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

In 2024, Francis approved a Vatican declaration that labeled gender-affirming surgery a grave violation of human dignity. —Christopher Parker, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Apr. 2025

According to a 2023 CalMatters report, 20 incarcerated people have received gender-affirming surgery since 2017, and another 150 surgeries have been approved. —Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 27 Mar. 2025

The rule, if enacted as proposed, would remove hormone replacement therapy, gender-affirming surgery, puberty blockers, and other forms of gender-affirming medical care from the list of valid EHBs. —Samantha Riedel, Them., 26 Mar. 2025

The department has never offered gender-affirming surgeries, but has provided treatments including hormone therapy, voice and communication training and gender-affirming prosthetics. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

2011, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gender-affirming surgery

• cryosurgery
• microsurgery
• neurosurgery
• psychosurgery
• perjury
• radiosurgery

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