Franches

Franches is a former patient of GrS Montréal et of Dr. Pierre Brassard. She is a strong proponent of self empowerment through knowledge and experimentation. Franches is also the author and publisher of HolaSoyYo.com (‘Hello, it’s me’ in Spanish), a blog where she shares her experiences and thoughts on changing gender expression.

www.HolaSoyYo.com

Not long ago, a close friend of mine asked me how to have a natural relationship with a neo-vagina? She was considering genital reconstruction surgery, but she felt uncertain about it. Hence her question to me. She had heard from a few friends that it took them up to 2 years to be ok with their post-op anatomy. That lag from her friends in becoming comfortable with their results made her doubtful.

After thinking hard about her question, I had an answer. I am sure that I have a healthy – good relationship with my neo-vulva (I had a vaginoplasty without cavity) because of my preparation for surgery.

When I say “preparation for surgery” I don’t mean packing my suitcase with everything I needed for the trip. I mean everything that lead me to consider the surgery and live with myself afterwards. Looking back, I can break up this preparation into 3 major phases. They are mostly sequential, but not necessarily. A consistent element through these major phases was making sure I’d answer each and every question I had about the process.

When I was offered to write this article, my first full draft was 7,000+ words long! As you can imagine, that would be too long for a single post. I decided to rewrite this more condensed version. Then I broke up my original long draft into 3 separate posts and linked to them from here. If you want to know more, at the end of each section in this article you’ll find a link to the longer, more detailed version on my blog.

First Phase: Unheeding From My Old Ways of Thinking

Where I Was Coming From

Let’s start from the beginning, a time before I even started considering surgery seriously. All my life I believed that changing my gender expression was not in the cards for me. Despite this I always wondered what it would be like to grow up and live in a girl’s body. Cut to 2015 when I started HRT along with changing my gender presentation. At that time, I simply wasn’t interested in genital surgery. I still kept that view after going full time, after having facial feminization surgery (FFS) and after my breast augmentation. It was sometime in 2017, while I was making arrangements for my mammaplasty, that I started thinking about a vulvoplasty or maybe a vaginoplasty. Yet every time I thought about surgery, there was something in my head stopping me from seriously considering it. It felt like I had a lot of questions but wasn’t even sure if I wanted to know what those questions were.

Wondering What Would Life be After Surgery

I could not clearly visualize how my life would change after surgery. This was one of the first mental blocks preventing me from considering surgery. Yeah, there were some changes that I was keen on, like not having to tuck anymore, but there were others I wasn’t sure.

An early question I had to answer was if I’d be able to pee sitting down for the rest of my life. Gee, even just writing this makes me see how basic the question was, but I didn’t see it like that then. Though I’d been peeing sitting for several years, I didn’t do it always. I’d pee standing if I felt a situation was too unsanitary.

To get the answer I was looking for I forced myself to pee sitting or squatting for about a year. I did it every time, no exception. Of course, it was possible, just the way 50% of the population has done it all their lives, but I had to experience it. I also wondered how my (scarce) sex life may change. For this one I was already satisfied without getting an accurate answer before surgery. Speaking with Dr. Brassard beforehand, he explained the procedure and how the glans would very likely still be erogenous. At the end I was happy with not knowing for sure but understanding my chances.

Rethinking my Relationship With my Genitalia

Here I get really personal, but I feel it’s important to open up. Though I don’t expect everyone to see my point of view, probably someone might relate a little. At the very least opening up helps explain a major hurtle I had before considering surgery. I clearly see now that this was my hardest mental block but then I wasn’t even aware of this. As mentioned above, most of my life I never thought I’d change my gender expression. Part of it was that I was happy with my body and the genitalia I was born with. It never caused me dysphoria or unease. If anything, I was ok with it and had lots of fun with it. Maybe that’s why it took me so long to start considering getting a vulvoplasty.

Digging Deep

Every time I thought about surgery, I felt there was something that wasn’t adding up. So I dug deep to find out what didn’t add up. After a lot of soul searching, I found I was allowing my penis to define me. This was a breakthrough because I could finally see what my main mental barrier was. If anything, this speaks a lot about how the patriarchal environment I grew up in affected me.

There was a tug of war in my mind. I wanted to consider surgery but how would I even think of getting rid of what defined me. Again, digging even deeper I questioned why I thought the genitalia I was borne with defined me. As soon as the question was asked the answer appeared: it clearly didn’t.

