Embodied Affirmation: Experiences with Gender-Affirming Top Surgery

Area of Science:

• Medical and Social Sciences
• Digital Health and Patient Experience

Background:

• Gender-affirming top surgery is a key procedure for addressing gender dysphoria.
• Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok are primary channels for patient-generated content on this topic.
• The hashtag #TopSurgery is widely used, predominantly by patients sharing their experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze patient perceptions and information dissemination regarding gender-affirming top surgery on social media.
• To identify key themes and motifs in patient posts related to their surgical journey.

Main Methods:

• An observational study analyzing public patient posts under the #TopSurgery hashtag on Instagram and TikTok.
• Data collection focused on 808 posts made after 2020.
• Forty-two subthemes were identified and grouped into five central motifs.

Main Results:

• The five central motifs were Psychosocial and Emotional Well-being (31%), Empowerment and Identity Formation (30%), Navigating the Medical Journey (17%), Physical Health and Body Image (16%), and Allies and Stigma (6%).
• Prominent subthemes included Appearance & Body Image (73%), Satisfaction and Relief (71%), Empowerment & Confidence (69%), and Quality of Life & Mental Health (61%).

Conclusions:

• Social media posts reveal significant patient focus on emotional, physical, and lifestyle changes following gender-affirming top surgery.
• Themes vary by platform, surgical stage, and gender identity.
• These insights can enhance physician-patient relationships, counseling, and expectation management for the pre/postoperative period.