gender-affirming surgery

noun

gen·​der-af·​firm·​ing surgery ˈjen-dər-ə-ˈfər-miŋ- 

variants or gender affirmation surgery

plural gender-affirming surgeries or gender affirmation surgeries

: any of several surgical procedures that a transgender or nonbinary (see nonbinary sense c) person may choose to undergo in order to obtain physical characteristics that align with their gender identity : gender confirmation surgery

Hormone therapy and gender-affirming surgery are crucial parts of transition for many trans adults. Alleviating gender dysphoria and aligning gender expression with identity through these treatments can lower stress, reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, and significantly lessen suicidal ideation.

—Orion Rummler

Some people also identify as both nonbinary and trans. They may take hormones or undergo gender-affirming surgery, but this doesn't take away from their nonbinary identity.

—Suzannah Weiss

Many transgender individuals choose to undergo fertility preservation before their gender affirmation surgery if having biological children is part of their long-term goals.

—Romy Smith and Ro Bowman

—abbreviation GAS

Examples of gender-affirming surgery in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Some choose to travel to Thailand to pursue gender-affirming surgery, or resort to a gray industry of hormone treatments. —The Dial, 6 Feb. 2025

Emilia Pérez, a musical about a Mexican cartel boss who undergoes gender-affirming surgery, dominates this year's Academy Awards nominations with 13 nods, breaking the record for the most nominations for a non-English language film at the Oscars. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Feb. 2025

Denver Health in Colorado has stopped performing gender-affirming surgeries for patients under 19, according to a statement sent to USA TODAY. —Adrianna Rodriguez, USA TODAY, 4 Feb. 2025

The Netflix film tells the story of Rita (Zoe Saldaña), a Mexican lawyer hired to help a cartel leader (Gascón) start a new life by faking their death and undergoing gender-affirming surgery. —Glamour, 31 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

2011, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

gender-affirming surgery

noun

variants or gender affirmation surgery

plural gender-affirming surgeries or gender affirmation surgeries

: any of several surgical procedures that a transgender or nonbinary person may choose to undergo in order to obtain physical characteristics that align with their gender identity : gender confirmation surgery

In addition to … hormone therapy, gender-affirming surgery … aims to surgically align physical characteristics with one's identity. These surgical interventions target sex-specific physical characteristics such as genitals (e.g., vaginoplasty), chest (e.g., mastectomy), face, gonads, voice, and Adam's apple.

—Tim C. van de Grif et al., Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy

Gender affirmation surgeries … include a variety of surgical procedures intended to support transgender individuals experiencing gender dysphoria, which can help align their physical sexual characteristics to their desired gender expression.

—Omar Hassan et al., New Imaging Techniques

• — abbreviation GAS