At that point my relationship with my penis switched from an element that defined me to something that didn’t add much value. I saw that after living full time it kind of got on the way more than anything. From that point on I could seriously consider having genital reconstruction surgery. If that mind shift hadn’t happened, most certainly I would have had a hard time developing a healthy relationship with my post-op physiognomy. You can read more details on some other mental barriers I had and how I dare to consider surgery on HolaSoyYo.com

Second Phase: Serenity Through Knowledge (Pre-op)

Once my primordial questions were answered it was time I’d get into the details. I wanted to get to know as much as I could about the surgical procedure. By doing so I could understand better what to expect aesthetically and during recovery. Then and only then I felt I’d be able to make a decision to either go ahead or not. At the end, all this knowledge helped me evolve a natural relationship with my results after surgery. Post-op it helped me get an intimate understanding what was done and how that influences my daily life.

Considering Surgeons

When it came to looking at surgeons and/or surgical centres, luck was on my side. My medical insurance covered surgery at GRS Montreal.

However, cost or insurance coverage was not the only or the main factor. The aesthetics of their results, my ability to have low friction communication, and their experience were the other important points I considered. The idea was to have all those elements ensured to feel at ease with the surgery, and more importantly with myself long term.

The patient coordinator at GRS Montreal helped me arrange a consultation with Dr. Brassard. A number of weeks prior to my surgery I spoke with him over the phone. At that time, he answered my long list of questions. This also gave me a small insight into the surgeon’s personality and philosophy. On top of this, knowing that they perform hundreds of genital surgeries a year, both male and female, added to my confidence in them.

Thoroughly Understanding the Procedure

As I’ve mentioned a few times, I did not decide on having surgery until I understood the procedure, risks, and recovery protocols. I spent countless hours reading and learning about the different feminizing genital surgery options. Personally, I rather get medical facts opposite to personal accounts from other patients. The main reason is that anecdotal information is always coloured by the speaker. On the other hand, medical documentation is often based on years of impartial clinical observations, for the most part.

I based my understanding of the procedure mostly from the package that GrS Montreal sends its patients. Also, by reading about the procedures on the websites of multiple surgeons/surgical centres helped me grasp the concepts. The information package from GRS Montréal contained invaluable details about pre-op preparations, the procedure itself, and aftercare protocols.

I strongly advise anyone considering genital surgery to read the official documentation. Parts A,B, and postoperative care (Part C) of GRS Montréal’s patient information package are linked off their website. Look for the links at the end of their respective webpages, which are also quite insightful:

• Vaginoplasty
• Vaginoplasty without vaginal cavity (vulvoplasty)

I too relied heavily on my discussions with the psychologists during each of my two surgical assessments. Before deciding on having surgery, I went through the assessment process to get medical information, not to get approved. I believe this gave me some clarity because during the assessments I was not rushing ‘to get accepted’. Rather my interest was to learn as much as I could and then make an informed decision.

Recognizing and Accepting the Risks

If understanding the procedure and recovery was important, recognizing the possible risks was paramount for my peace of mind. My first opportunity to ask someone qualified about the risks was during the surgical assessment process. The next big chance to enquire about risks and complications was during my phone consultation with Dr. Brassard.

Reading through the GrS Montreal information package and multiple surgeons’ websites I got a fairly clear perspective on the risks and aftercare. I also met with a registered nurse at my local gender clinic before surgery. Chatting with her, plus my conversations with the surgeon and psychologists, and the reading materials I studied, all helped me see and accept the risks.

As a PSA (Public Service Announcement) I want you to be aware of the most common risks and complications in vaginoplasties (with or without cavity). It’s a good idea to familiarize with some of these if you or someone you know is considering surgery:

• Infection/Abscesses.
• Hypergranulation
• UTIs (urinary track infections).
• Recto-vaginal Fistula (does not apply to vulvoplasties).
• Prolapse of the neovagina (does not apply to vulvoplasties).
• Hair growth inside the neovagina (or inside the dimple vestibule in a vulvoplasty).
• Loss of sensation and inability to orgasm.

Download the TRS Surgical summary sheets from Rainbow Health Ontario and look for the Vaginoplasty sheet for concise clinical information.

You can find more details of how I gathered knowledge and made the decision to have surgery on my blog. Many of those details relate to the pre and post-op planning documentation GrS Montréal provided as well as other sources of factual information.

