What is gender-affirming surgery?
Gender-affirming surgery, also sometimes referred to as sex reassignment surgery, is the process of an individual transitioning from their biological gender to their self-identified gender. There are many surgical options that can include: facial surgery, top surgery, and bottom surgery. These surgeries are extremely beneficial for those struggling with gender dysphoria for their mental health to be able to look in the mirror and see the gender they identify with. This can be a risky surgery with many complications, but in my eyes, this would be entirely worth it to feel comfortable in one’s skin.
DYLAN MULVANEY ON FEMINIZATION SURGERY
When discussing facial surgery, I will be focusing on Dylan Mulvaney, an American actress and transgender rights activist, who was very public about her transition on TikTok as she shared all sorts of content associated with this journey. She was very active during her transition doing a series where she would go through “Day __ of Being a Woman” describing her everyday life and issues she may have faced while deciding to transition from male to female identifying.
She elected to go through with facial feminization surgery as a huge step in her gender affirmation journey very recently. This facial feminization surgery took place on December 16, 2022, and has already made such a difference in comfort in her skin. She was very public with the good and the bad associated with this surgery but Dylan’s confidence absolutely radiates now that she feels more like herself.
@dylanmulvaney
Dylan and many transgender individuals are open with their affirming surgeries to create a greater sense of acceptance and attempt to normalize this for future generations. This surgery can save the lives of transgender individuals due to the unintended mental consequences that can come with not “seeing yourself” in the mirror, also referred to as gender dysphoria. Transgender individuals suffering from gender dysphoria have higher rates of suicide, due to depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and physiological trauma, which can come as an effect of this. These disorders tend to be tied to a higher likelihood of suicide which is why we see this association. Dylan completed this surgery and can be seen absolutely beaming with joy, images shared on her Instagram for this reveal are included below.
Why CAN GENDER AFFIRMING SURGERY SERVE AS A LIFE-SAVING SURGERY?
The increased likelihood of suicide is a very sad reality for the transgender community, which is why society needs to provide support rather than chastise them for their true identity. Influencers and content creators like Dylan have shifted the narrative and have positively impacted society’s view on the trans community. Gender-affirming surgery is not the perfect solution for a transgender individual, but it can help individuals align their identity with who they see in the mirror. The Cleveland Clinic did a study on transgender individuals who elected to get gender-affirming surgery and found these transgender individuals “experience long-term mental health benefits. In one study, a person’s odds of needing mental health treatment declined by 8% each year after the gender-affirming procedure”, this is a major improvement in quality of life (Cleveland Clinic).
“Gender Affirmation Surgery: What Happens, Risks & Benefits.” Cleveland Clinic, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/21526-gender-affirmation-confirmation-or-sex-reassignment-surgery. Accessed 16 Feb. 2023.
It would definitely be worth it to go through that process to feel comfortable in one’s own skin! I think people as is worry, and stress about the person they are and struggle with mental health, but if you feel as if you aren’t even the gender you were born as it would be even harder. Especially in today’s world, which albeit has seen great improvements in its acceptance of the trans community, there’s still many people that see it as a sin or unholy. Rather than just living their own life and focusing on themselves, they feel the need for some reason to try and dictate other people’s lives. Hopefully in the future more people will continue to accept others for who they are regardless of if you’re straight, trans, bi, or a different race. Do you know how the recovery from the surgery is, and if it’s painful for months after or is it a relatively non-invasive surgery?
Gender affirming surgery is a huge step and can drastically change the quality of life for a transgender person, and I like how you acknowledged it as a life saving surgery rather than a simple aesthetic surgery. I also love the pictures you chose and how you incorporated one of Dylan’s TikTok’s into the article, it definitely broke up the words and created more spacing. I also like how you had titles for each section, and it made your post flow very smoothly.