40 Perks of Being Post-Op Top Surgery

*Tosses my binder out the window.*

Photo by alexandra lammerink on Unsplash

I had top surgery (FTN) six months ago. Six months. October 8th, 2020. And I’m loving it. (Cue the McDonald’s theme song.)

Whether you’re pre-op and looking to hear about top surgery benefits from another trans person, newly post-op and looking for a light at the end of the tunnel as you spend time in the post-op compression binder and emptying out your drains, several years post-op and looking to reminisce, or an ally looking to learn more about why transmasculine individuals undergo this procedure, you’ve come to the right place.

Without further ado…

40 Perks of Being Post-Op Top Surgery:

1. Not needing to wear a binder to feel safe enough and confident enough to leave my dorm room.
2. No longer hurting my chest from binding.
3. Not getting misgendered because of my chest size.
4. Alleviated chest dysphoria.
5. Being able to comfortably reclaim my femininity.
6. Breathing easily.
7. Getting to give physical affection to others without worrying about whether or not they can feel my chest.
8. Not having to think about my chest all of the time.
9. Being able to “pass” with more ease.
10. No longer having to hunch over, awkwardly carry my shirt out in front of me, or cross my arms over my chest to hide when I’m not wearing a binder.
11. Not having to plan my days around binding.
12. Not worrying about my binder being visible underneath my clothes.
13. Not having to fight with my health care provider anymore.
14. Standing up straight, with confidence.
15. Getting to shower in peace.
16. Getting to go swimming in peace.
17. Getting to dance in peace.
18. Showing off my top surgery lines.
19. Getting to be shirtless in public without it posing a major safety risk for me.
20. Sleeping shirtless comfortably.
21. Being able to change around others without…