Last Phase: Confidence in Recovery (Post-op)

In my opinion recovery is the Holy Grail. Surgery is just a point in time, a quick methodical controlled trauma. Then recovery starts. All my prior mind shifting regarding my genitals, the learning, questioning, and understanding was to prepare for recovery and life beyond. The first few weeks and months post-op are crucial. From past surgeries I learnt that the more support one can get during early recovery, the easier, or rather less complicated it would be.

By going through my mental shift that allowed me to consider surgery, and learning as much as I could, I was able to increase my confidence in my decision. Following a consistent theme, all these later contributed to my natural relationship with my neo-vulva. All even before I left home to Montréal. However, my recovery’s contribution to the satisfaction with my results built up as it happened. Meaning that for the most part my confidence grew during recovery, and not prior.

Not Bothering with Things Outside my Control

Are you happy with your results? How much it hurts? What is sex like? How does it look? How does it feel? These are examples of some of the questions people get post-op. At first, I had similar questions though I realized that the answers didn’t matter. They were really not important because there was no way to know. Someone may tell you their perspective, but creating a personal expectation based on someone else’s subjective narrative, in my opinion, is not a good idea. A very simple example: If you ask me if I’m happy with my results, the answer is yes. Though that answer should be meaningless to you unless you knew what my expectations were.

When it came to things outside of my control, I did not spend much time thinking about them before I had to face them. Another example: I knew I would be uncomfortable and most likely in pain the first few days. How much? The only way to know was to go through recovery and see how much it’d hurt at the time. The way I prepared was by expecting the most painful experience ever, though chances were that it wouldn’t reach that point. Instead of mulling over it before surgery, I’d deal with pain once I felt it.

My Past Surgical Experience as Reference

While I was preparing for this surgery I looked back at my past surgical experiences and noted the similarities. Though there are massive differences between the kinds of surgeries, there’s a lot that is shared. In all my surgeries I developed similar relationships with the surgeons and nursing staff. The way I healed was fairly similar between surgeries. How I dealt with pain and my reaction to anesthesia were comparable. Based on all these common elements I could picture in my mind how I’d do for my vulvoplasty.

Asclépiade

GrS Montreal includes a few nights at the recovery home, Asclépiade, before discharging their patients to return home. That stay at Asclépiade made the first few days after surgery much easier than all other options. To give you an idea of the impact that Asclépiade had imagine being in a home with other trans patients that went through genital reconstruction. Then add being under the care of nurses that specifically work with these patients, and all your basic necessities (boarding, medication management, wound and patient care) are overseen by the staff. And then compare that package to recovering at home, at a hospital, or a hotel room.

As I went through the experience at Asclépiade it was easy to predict that if I were to have any complication, that it would be minimal. And that peace of mind also boosted my confidence in my relationship with my surgical results.

Recovery at Home

I made every effort to make my flight home as comfortable as possible. In general flying after surgery can be tough, specially on long flights and furthermore when the surgical site could make sitting uncomfortable or painful. Also, I had made arrangements at my local gender clinic to see a nurse a few days after my return. The nurse would be monitoring my recovery and aftercare once I returned home. So, even before leaving for Montréal I already felt a certain sense of ease knowing someone could take care of me locally. BTW, this is the same nurse that gave me some insider pointers weeks before flying for surgery.

You can find more details on how I prepared for recovery on HolaSoyYo.com and even how I dealt with an issue I encountered after I got home.

Conclusion

As I said at the beginning of this article. I was able to develop a natural relationship with my neo-vulva by answering every single question, even if the answer was “I don’t have a definite answer yet”. This included changing my relationship and understanding of my original born organs before I could contemplate surgery. If I hadn’t done that most likely I would have left doubts in my head that would have undermined my appreciation of my new physiognomy.

Once I was able to seriously consider surgery, knowledge about the procedure, and specifically its risks, possible complications, and recovery were the most important aspects of being happy with my results. If you or someone you know is considering surgery, any surgery, but more importantly a vaginoplasty, please make sure you or they know the commitment it takes.

Once I was able to seriously consider surgery, knowledge about the procedure, and specifically its risks, possible complications, and recovery were the most important aspects of being happy with my results.

If you or someone you know is considering surgery, any surgery, but more importantly a vaginoplasty, please make sure you or they know the commitment it takes. The first few months of recovery from a vaginoplasty can be intense. Any and all support that one can get during that time, should help develop a natural relationship with the neo-vagina.

L’article My complex mental process to prepare for surgery est apparu en premier sur TransAvenue.

