2 year post op: photo gallery

Still looking about the same, though scar tissue is still present I try to keep at massaging it so that it can break down and continue to heal well. I’ve still got “dog ears” on the sides, but I haven’t really gotten into super fit shape to see if that helps my body absorb anything there. If they don’t fade away naturally, there are options to remove any excess tissue there.

In other news I should have my two loans for the surgery paid off sooner rather than later. The first only has a couple more months and the latter should be wrapped up before my 3 year post op anniversary. Definitely worth it both to getting the surgery done sooner as well as helping build up some nice credit!

Anyway, check my revealing chest shots below.

Transgenderism More Likely in Military, Study Finds

This is very interesting to me…the result of a person is always the combination of nature and nurture, and the military would definitely make some impact on one’s gender identity and expression.

Transgenderism More Likely in Military, Study Finds.

Getting a Tranny Passport

Well I went and got myself a tranny passport. It’s a lot of fun, let me tell you.

Overall if you have everything in correctly it should take the standard month of processing and getting everything back. There is a specific section on the US Travel website for individuals undergoing gender reassignment, and it is best for you to apply for a passport when you are DONE with transition. Mid-transition passport applications will result in a shorter valid date range, and you’ll have to re-apply [and repay all the fees] within 2 years or less, rather than the standard decade.

That said, the basic steps are:

1. Gather your documentation!

The travel site will provide more details, but essentially you will need an ID that looks like you, you may need your birth certificate, a passport photo that also looks like you, a physician certificate with VERY SPECIFIC phrasing to verify your gender marker update, and evidence of any legal name changes if applicable.

Trust me when I say that the physician’s letter needs to be very specific. I sent the one I had received from my top surgeon, but it wasn’t good enough. I was able to get the specifics from the physician that provides my weekly shot [since his office is a bit closer than Florida] and send that in to get things taken care of.

2. Hit up your local Passport shop!

Take all your documentation in with the appropriate fees and applications filled out beforehand. I was able to take my own passport photo with a little help from my 8 megapixel phone and this website. The rep who assisted me with my passport application was very impressed.

She was also very nice about my documentation submission, considering that my birth certificate is still in my birth name and gender. There was a bit of confusion as she verified that I had everything in order, and she had me omit my physician’s letter indicating that I would not need it. Unfortunately, a couple of weeks later I received a letter in the mail that indicated her error and that I did indeed need to send in that documentation in order for the process to continue. Then we came to the fiasco of the exact phrasing specified by the travel website, and my rush to hunt down and send in my letter so that I could still receive my passport in time for my trip up to Canada.

3. Wait!

You will be provided with a number that you can call, and while there are limits to how much information you can actually get over the phone [red tape, yay!] the process should be fairly simple and painless so long as you follow the instructions.

I definitely recommend putting in the application and documents at least a month before you want to receive your passport. I got lucky and it showed up a half week before my trip, but that was really mainly due to the paperwork dilemma I had. It added almost three extra weeks of back and forth with the passport processing center.

Good luck!

[way late] 1 Year Post Op: Photo Gallery [from July]

Just realized these had never been posted. Shouldn’t be too graphic.

Passport How-To En Route

I will soon be posting some info on the application for a U.S. passport. It should be fairly universal since the standards are set nationally, and not at a local state level.

While there are online resources to help you get the information filled out, you still have to apply in person.

From the passport instruction page there is an entire bit dedicated to Trans items. Look for “If you have undergone or are going through gender transition” under the #4 Present ID section to find the trans guidelines.

I’ll post my steps, any hiccups, and so on once I get my passport. I don’t want to post the how-to until I’m sure it worked and all went well!

Updates on Transition

As an awful blogger, I want to apologize for my lengthy periods of absence. I think I just forget to provide updates in the same manner that I forget approximately a third of all my homework assignments [the rest I am fully aware of, but procrastination is something else entirely].

I hope to make a video to provide a more audible and visual update for those that are following my progress, but yet again, this might fall in to that procrastination category. It might even fall in to the “I don’t like how my hair looks” excuse category.

I’m still on the weekly shots, same dosage of 100mg or something/week.
My scars are doing well, my chest hair is coming in seemingly with the  intention of covering them up.
I’ll do 1 year photos in July.

6 Months Post-Op: Photo Gallery

Here’s my chest after 6 months.

I still have a bit of soreness in the sides when I reach or overexert and I often feel bruising on the right side [non-visible]. I’m starting to more intensely massage out my scar tissue, as recommended by a friend’s sister who is a massage therapist. I also found information on it here.

 

Front

 

 

Front Close

 

 

 

Left

 

 

 

Left Front

 

 

 

Right Front

 

 

 

Right

 

 

 

Right Nipple

 

 

 

Left Nipple