Yup. I'm Non-op (more or less).

[JohnnieRamona]

Just thought I'd add my perspective here...

Although I reserve the right to change my mind later on, I have no interest in getting "bottom surgery." I would consider getting an orchiectomy, but I'm not interested in full-on GRS. For a LONG time I used my lack of burning hatred towards my genitals as an excuse to not transition. I finally realized that I could be a woman even if I didn't want to get rid of my penis (Julia Serano's book Whipping Girl helped a lot). I've been on HRT for 6 months now, and while my sex drive/"function" has changed a lot, I still enjoy using my penis sexually. If/when it stops "working" that will be ok, but for now I'm glad that it still does.

Anyone else in the same boat, or am I just off by myself in crazytown here?

[Nero]

No bottom surgery for me either.

[Shantel]

Just thought I'd add my perspective here...

Although I reserve the right to change my mind later on, I have no interest in getting "bottom surgery." I would consider getting an orchiectomy, but I'm not interested in full-on GRS. For a LONG time I used my lack of burning hatred towards my genitals as an excuse to not transition. I finally realized that I could be a woman even if I didn't want to get rid of my penis (Julia Serano's book Whipping Girl helped a lot). I've been on HRT for 6 months now, and while my sex drive/"function" has changed a lot, I still enjoy using my penis sexually. If/when it stops "working" that will be ok, but for now I'm glad that it still does.

Anyone else in the same boat, or am I just off by myself in crazytown here?

You're certainly not alone here!

[JohnnieRamona]

I get the feeling that more and more trans folks are choosing the non-op route these days, but I could be wrong...

[Shantel]

It's expensive, it's a very intrusive procedure, and unless you expect to have some fellow sliding all around on your body and poking things in you there is no point in it. After all who's going to look inside your drawers?

[suzifrommd]

Anyone else in the same boat, or am I just off by myself in crazytown here?

I don't hate my organ either. It helped create two wonderful children and gives me a lot of enjoyment. I had that same misconception - that if I were transgender, I'd be disgusted by having male parts.

That being said, if I could wave a wand and have female parts, I'd do it without second thoughts.

Surgery is a different story. Expensive, painful, risky and full of possible complications. No guarantee of a decent outcome, possibility of disfigurement.

I need to weight all that against my intense desire to have my lower parts be the right shape.

Not sure how that decision will come out in the end.

[JohnnieRamona]

I have two kids as well

Yeah, I guess if I could magically have a vagina that might be a different story. Obviously, there is some appeal to that. But like you said, that's not how it works in the real world.

[Kevin Peña]

I'm in the same boat as everyone here. Magical wand-waving lady part production is one thing, but surgery is something else.

-Expensive. Very expensive.
-Recovery takes a long time. As someone that wants to be a firefighter, I need to stay in shape. Being benched for months won't help. 
-General potential of complications with surgery.
-I don't hate my penis. I hate my testicles, but not my penis. I know, it's weird. 
-In the words of my sister, vaginas are high-maintenance. 

[JohnnieRamona]

DianaP,
That's NOT weird. I don't hate my penis, but I DETEST my balls. If I could get an orchi tomorrow, I would. It's WAY cheaper and less invasive than GRS anyway.

[Shantel]

I saw an older fellow bend over in his shorts at the beach and his old-man, stretched out nutsack was hanging down one leg, it grossed me out completely. I had an orchiectomy about ten years ago and was just as happy to be rid of the hard drive for a lot of former bad male behavior. One the other hand I'm with agfrommd on the business of the girly lower end, it's such a nice neat little piece of workmanship and not visually repulsive like a dick and balls. Oh well! (sigh)

[Kevin Peña]

I saw an older fellow bend over in his shorts at the beach and his old-man, stretched out nutsack was hanging down one leg, it grossed me out completely. I had an orchiectomy about ten years ago and was just as happy to be rid of the hard drive for a lot of former bad male behavior.

Oh gosh, you poor thing! I know that must have been gross. Almost like looking at Newt Gingrich's face, but not as bad. 

Man bits are gross. 

[TanaSilver]

Just going to ditto all of the above. You certainly are not alone. Like you, I also wondered if my non-hatred of Mr. One-Eye meant I wasn't transgender, but I don't think that anymore. Ditto also that if it were easy, sure, I'd love to switch out my parts, but the risks are considerable. I'm still closeted though and that may never change, but with all the various desires for things I want to do with myself, SRS is low on the list.

[kelly_aus]

Do what you feel you can; no more, no less. you are the only one who matters, not the peanut gallery.

But the peanut gallery is sooo vocal here...

[TanaSilver]

Do what you feel you can; no more, no less. you are the only one who matters, not the peanut gallery.

Honestly, I think what you said here should be emblazoned on a plaque and handed to every trans person to be gazed at daily.

[kelly_aus]

And that is why they are the peanut gallery: they are roasted and eaten. They don't matter. People put too much interest is those who don't matter.

If I'd listened to the peanut gallery, I'd still be living in a dark closet.. to them..

[Albina]

..., and unless you expect to have some fellow sliding all around on your body and poking things in you there is no point in it. After all who's going to look inside your drawers?

That was funny enough, thank you, dear Shan! You have a nice sense of humor. 
To add to the above arguments, for me to consider is also a very low level of medical service in my country.
Luckily for me, being an effeminate boy from the start, my T level was always low. And when I started HRT, it quickly plunged to lower than the middle zone of the women's  T ranges. Now I am enough of 1 tablet of spiro in 2-3 days to keep T where it should be. I could just imagine what strengthless wreck I would be after having an SRS. 

[Shantel]

That was funny enough, thank you, dear Shan! You have a nice sense of humor. 
To add to the above arguments, for me to consider is also a very low level of medical service in my country.
Luckily for me, being an effeminate boy from the start, my T level was always low. And when I started HRT, it quickly plunged to lower than the middle zone of the women's  T ranges. Now I am enough of 1 tablet of spiro in 2-3 days to keep T where it should be. I could just imagine what strengthless wreck I would be after having an SRS. 

Albina, you're such a total girly-girl feminine woman, you don't need SRS to prove it either sweetie!

[Albina]

Albina, you're such a total girly-girl feminine woman, you don't need SRS to prove it either sweetie!

Ha-ha-ha! Thank you, dear Shan! As always, you are making me blush...
You are a lovely woman, and I admire your manner of speaking and your wisdom.

[Shantel]

Ha-ha-ha! Thank you, dear Shan! As always, you are making me blush...
You are a lovely woman, and I admire your manner of speaking and your wisdom.

((Hugs)) 

[FullThrottleMalehem]

Trust me you are not alone. I won't get bottom surgery for numerous reasons. It's expensive, it's risky, there is no guarantee your equipment will work right. For FtM bottom surgery it is not nearly as advanced as I would like it to be. The testicles one gets are silicone and you can only get erections with the phalloplasty via a pump, and they take large amounts of skin from other parts of the body to make it. If they start being able to grow fully functioning, cis looking genitalia for FtMs in test tubes and the surgery wasn't so risky I'd consider it then.