Franches is a former patient of GrS Montréal et of Dr. Pierre Brassard. She is a strong proponent of self empowerment through knowledge and experimentation. Franches is also the author and publisher of HolaSoyYo.com (‘Hello, it’s me’ in Spanish), a blog where she shares her experiences and thoughts on changing gender expression.

Why a vulvoplasty? First, you can’t ask that. Asking someone why they chose a specific surgical procedure, and so much more when it has to do with genital reconstruction, is a no-no. It’s a little bit like asking someone why they plan to marry their fiancé(e) – you just don’t ask that. So, unless you have an intimate relationship with someone, don’t ask such personal questions! The decision of a genital reconstruction surgery and its variety is ultra personal, and depending on the person, it could be an extremely uncomfortable topic. Having cleared that up, let’s move on, shall we?

Why This Article/Blog Post?

One of the problems when a topic is so personal and touchy is that there are not as many people talking about it and therefore there is limited information to go on. There is some information and literature but it tends to be medical and technical in nature, meaning that it’s not written from the point of view of a patient. My main idea behind this post is to share my very personal reasons why I chose this kind of surgery. It’s not meant to convince anyone to choose one kind of surgery over another, but rather expose what I went through to decide so other people can have a point of reference of sorts. When I did my own research and soul searching before deciding, I was surprised to see that some transgender women were not aware of this alternative to a ‘traditional’ or ‘full’ vaginoplasty. Therefore, an ulterior personal motive for this post is to let people know about this option and explain my perspective.

But What is a Vulvoplasty or Vaginoplasty Without Cavity?

A vulvoplasty is a gender affirming genital reconstruction surgery that creates a neo-vulva. It fashions the external female genitalia but without a vaginal cavity. Depending on a few factors, this kind of surgery can have different names, but in essence they all mean the same:

• Vulvoplasty
• Vaginoplasty Without Cavity
• Shallow / Minimal-Depth / Dimple / Limit-Depth Vaginoplasty
• Cosmetic / Aesthetic Vaginoplasty
• No-Depth / Zero Depth Vaginoplasty

Sometimes the name varies by surgeon or surgical centre, but more importantly, it also depends on the patient. When I did my research, I have learnt that some patients prefer to have the word ‘vaginoplasty’ in the name of their surgery as it may help with dysphoria by reaffirming their gender implying a kind of vagina. I also came across some references that explained that some patients preferred ‘Shallow / Minimal-Depth / Dimple / Limit-Depth’ over ‘No-Depth / Zero Depth’ as the inference of depth has a better connotation for some patients. For my surgery I prefer the word ‘vulvoplasty’ as I find it very descriptive. Also, due to the way I identify I don’t benefit from the word ‘vagina’ being associated to my procedure. I do make the distinction that’s what I prefer ‘for my surgery’ and not ‘for the kind of procedure’. By doing so it allows the patient to choose a name for their surgery that supports the way they see themselves.

My Personal Reasons

Oh gee! I need to catch my breath before I open up about something oh so personal! (Deep inhale!) Ok, here we go… At the beginning of this post I said that ‘you can’t ask that question’ but regardless I’ve had a few people ask me about my choice. Though I had my own reasons I never had to verbalize them before I had my surgery, so I hadn’t given much thought of how I would answer that question. Funny enough, it wasn’t until after I had that question asked a couple of times that I really looked deep inside to get a sincere answer for myself. My most sincere answer, which also happens to be the simplest, is that I chose a vulvoplasty due to the way I identify. I’ll unravel the multiple factors that made up my decision, all of which support the way I identify. I lay down the factors that influenced my decision, mostly, in order of importance to me.

Penetrative Sex

I told you I was going to get personal, didn’t I? I have zero interest in penetrative or vaginal sex. None whatsoever. I’m not attracted to guys and the chances that I would be interested in vaginal sex are practically zero. From my different decision factors, this one was probably my most important one or the second most important one. As part of my research and soul searching before deciding I had a discussion with the psychologist that did one of my surgical assessments and of course this topic came up. One of the things we talked about was that even if for some strange reason I would be interested in penetrative sex, there’s always ‘the back door’ (AKA anal sex). So, from my point of view, you could say I still have the option of some sort of penetrative sex if I so desired… somehow… but no, thanks.

