Boobless: A Top Surgery
Perzine, Birch Rosen, 34 pgs, birchrosen.com, $10
Birch Rosen’s Boobless is a follow-up to their 2018 zine Transitioning & Attractiveness, which touched on their decision to medically transition and wanting to be hot. In Boobless, the reader is offered a personal view of what it means to go through top surgery, from finding a surgeon to the procedure itself and the lengthy after-care. I just want to note that if you are squeamish, this might not be the zine for you as there are descriptions of wound care and infection.
In an age where gender affirming care is increasingly being restricted, it is a political act to describe your journey through top surgery. As a cis person, it was very informative for me to read about the different possible surgery types as well as after-care procedures. Birch is a good writer and breaks down how difficult recovering from this surgery would have been without the support of their partner, friends and family. Who knew that without the use of your pectoral muscles, tasks such as pumping soap or opening taps would be impossible. As you follow Rosen’s journey, you’ll also discover more about their personal life as well as what shows and music supported their healing journey.
Boobless is a great resource for those who are considering top surgery, as well as for allies who might want to help a loved one through the recovery process. Birch also recommends zines by other non-binary and trans writers in their conclusion.