Post-Op Girls: What motivated your surgery?

[suzifrommd]

I've begun thinking seriously about whether SRS is for me. I know I WANT it, but I'm not sure if that's a good enough reason. What motivated you to go ahead with your surgery?

[xchristine]

I'm pre op

For myself.  I can say for all reasons above
And as soon as I'm seen with male features I get treated
Like a man...and that's dangerous ..coz men beat each other
Up...

Plus a whole myriad of other reasons...that I can't even start to
List with out writing an essay

[Flan]

I got it because I want to be happy with my body and myself.

Not really any other reason other than that because I'm not in a relationship and I don't see myself ever being in one. If asked in the sense of gender identity (the "authentic female experience" option) I can only speak for myself when I say the body just fits me now even though I don't see my identity as relying on the presence of a vajayjay.

It boiled down to because I wanted it done.

[Tristan]

Everything was part of me psychiatric contract but I'm so glad I was pushed to do it and everything else. They were right that it really can be the cause of problems. So much happier now

[Jenna Marie]

I'd think "I want it" is the best reason of all. In the end, that's essentially why I did it; I wanted my body to match the map in my mind. I didn't NEED it to the point that I was suicidal or desperate or unable to live the way I was - but it was my body and my money, and I wanted to do it. No regrets, and I'm 100% thrilled with the way it turned out (and the fact that dysphoria essentially dropped to zero the moment I woke up in the recovery room). I was scared and second-guessing myself and all that right up until the night before, but I'm glad I went through with it.

Now, nobody should be pushed into getting GRS to be a real woman/man or for the sake of a loved one or whatever. I'm saying this because you did say you wanted it, and not to pressure you or anyone.

[Anatta]

Kia Ora,

It was free and the health professionals I saw recommended it(in other words they felt in the long run it would be in my best interest )...In a sense it was a bonus, as I was quite content as a non-op and now I'm post-op I still just as content...I see it as a win win situation...

Metta Zenda

[Evolving Beauty]

I wanted to be accepted by 'real' straight men(not ->-bleeped-<- ->-bleeped-<-s) for sexual pleasure and to be loved as well.

[Northern Jane]

For me it was survival!

I had always identified as a girl. I was obviously not a boy and nobody bought "the boy act" for a minute so I was called "it" through my childhood and early teens. By my late teens, other kids figured I was a girl in drag, trying to pass myself off as a boy.

Life was passing me by. I had all the same dreams and desires as any other teenage girl. My friends were becoming romantically involved and sexually active and I was just stuck in No Man's Land. I was never going to have a future unless I was complete. In the following 40 years, I never once had a doubt that I took the right path (and not a moment too soon!)

[Vanessa C.]

Wait, I'm kind of curious about something....It has been said that certain doctors/psychiatrists have recommended that some of you get the surgery? It is just kind of a contradiction to my own experience. My psychiatrist always stressed to me that the importance was not in getting surgery, but coming to my own conclusions as to what is right for me and my situation. He never pushed for surgery, to the contrary, he made sure to go over risks and benefits and made it clear that it doesn't alleviate a lot of the stresses of transition and could actually create more issues, if it were something I wasn't 100 percent sure about. He never tried to sway me in either direction and tried to make me as informed to both sides, as possible. I'm wondering what it would be like if I hadn't went into this completely on my own accord, if that is the right way to put it.

[Tristan]

Wait, I'm kind of curious about something....It has been said that certain doctors/psychiatrists have recommended that some of you get the surgery? It is just kind of a contradiction to my own experience. My psychiatrist always stressed to me that the importance was not in getting surgery, but coming to my own conclusions as to what is right for me and my situation. He never pushed for surgery, to the contrary, he made sure to go over risks and benefits and made it clear that it doesn't alleviate a lot of the stresses of transition and could actually create more issues, if it were something I wasn't 100 percent sure about. He never tried to sway me in either direction and tried to make me as informed to both sides, as possible. I'm wondering what it would be like if I hadn't went into this completely on my own accord, if that is the right way to put it.

It's not that bad if you do. I have to say I think from 11 to now my doctors have made the best choices and given there honest opinions in my best interest, I haven't always agreed with them especially on other aspects of my treatment but do know it's in my best interest since I have a track record of making poor choices so I know they are doing what's best. I would think it's the same or similar for others. Idk I just feel like the things that motivated my transition actually in all were not bad choices:)

[calico]

Survival, was one of my biggest reasons, that and wanting a normal relationship/sex life.

I really couldn't taken anymore something inside just snapped, and well that was it. I was going to have surgery or die no if ends or buts, I even made plans to off myself it was that critical to me, I couldn't live like I was, and wasn't going to do it anymore.

[Anatta]

Wait, I'm kind of curious about something....It has been said that certain doctors/psychiatrists have recommended that some of you get the surgery? It is just kind of a contradiction to my own experience. My psychiatrist always stressed to me that the importance was not in getting surgery, but coming to my own conclusions as to what is right for me and my situation. He never pushed for surgery, to the contrary, he made sure to go over risks and benefits and made it clear that it doesn't alleviate a lot of the stresses of transition and could actually create more issues, if it were something I wasn't 100 percent sure about. He never tried to sway me in either direction and tried to make me as informed to both sides, as possible. I'm wondering what it would be like if I hadn't went into this completely on my own accord, if that is the right way to put it.

