Top Surgery Questions Answered

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Jack's Summary:

This is a gorgeous video. I was so happy to stumble across MainelyButch's YouTube channel and website.

MainelyButch explains the process of having top surgery, noting that the surgery was officially approved for medical reasons (neck pain, back pain, family history of breast cancer), which removed barriers that would have existed if getting the procedure for solely dysphoria-related reasons.

"Doing away with my female breasts, going to a more male flat chest, was definitely a good step for me," MainelyButch says, "It was the best thing I did for myself in 2014... I do not regret it for one second. I love it... My clothes fit better, my chest feels better, I feel more at home in my body, I'm more comfortable with it. I don't have a problem taking off my shirt." With a grin, MainelyButch clarifies, "I'm just not gonna do it for YouTube."

After experiencing homophobia and a lack of clinical knowledge during one surgical consultation, MainelyButch thankfully consulted a second surgeon. The procedure was quickly booked, with the subsequent operation and recovery being very speedy. MainelyButch describes being incredibly happy with the administrative side of the process, as well as the healing and the surgeon's attitudes/approaches.

MainelyButch goes into more detail about top surgery on this personal website, which I recommend visiting. MainelyButch explains experiencing dysphoria, criticises the shaming of butches who have top surgery, and stresses how physically demanding it was to bind.

In this post, MainelyButch writes, "I have never wished to be a man, wanted to be a man or male. I am fine with being female bodied – although I did just modify my body with top surgery, and now that that is done I have no more body dysphoria. Maybe it’s because I’ve made it thru menopause, no more monthly reminders of my female parts, and now my chest looks closer to like what I wanted my whole life. I still identify as a Stone Butch lesbian, not as transgendered at all." MainelyButch also mentions identifying with the labels Stone Butch, Hard Butch, Butchboi, TransButch, and Butch.

I am so thankful to every butch who is open about accessing top surgery and/or accessing testosterone. Butch diversity and complexity is amazing, and I hope some butches reading this can feel represented through MainelyButch's video and website.