I’ve been browsing AlterMD.com [via savage love] this afternoon, looking at photographs of both male and female genital surgeries and reconstructions. The ones that are worth remarking on are a 15-year-old girl who had a labiaplasty (at fifteen!), corrections of some interesting penile deformities, and graphic photos of both MTF and FTM genital surgeries. (Warning: none of the pictures on this site are safe for work, and they’re probably not safe for the squeamish, either.)

After I finished looking at all the genital surgery photos, I clicked over to the cosmetic surgery pictures. This took me to a different site altogether - GaryAlterMD.com…I guess he doesn’t want his Botox injection patients getting scared off by wee-wees and hoo-hoos. Anyway, I was looking at the rhinoplasty page, which has front and side views of a woman pre- and post-operation. I thought “gee, she looks familiar” and went back to the transsexual facial surgery page. Sure enough, the first woman on the MTF page is the same woman pictured on the rhinoplasty page! Why is this amazing? Because the rhinoplasty page - the one sanitized for the public - makes no mention of the fact that this was part of transitioning from male to female. You’re supposed to notice the nose (it’s a nice nose, go ahead and notice it), not the person behind it, and that’s what the rhinoplasty page calls your attention to. When looking at the transsexual page many people would have “that’s a male” in their minds for the before picture…but it doesn’t matter for the rhinoplasty page. (Personally, I think she was attractive before the surgery, too, though I do agree the androgynous look has turned more feminine in the after pictures.)

I’m just really impressed at how well this doctor seems to treat trans issues.