Recently, I came across a Chicago Tribune article headlined, " Chicago defends law against going topless. Wait, what? This is the local government version of a creepy bro that says, "Tell your breasts to stop looking at my eyes. I won't bore anyone by rehashing those points. There was a time when my breasts were allowed to exist in a non-sexualized way under the law. Reading the statement over and over again, female breasts are considered erogenous in a way that male breasts are not , I traveled down somewhat of an existential wormhole. See, for those of you who might not know, I'm a transgender woman. It wasn't until I was 26 years old that I began any sort of hormone replacement therapy regimen, and not for another 9-ish months until I had anything even somewhat resembling legit boobage. Until I was 26, I looked like this, and I could have legally gone wherever I wanted topless without so much as raising an eyebrow. Me, "Light as a feather, stiff as a board; light as a feather, flat as a board.
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So often, stories and news about transgender individuals are a sombre, sad affair. Transgender people are some of the most marginalised in our communities, facing immense prejudice from some simply for the fact of who they are. This moment involving actor Elliot Page, however, is thankfully a celebratory one.
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Holiday Handbook: Browse shopping deals, recipes, tips for gathering safely and more. The "Umbrella Academy" star, 34, posted a shirtless photo Monday on Instagram to document his first time swimming in men's swim trunks. The photo is the first shirtless image of himself Page has shared since revealing he underwent top surgery, a procedure to remove one's breast tissue. In the photo, the Oscar-nominated "Juno" star grins from ear to ear while standing in a swimming pool wearing a dark-colored ball cap and red swim trunks. The actor's photo garnered more than a million likes in less than two hours. His famous friends popped into the comments of his post to share their support. One parent wrote, "Thank you for being a role model and inspiration for my yr-old transgender son.
Top surgery for transgender men is a surgical procedure to remove breast tissue. The year-old Oscar nominee captioned the post "Trans bb's first swim trunks", before adding the hashtags transjoy and transisbeautiful. Last month, Page told Oprah Winfrey how much happier he feels after having the procedure and how important he believes it is to support health care for transgender people. Page went on to urge officials to do more to support health care for transgender people and allow them access to sports. Some lawmakers are seeking to ban transgender youth from playing sports that match their gender identity. Page came out as transgender in December, an announcement that was widely greeted as a watershed moment for the trans community in Hollywood. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies.