Congruence With my Gender Expression

If penetrative sex was not my number one deciding factor, then being consistent with my gender expression was. My gender expression and presentation are totally female, and though my birth genitalia didn’t cause me any dysphoria, after going full time it was always on my mind. I hated the thought that someone could see something in my crotch and questioned my gender expression. Being totally genuine with myself and my gender presentation: f#$k tucking! I hated tucking, I hated how I looked, and I hated when I worried about it ever being noticed. I just wanted a total congruent appearance and my male genitalia was getting in the way of that. I always felt a little limited in my choice of garments and I wanted to get rid of that feeling of limitation. Being congruent with my gender expression was directly correlated with my wardrobe because for the most part no one gets to see my genitalia. But the outfits that I choose to wear on top of it are always of great importance to me. In my value scale, the external appearance was in a much higher position than the functionality of a neovagina.

Self-Care (Dilations & Douching)

The required life-long dilations and douching after a ‘full’ vaginoplasty made no sense to me especially since I have no interest, not even the slightest curiosity, of vaginal intercourse. If I wanted to leave the door open to ever having vaginal sex, then my decision may have been different. I don’t think I would mind the actual dilations/douching, but rather that level of commitment to life-long self-care was totally outweighed by my lack of desire for penetrative sex. To compound my decision, when I did my research, I got a strong sense that some of the post-op complications people talked about could be traced to patients not fully understanding the level of self-care a ‘full’ vaginoplasty requires. Below I’ll talk about the increased risk of complications. The aftercare of a ‘full’ vaginoplasty requires a commitment that starts with 4 dilations and douching a day for the first month post-op and continues for a few months as the soft tissue heals, then dilation/douching frequency gradually drops to once a day after 6 months and, until 1 year after surgery. After the first year post-op the frequency goes down to only once per week but needs to be maintained for life.

Recovery

Compared to my 3 previous factors, recovery ranked much lower in terms of importance to me. Though recovery from genital reconstruction surgery is tough, the thing I kept in mind is that it is ‘just a temporary phase’. But again, in the whole context of my main two factors described above, recovery was still something important for me to consider. The first 3 months after surgery from a ‘full’ vaginoplasty have a very rigid aftercare schedule comparable to a full-time job. If I wanted to achieve the external look without the full functionality of a vaginal cavity, then the difference in the self-care schedule during recovery between a vulvoplasty and a ‘full’ vaginoplasty was definitely something I considered. The recovery from a vulvoplasty is done in about 8 weeks (everyone heals at different rates so it may be shorter or longer) with a lighter maintenance schedule than a ‘full’ vaginoplasty, centred around a high level of hygiene for the surgical site instead of centred around preventing the vaginal cavity from closing.

Risk of Complications

There are always risks associated with any surgical procedure and when a procedure is more complex than others, naturally there’s too an increase risk of complications. Due to the way the cavity of a neovagina is created and the fact that it requires frequent dilations, especially during the first few months, there is a slight chance for complications that is not present if there is no cavity, ie. a recto-vaginal fistula or other minor complications. Also, in a vulvoplasty, since there is no need to insert dilators, there is less chance of complications caused by soft tissue tension created during dilation. Having less sutures, less skin surface (no need for the lining of the vagina) and no need to insert foreign objects (dilators and douche) there is a slightly lower risk of infection. In the long term, a ‘full’ vaginoplasty has the risk of a vaginal prolapse if the dilation regime is not maintained. Hygiene is always important, but in the presence of a vaginal cavity, if douching is not maintained, the risk of complications can also increase. What I’m trying to say is that my personal ratio between my desires and the risks was not worth a ‘full’ vaginoplasty for me.

Other Factors That Did Not Apply to me

Above I’ve opened up about my personal factors that I considered when deciding on my surgery, but these are not the only ones. There are a number of other factors that people may consider, but that did not apply to me or that didn’t have any effect on my decision. Here are 3 that I found some references for, but I’m fairly certain there are more that may be important for other people.

Non-Binary Surgery

People that identify as non-binary, gender non-conforming, gender fluid or somewhere else in the gender spectrum may find a vulvoplasty as a great way to support their identity.

Existing Health Concerns

If there are other health concerns or pre-existing conditions where the creation of a vaginal canal is not indicated, then a vulvoplasty may be a very attractive alternative for folks in that situation. Of course, this needs to be discussed with the primary healthcare provider and/or the surgeon.

Age

A patient’s age may be a very strong factor to consider. For someone mature, and due to the differences in recovery and self-care required, their age may be a deciding factor. Interestingly enough, for patients that are younger, their age may be of concern to the healthcare practitioners. When I was preparing to write this post, I came across a reference to a study (PDF) that looked at the attitudes of WPATH-affiliated medical professionals towards the option of a vulvoplasty for patients between 18 and 21 years of age. They found that some medical professionals had more reluctance to recommend a no-depth option to patients in this age group.

