I Feel So Much More in My Body: Challenging the Significance of the Penis in Transsexual Men's Bodies.

Drawing on in-depth interviews with female-to-male transmen (FTMs), this article examines the many ways in which FTMs bring their bodies in line with their male gender identity and what role genital surgery plays in this process. While most men in our study seek hormone therapy and chest reconstruction surgery, few seek out genital surgery. Analyzing the differences between transmen who prioritize genital surgery and those who do not, we problematize the assumption that "the penis makes the man." We outline how the experiences of our interviewees who create their own standards for becoming men can serve to make the criteria for a male body more open and ultimately challenge gendered assumptions about the connection between genitals and gender identity. Further, we outline what implications this separation has for medical and psychological communities that work with transsexual and transgender individuals. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]