New Episode of Temple Trans Web Series Chronicles Man’s Chest Surgery

In the latest installment of the Temple web series, AJ Young shares his life-changing experience.

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A few months ago I told you about Temple web series A Man Who Takes the Place Of, which is documenting the gender transformation of grad student AJ Young. It’s been a while since a new installment has aired, but this week, just as the Philadelphia Trans-Health Conference gets underway, Episode No. 3 premiered.

Entitled “Closing of a Chapter,” it catches up with Young before and after getting his recent chest surgery. In a flashback in the beginning of the film, a pre-testosterone Young explains why this process was so important to him: “I’m just incredibly uncomfortable with my body — mostly the very female parts of it.” He goes on to say that he didn’t feel like he could even stand up straight because he didn’t want to attract attention to his chest. “It feels like it’s something that’s suctioned to my body, like it’s something somebody appended to me that I can’t get off.”

I don’t want to give too much away, but let’s just say that Young seems like a much happier man by the end. You can check out the full episode below, where Young explains the process, shares his feelings going into the surgery and, of course, the exciting reveal. (Heads up: There is nudity and some of the scenes get pretty graphic.)

So what comes next for Young? “I don’t know that there is a next step after this … for now I’m ready to sit for a little bit. … In nine months I will have started hormones, fully transitioned to being passively male and cut my chest off. Um, that’s kind of a lot. I feel like I’ve earned some time to give birth to myself … to let myself settle.” The “To Be Continued” that flashes at the end, however, is a promise that there will be more to come.

If you can’t wait till the next episode to catch up with Young, he will be talking in a number of sessions at this weekend’s Philadelphia Trans Health Conference. To see the full schedule, go here.