It is The Patient’s Decision

At the end of the day, the decision lays on the patient and no one else. There may be lots of personal factors that influence that decision. With the current lack of reputable sources of information or detailed information, I truly hope that me opening up can help someone. At the very least, I strongly encourage the discussion so that more people become aware of the option of a no-depth genital reconstruction surgery.

Franches

L’article Why I chose vulvoplasty? est apparu en premier sur TransAvenue.

Special collaboration: Alex Simon is an American-born and Montreal-based student interested in LGBTQ+ and trans realities. They themselves being non-binary, they proposed the idea to GrS Montreal of writing articles on their blog TransAvenue.

For this article, I decided to ask some questions to June Pilote, executive director at Alterheros in Montreal and social media vlogger on queer and trans realities.

Alex Simon: If you feel comfortable sharing, how would you describe yourself in terms of queer and trans identity? (transmasculine, transfeminine, non-binary, etc) What pronouns do you use?

June Pilote: I’m a non-binary trans-masculine human and I use they/them pronouns in English and il/lui in French. I don’t strongly relate to any non-binary pronouns in French, so I decided to go with the “masculine” alternative.

AS: What kind of activism do you do in the LGBTQ+ community?

JP: I’ve been doing LGBTQ+ activism for a little more than 5 years now. I started with being on different organizations’ boards, doing active peer support and facilitating workshops. These days, I’m the executive director for AlterHéros, an online resource for and by LGBTQ+ people, where we answer questions regarding sexuality, gender identity, sexual orientation and plenty of other subjects. We also offer services for and by neurodiverse LGBTQ+ youth, peer support, social events, resource sharing, etc. I also have an online presence where I talk about my gender transition, and my queer identity in general. Through my Instagram, podcast and blog, I discuss stuff like my top surgery, gender dysphoria and what sex toys can alleviate dysphoria!

AS: What is your academic background? Your current career or dream career?

JP: With the mental health stuff that comes with being queer and trans, I was never able to finish a degree. I did 2 years of a bachelor in history back in 2011, and a year and a half of gender studies at Concordia University in 2017.

AS: What queer/trans/gender non-conforming role models did you have growing up?

JP: None (laughs). I first had access to the internet when I was 14 years old, I did a few research on lesbian and gay stuff, but never about gender identity. I always felt a discomfort with my gender, but never had the words to describe it. I first started to hear about trans stuff when I got to university and met Sophie Labelle in 2013. Being friends with her really opened my eyes to what being trans is, and how I don’t need to live with the discomfort my whole life.

AS: What was your coming-out experience with your family, friends and colleagues?

JP: For friends, I mostly had LGBTQ+ friends, so rather easy. For my family a bit harder, I’m still dealing with a bunch of feelings regarding that, so I prefer not to talk about it too much. You can hear me talk about my coming out story in the first episode of my podcast “C’est quoi mon genre” (in French).

AS: What is something you wished a younger self would’ve known in regard to self-love and acceptance as a queer/trans person? About your relationships with other people?

JP: That I’m not alone, that it will be hard but worth it. That being trans and queer is not as lonely as I think and that I will discover myself along the way.

AS: What do you think the next steps in advancing queer and trans rights would be? What issues should be brought to the spotlight?

JP: So many issues! Rights for trans migrants, easier access to surgery and hormonal replacement therapy for everyone, more coverage for trans-feminine affirming surgery (including Facial feminisation surgery and hair removal), etc.

AS: What advice would you give to queer/trans people starting to discover their true selves?

JP: If you can, follow trans people on social media platforms, surround yourself with digital trans acceptance. You don’t have to come out if it’s not safe or accessible, for you.

Alex Simon

L’article Interview with June Pilote est apparu en premier sur TransAvenue.

“I was first met in an interview during which we, of course, discussed the position, my skills, and my experience,” shared Daphney Prophète, a nurse and clinical advisor at the CMC. “At the end of this first meeting, a second meeting was planned. This time, Dr. Brassard was present. We then discussed more about the human side of the job.”

As it is often the case within other organizations operating in niche areas where daily work is performed under unique conditions, CMC’s Human Resources department strives to find the best candidates, even if it sometimes means thinking out of the box to get them.