Kia Ora Vanessa,

When I say health professionals "recommended" it, I should say after my endocrinologist 'applied' for government funding, the psycho-surgical team and the independent psychiatrist who I was assessed by, thought that surgery was in my best interest ...I was not 'forced' into it, I had been living full time for around four and half/five years,and in my case surgery was not a 'necessity', it was in a sense an unexpected bonus....

Metta Zenda  

[big kim]

I wanted to be as near to a woman as I could and surgery gave me a very realistic looking body.Being able to have sex as a woman was a bonus although I am very vanilla and have a low sex drive.

[Vanessa C.]

Kuan Yin,
I didn't use the word "forced" and I never imagined anyone holding you down and performing SRS on you. I had hoped my question wouldn't come off that way in the first place, sorry if that was the impression you got. My apologies. Thank you for taking the time to explain. So, you honestly never considered surgery until it was mentioned by a professional? Were you previously content with the idea of transitioning without surgery, until the recommendation? Given this, how did you feel about your body and image, both before and after SRS? I'm intrigued, that's the only reason I ask and I know we all have had different paths that have lead us to the same outcome in life. No single path is better than the other, I would just like to hear more about your own, if you are willing....

[Vanessa C.]

Tristan

After having the chance to read through the forums some more, I think I have a little better grasp on your personal situation. Did you always have dysphoria, prior to your treatment, or were things brought to light for you after becoming a ward of the state? Were you transitioning before your treatment? How did they pinpoint the need for you to undergo SRS? If you don't want to answer, I understand, but once again this piques my curiosity. My own reasoning for transitioning and srs was so plain and by-the-book that I like to hear from others who had different experiences. Thanks!

[Tristan]

Tristan

After having the chance to read through the forums some more, I think I have a little better grasp on your personal situation. Did you always have dysphoria, prior to your treatment, or were things brought to light for you after becoming a ward of the state? Were you transitioning before your treatment? How did they pinpoint the need for you to undergo SRS? If you don't want to answer, I understand, but once again this piques my curiosity. My own reasoning for transitioning and srs was so plain and by-the-book that I like to hear from others who had different experiences. Thanks!

Oh hey I don't mind that questions at all. They said something about me hurting myself or what not. I still don't really believe I did all the stuff they said I did sometimes, but they said it was more obvious to them prior to the full first assessment in juvy before they transferred me to the psychiatric hospital. They talked to me and things like that as I was not aloud to leave. I do remember part if that. It was just like I sat in a room and they talked to me and asked questions. They said they also watched me alot during test? But yeah that's what I remember. They did other stuff too because of the not eating thing but I guess they just came up with a course of aggressive treatment and went with it for me. All I know is for the most part I'm happy now. I get confused sometimes or have issues with to much openly trusting whatever people say but aside from that I guess I'm good. Ask away any time

[Beth Andrea]

Pre-op, but in order to record and remember how I felt in this state (so I can compare afterwards, to see if my reason(s) and their relative importance change in hindsight)...

1. I need it. My mind constantly visualizes a vagina, the male parts get in the way far too often and are vaguely disturbing to me.

2. I want it, so I have my body as my mind is--a woman.

3. Sexually...because I have zero desire to ever penetrate anything. This is from my very core of my Being.

4. SRS just "feels" like the best route for me. I'm not suicidal (at least, not for this issue), but once my face is done...if I found $20k in my bank account, I would move aggressively, hungrily to get it done.

[Anatta]

Kuan Yin,
I didn't use the word "forced" and I never imagined anyone holding you down and performing SRS on you. I had hoped my question wouldn't come off that way in the first place, sorry if that was the impression you got. My apologies. Thank you for taking the time to explain. So, you honestly never considered surgery until it was mentioned by a professional? Were you previously content with the idea of transitioning without surgery, until the recommendation? Given this, how did you feel about your body and image, both before and after SRS? I'm intrigued, that's the only reason I ask and I know we all have had different paths that have lead us to the same outcome in life. No single path is better than the other, I would just like to hear more about your own, if you are willing....

Kia Ora Vanessa,

No problems I knew what you meant, I was just stating that the "recommendation" was not them (the psycho-surgical team+ psychiatrist) trying to talk me into having surgery (manipulation force)...They genuinely felt that by having the surgery, it would remove any awkward (possibly embarrassing) situations that could arise ie, doctors, locker rooms, nude beach etc etc...

I should also point out I'm asexual...When I was first diagnosed by a psychiatrist he asked if I had thought about having surgery, I told him, I hadn't given it much thought, I just felt the need to be living in the role Mother Nature had intended... I was not interested in having sex in any shape or form...

After around 6 years on both E and testosterone blockers, I wanted to reduce the synthetic drug use so thought that just by having my testicles removed would do the trick, I didn't have any money to do this, then I was told about the 'little' known government funding that was in place and it seemed to have snow balled (excuse the pun) from there...I ended up have the works "colonvaginoplasty"  for free...

Metta Zenda    

[missy1992]

If I can be honest the main reason as to why I went through with srs was to better fit in female clothing. I couldn't take tucking for much longer, not to mention it was rather hard to do with little material to hold its self down (if you know what I mean).

Now I can wear whatever I want in confidence. Also, peeing is much more natural. And if I go to a female changing room I get to enjoy "cis privelege"

[NikkiJ]

I had reached the point where I realized I could not handle lying on my deathbed and thinking "I could have done it, and I didn't".