Could you ...

[Michelle789]

I haven't given thought to SRS. I will probably want to get it eventually. The short answer to OP question is that I will be content with whatever I can get out of transition. I'll be content with whatever resources I have available, whatever treatment or surgery options are available.

Let's go with something that is clearly not available. There is no surgery available at this time that can implant us with female reproductive organs. Do I ever wish I could someday carry a baby? Yes. If hypothetically such a surgery were available, would I consider it? Yes, I'd at least consider it. Is the fact that I'm not going to be able to carry a baby, and that no such surgery exists today, going to stop me from transition? No.

Although the transition processes are still very rudimentary, we've come a long way from what we used to have. Imagine how it must have been 100 years ago for trans identified people to have no HRT, no electrolysis or laser, no surgeries, and the best they can hope for is to put on a wig or grow hair out and wear women's clothes, and have to fully accept their male bodies. And the world was far more unaccepting back then than it is today. And back then it was impossible in all states and countries to change their gender.

Yet, not all transgender people have hid in the closet, even in the day where no medical treatments were possible. Think about the Muxes in Mexico, Hijira in India, or Kathoeey in Thailand. These people have lived as women, or as two-spirited individuals, and have been doing so for centuries without any the medical treatments we have available today.

For me, personally, I'm more concerned with social integration than anything else. That's me.

[Angela Campbell]

I am post SRS so I guess #1

If I couldn't have had it .....meaning if it was suddenly illegal, never existed, or my health precluded it.....I would have found a way to live with it. The same way I live with the fact that I missed an entire life of over 50 years being someone else....cannot change it so I will deal. I would still dream about it, and want it just the same.

If it was financial reasons...I would have found a way somehow. In fact that is what I did.

[Debb]

No serious contemplation of SRS, but since my health insurance covers it pretty nicely, it's a possibility.

I am early in transition, having just begun hormones. The only reason I am currently thinking of surgery is to be able to stop or lessen the HRT .. in other words, maybe an orchiectomy is all I'd do.

It's a ways down the road in any case. First comes full-time in my day-to-day life.

[Frances]

I am glad I did it, but I've had a lot of issues and into three months now of lots of pain. My body has been stubborn about healing.

Me too. It was the most painful thing I ever went through and felt like such an arduous process. I feel great now, though.

As for the question, I was socially transition well before SRS and no one misgendered me. If not for the legal aspects regarding gender markers (at the time), I could have not done it. However, my body keeps changing in wonderful ways since SRS, and I am really glad I did it.

[Angela Campbell]

That is something not much talked about on most forums and chats.....SRS was also the most painful and miserable experience I have ever had.

[Nigella]

That is something not much talked about ...

Arbon has started a thread in TS Body Issues
on this very topic. Agreed it is not a topic that is discussed openly so lets help rectify that, feel free to add the good and the bad, lets not sugar coat the reality of SRS. I for one would like to hear from some of our mature members on the state of surgery in the early years.

Remember TS Body Issues is a members only forum so you can add a little more personal information if you wish

[LeaP]

There is nothing wrong with your use of "gender change" and "sex change" per se, Beth. It has been the web of logic imposed in addition. In fact, you have repeatedly said your sex change "failed." You have said HRT-related issues compromised gender change and sex change, etc. Completely different than simple "gender change" which I could accept as gender role change, or "sex change" which I would accept as the physical configuration change.

[Kate T]

I have made a considered and conscious decision that I do not wish to have any surgery associated with transition i.e. BA, FFS or GRS. I have possibly been fairly lucky that due to some medical anomalies (whilst I had a moderately high Testosterone level when tested by my Endo I also had very high levels of binding globulin for testosterone meaning I had low levels of free testosterone) a relatively short time of HRT (6 months so far), Laser and electrolysis have resulted in me being moderately passable already.

I have no real problem reconciling my feelings of gender with my body image. I do have deep personal beliefs that mean I have difficulty reconciling the need for surgery FOR ME to achieve what exactly? It will certainly not make me any more beautiful (at least in my opinion, and since that is the only one that matters then everyone else can go ). Please don't get me wrong, I understand and fully support those who do have difficulties with their body and need surgery to resolve those difficulties.

Of course it is also entirely plausible that I am either a: young, b: stupid, c: delusional or d: just plain arrogant. I have been accused of being all of those (with the exception of young nowadays!) in the past (and present). Still, as I said above, given that it is pretty much my opinion and that of the people I love and care about that only really matters then I think I can live with whatever people want to throw at me.

[karenpayneoregon]

I am post-op, if SRS/GRS was not an option it would had been difficult to continue but would have and know from my RLT (Real Life Test) I could manage. Both GRS and breast implants were indeed a arduous path to take, mainly for GRS moving to the larger dilator for several weeks and several days after breast augmentation but well worth the price of admission per-say.