The number of gender-affirming procedures rose in the US, followed by an onslaught of anti-trans laws. For many, the scars can be a symbol of pride and resilience

For many trans and non-binary people, top surgery – the process of removing breast tissue to get a flatter or masculinized chest – is not an elective procedure. It’s essential to them feeling at home in their bodies.

Top surgery is a form of gender-affirming healthcare that can be used to treat dysphoria, the sense of deep unease one feels when their identity or appearance doesn’t match up with the gender they were assigned at birth. It’s also a complicated, intense and invasive process that requires navigating a maze of insurance paperwork, and from which it can take years to heal. This means that the road to achieving one’s “dream” chest can be a long, complex and fluid journey.