Personal accounts are invaluable for trans people working through lower surgery decisions. I have put together a metoidioplasty and phalloplasty book list, to help with this. When I started to explore transgender lower surgery options, the shortage of information was a huge obstacle. I could find medical accounts of phalloplasty and metoidioplasty, but there were very few subjective experiences of either of them.
The following list contains the books I have found so far which provide personal accounts of phalloplasty and metoidioplasty. Some of these books focus solely on lower surgery, others mention lower surgery as part of a broader memoir. However, all of them are useful. They all give a much-needed honest and personal account of these incredible life-changing surgical options.
Hung Jury: Testimonies of Genital Surgery by Transsexual Men – Edited by Trystan Theosophus Cotten
Release Date 31 Dec. 2012
‘Hung Jury’ is a collection of personal essays written by transgender men, who share their personal accounts of phalloplasty and metoidioplasty.
This book was a lifesaver for me when I was struggling with my own surgery decisions. As well as a lack of information, there are also many myths and misconceptions about lower surgery. Hung Jury excels at dispelling these myths and showing that a successful outcome is possible for those who choose surgery.
These honest and brave accounts have been a vital part of my preparing for phalloplasty.
Also included, are 5 stories from partners of trans men who have had genital surgery. Reading these gave me a valuable insight into the possibility of my future relationships and intimacy. Ultimately, it was this book that finally helped me to decide to begin my phalloplasty journey.
Below the Belt: Genital Talk by Men of Trans Experience – Edited by Dr Trystan Theosophus Cotten
Release date – 21 Apr 2016
‘Below the Belt’ book follows on from ‘Hung Jury’ with 25 personal essays written by ‘men of trans experience’ who share openly about their genitalia and surgery experiences. This book also bravely highlights issues that are rarely talked about, such as embracing vaginas as masculine and pregnancy in trans men. There are also more stories from the partners of trans men.
Below the belt provides valuable insight for anyone working through body issues, dysphoria, and lower surgery decisions.
Balls: It Takes Some to Get Some – By Chris Edwards
Release Date: 4th Oct. 2016
‘Balls’ is a memoir of an American transgender man and his book documents his emotional and medical transition, including having phalloplasty. Although his phalloplasty is not a huge focus in this memoir, it does make for an interesting read.
Chris began his phalloplasty surgery journey in 2004 at the age of 34. At the time, phalloplasty was still a young surgery. It is incredible to see just how far we have come in a relatively brief time. It took 28 surgeries to complete Chris’s phalloplasty!
My Journey Sally to Shay – By Shay Robertson
Release Date 25th April 2020
Sally to Shay is a memoir of a British transgender man. This book shares Shays’s transition journey, including his phalloplasty surgery. A good portion of the memoir is dedicated to his personal account of phalloplasty, which he describes in detail.
This book also bravely includes pictures that are rare to find. Seeing pictures of the surgery stages and the outcome is incredibly useful for trans people to have an idea of what to expect. This is a useful read for anyone in the UK as most mentions of phalloplasty in other books are from overseas, where the surgery does differ.
Top to Bottom: A Memoir and Personal Guide Through Phalloplasty – By Finlay Games
Release Date – 21st April 2021
Yes, I am unashamedly mentioning my own memoir!
After scouring the internet for any firsthand experiences of phalloplasty, I realized what a lack of information there was. Therefore, I decided that I would document my own surgery journey, dedicating an entire memoir to the process, from the decision-making, through surgery, to completion.
I also wanted to talk frankly about sexuality, specifically about discovering myself to be gay, as this was hugely lacking from the other literature. My mission was to create the type of book that I wished I had access to at the start of my journey. You can find more info here
Top to Bottom follows Finlay, a British transgender man, through the process of phalloplasty. This book provides a deep, detailed insight into working through lower surgery decisions, going through the physical upheaval of surgery, and the emotional process of adapting to a changing body. This memoir also talks frankly about sex and intimacy and coming out as a gay transgender man.
Thanks For Reading!
I hope these are helpful to you, please do let me know in the comments! And, if you discover any other memoirs about phalloplasty, please do let me know so that I can read them and add them to the list. We desperately need more trans memoirs. I offer consulting sessions for writers, so if you are considering writing your memoir, please do pop me a message.
A list of additional phalloplasty videos and blogs can be found in my content index If you would like to ask any questions or request some blogs or videos you would like to see, please do send me a message.
I have additional video resources, showing a completed phalloplasty result on my Ko-fi page.
For any trans people exploring surgery options, or going through surgery, I offer life coaching and mentoring services. I am always very happy to help.
Hello! My name is Finn and I have a passion for creating honest content, that inspires personal growth and promotes well-being.
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