Gender-affirming surgery - meaning and definition
AlsoGASGCSSRSgender confirmation surgerygender reassignment surgerytop surgerybottom surgerysex reassignment surgerysex change operationvaginoplastyphalloplastyfacial feminisation surgery
Definition
Surgical procedures that change physical characteristics to better align a person's body with their gender identity.
At a glance
- Gender-affirming surgery covers several procedures that align the body with gender identity.
- Top surgery refers to the chest, bottom surgery to the genitals, and facial surgery to the face.
- Many trans people have no surgery; others have one or several procedures.
- Surgery is usually offered to adults after specialist assessment.
- Older names such as sex change are considered outdated by many people.
In detail
The term covers several different operations. Top surgery refers to procedures on the chest, bottom surgery to procedures on the genitals, and facial surgery to changes in facial features. Many trans people have none of these, and others have one or several.
Surgery is usually offered to adults after specialist assessment, and eligibility criteria differ by country and health system. Older names such as sex change or sex reassignment surgery are still seen but are considered outdated by many people. As with any major surgery, benefits, risks and recovery should be discussed with a surgical team.
In a sentence
- He had top surgery last spring and is glad he waited for the right surgeon.
- The article replaced the phrase sex change with gender-affirming surgery.
Common questions
Do all trans people have surgery?
No. Many trans people have no surgery at all, for reasons of choice, health, cost or access. Surgery is not needed to be trans.
Is it okay to ask a trans person if they have had surgery?
Usually not. Questions about someone's body or medical history are private, just as they would be for anyone else. Let people share this information only if they want to.
Who decides whether someone can have gender-affirming surgery?
Eligibility criteria differ between countries and health systems, and surgery usually follows a specialist assessment. Benefits, risks and recovery should be discussed with a surgical team.