The Myth That Fuels the Panic Over Surgery for Trans Teenagers

This January, Alex Petkanas boarded a flight from Anchorage, Alaska, to Seattle. After years of working with his therapist and medical providers, he was finally on his way to get top surgery, a procedure that removes unwanted breast tissue. It’s a key part of gender-affirming care for many transgender and nonbinary people.

For Petkanas, a 30-year-old transmasculine person, having a body that didn’t match his gender identity was severely affecting his mental health. There were no well-known surgeons who do gender-affirming procedures in the Anchorage area, so he decided to...