dislike because you may not necessarily be taking it to achieve a “feminine” body if you’re nonbinary or otherwise gender nonconforming, and lots of people who aren't women produce estrogen naturally. You can just call it estrogen!

If your body is longing to pump out some estrogen and you’d rather it didn’t, your doctor will start you on testosterone therapy. Estrogen blockers are also available, but they aren’t widely used — usually your testosterone will be enough to do the trick. You may also hear testosterone discussed as a “masculinizing” or “male” hormone, but it doesn’t have to be either of those things for you unless you want it to be.