In fact, many things are done differently at CMC. Recently, during the hiring process of a surgical nurse, the candidate was offered the opportunity to first spend time as an observer. This allowed them to see the surgeries taking place and to meet the Chief of the department as well as the members of the work team. They were able to discuss with the candidate the issues and challenges to come. This is an unusual approach compared to prevailing status quo of the healthcare system.

Human values at the forefront

Once hired, internal training is offered. In addition to informing about the practice, the training immerses new employees to permeate the culture of the CMC, which is based on a system of values. For the good of everybody, it is important that new personnel adhere to all the values of the organization and that they become part of the culture of the facility.

“We are a group of directors and we know each other’s strengths very well,” adds Ms. Prophète. “We are accepting and have no desire to change one another. There are all kinds of employees and that’s what enriches the dynamics.”

“When I was hired, it was my first experience in the medical private sector,” shares Henri Labelle, social worker and psychotherapist. “When I first arrived at the cafeteria, I saw people who seemed to love their jobs. Meal time was not used to unwind from the day, but to chat in a nice atmosphere and rest.”

Clearly, the favorable working conditions of the CMC’s nursing staff have resulted in superior patient care. Better still, it is given in an utterly supportive and convivial environment.

However, the labor shortages that affect all of Quebec also concern the CMC. This is especially true given that, despite its enviable reputation and notoriety in the medical and surgical spheres, this facility has never sought to attract attention.

In such a context, it is, therefore, of interest to note the particularly favorable working conditions of this world-renowned organization and to know that here respect is master at all times.

L’article How is the nursing staff of the Centre Métropolitain de Chirurgie selected? est apparu en premier sur TransAvenue.

A collaboration between Dr Marie-Jeanne Martin (Maison Dispersée de Santé, Lille, France), the Trans User Committee (Marie De La Chenelière) and the professionals of GrS Montreal (Dr Pierre Brassard and Daphney Prophète, nurse clinician) to put together a presentation offered to professionals and doctors from several French medical clinics. In all, around twenty participants joined the videoconference, among which we find a majority of doctors, but also nurses, a speech therapist and a physiotherapist.

The Maison Dispersée de Santé, which provides multidisciplinary health care in the Hauts-de-France region, works to improve the overall health of its users, including many people from the LGBTQ+ community.

Live from the GrS Montreal offices, the presentation, which lasted nearly one and a half hour, was intended to better equip French doctors and other healthcare professionals for postoperative care for patients who have undergone gender affirmative surgery.

After a brief introduction to the history of GrS Montreal and the Complexe Chirurgical CMC, it was about transidentity and gender dysphoria. Gender dysphoria is the pain associated with the mismatch between a person’s gender identity and the sex assigned at birth. Gender affirmation surgery is one of the effective treatments for treating gender dysphoria.

Two surgical procedures were then discussed in detail, namely mastectomy – or masculinization of the torso – and vaginoplasty, which is the creation of female-looking organs from existing tissue in trans women. Surgical techniques were discussed, as well as the associated risks, possible complications and their treatments.

A quick overview of the other surgical procedures performed at GrS Montreal was also presented and French professionals were able to ask their questions directly to Dr. Brassard.

The experience of this first videoconference was so enriching that there are already discussions to organize more in the near future. GrS Montreal is proud to be able to count on the world-renowned surgical expertise of Dr. Pierre Brassard and to share it with the medical community interested in the care of trans people.

L’article Dr Pierre Brassard in videoconference with French doctors est apparu en premier sur TransAvenue.

In the recent weeks, not a day (or almost) has ended without someone talking to her about her gender affirmation surgery performed at the Centre Métropolitain de Chirurgie (GrS Montreal). Khate, who now resides in Laval, was indeed operated on for a vaginoplasty.

“When I started to think about the operation and felt ready to start the process, I had to begin by creating my file. I don’t know how it goes in Montreal, but in my region, in Abitibi, it took months. I had to meet with several specialists and each of them had to write a letter of recommendation,” she explains.

Then, at the end of many private meetings with a sex therapist, a psycho-educator, her family doctor, a psychologist, and other healthcare professionals and specialists, Khate had what was needed to take the next step. No less than a year and a half has passed between the start of the process and the “D” day.

“Once there, I was surprised to see how beautiful the clinic is and how caring the whole team is! Let’s say it was a good thing for me because I get anxious very easily. Whether we like it or not, even if we inquire about the subject first, we still are afraid to enter, as if it were a dark room, when arriving at the hospital … but everyone was so nice! The employees came to introduce themselves one by one. It felt like a family atmosphere. Everyone is calm and very attentive, at all times. In short, you quickly feel like you are part of a big house!” explains the former OD candidate.

The Human Experience

“During my entire stay at GrS Montréal, I really felt the human touch. I expected it to be like in a hospital where the employees are always on the run because there is a lot to do, but it was not. During the first days, I was not without pain, but I received all the attention I needed,” she assures.

As one can imagine, when a celebrity is operated on for gender affirmation surgery and then this news is publicized, there are reactions. Without trying to promote herself, Khate Lessard is happy to provoke reactions and debate around this theme.

“I didn’t do this for fun or to get attention. You can’t do this to get attention. I really want to focus it on the informative side. We need to talk about sexual diversity and be able to see what revolves around it, like, among other things, a vaginoplasty. I want to help demystify all of this. I want to do good things and take good action. If it can help people who will have to live through it, so much the better!” she believes.

The Asclépiade, a place to remember

“I spent about seven days at the Asclépiade. The food there is really excellent! For real, it’s a buffet at every meal. It’s not cheap food. I remember eating excellent Greek-style chicken breasts with cheese … you can feel that the chef is having fun making his menus,” assures the one who has produced several web capsules. “In fact, I took the time to speak with him. He said to me that after an operation like the one we undergo, either a vaginoplasty or a phalloplasty, it is important to eat protein foods.”

And it’s not only the food that is well-suited to the needs of users: everything is planned to provide comfort and peace of mind for the occupants of the Asclépiade.

“There is a large fridge filled with cranberry juice, which is very good for the bladder, and cushions that allow us to sit comfortably and painlessly on the chairs. It’s fun because everyone there goes through the same thing and we all eat around the same table. We can talk and some people have been there longer than others. Sometimes they give advice to others about the days ahead and what to do next. We feel listened to and followed in all the steps and throughout the whole process,” concludes the former communications student.

Close Follow-up

“I am back at home, but every week, the people from GrS Montreal follow up. We talk on the phone and through email, and I also need to send photos to make sure everything is fine. I find it very reassuring. For example, if bleeding occurs, I only have to take a picture and send it to quickly receive an answer,” said the young woman.

What about the future?

A good communicator, Khate Lessard became close friend with Julie Snyder. Also, in the near future, she plans to show her true colors on the small screen.

“I have always loved doing all kinds of things in life. For now, I am anchored in this wave because I am recognized for this. I will always campaign for this cause, but I will also do something else!”, promises the refreshing Laval girl.

Those who follow her have adopted her and it’s a safe bet that her career is just beginning. A new career, but, above all, a new life…

L’article Khate Lessard (Occupation Double – OD) tells us about her experience at GrS Montreal est apparu en premier sur TransAvenue.

The content of the first video reveals the scope of services available at GrS Montreal and the great importance given to the human component throughout the whole process of a gender affirming surgery.

We also learn that every year, no less than 1000 patients from all over the world choose to trust the Complexe chirurgical CMC and its subsidiary GrS Montreal with their gender affirming surgery. Each year, nearly 700 genital surgeries are performed here.

No wonder that the surgeons at this private hospital are considered the most experienced in the world in the field of gender affirmation surgery and are often cited for reference.

In one of the videos, Dr. Pierre Brassard, Medical Director and Associate Owner of the Complexe chirurgical CMC, mentions the evolution of techniques that continue to improve over the years.

While many of Dr. Brassard’s patients have thanked him for saving their lives, he is keen to qualify these words.

« In reality, we do not save the lives of people who will die of an illness, but we relieve them of a distress so strong that, in the end, the benefit for the patient is immense », says the famous surgeon.

Three Moving Testimonials

In the second video, we can hear the poignant testimonies of Adany, Nicolas, and Laura.

Authentic and moving, these three people from different places and backgrounds tell to what extend their gender affirmation surgery has changed their lives and for what reasons.

For instance, Adany evokes the feeling of being a fraud that has long haunted her.

« I was at a point in my life when going through the process at Complexe chirurgical CMC and the convalescence home Alsclépiade processes would finally allow me to begin to heal. From that moment, I was able to close a chapter and start a new one », she says.

Clearly, these are two revealing videos that help to better understand the universe of gender affirmation surgeries, from both the medical point of view as well as that of the patient.

L’article GrS Montreal is launching two corporate videos at the 2019 CPATH conference est apparu en premier sur TransAvenue.