Is getting breast reduction surgery a sin?

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I was contemplating in getting surgery because well, I wanna be a non-binary and I’m worried and scared that I might regret it; in life and death. I want a clear answer so.
 
Hello3 said:
I was contemplating in getting surgery because well, I wanna be a non-binary and I’m worried and scared that I might regret it; in life and death. I want a clear answer so.
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I’m not sure of Church teaching in this particular case. This isn’t just about the surgery, it’s about the surgery for a particular reason. Perhaps a priest could help you more?
 
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I’m not sure what you mean by non-binary but I think it would be a mistake to change your body for a non-medically necessary reason.
 
po18guy said:
If done for functional or medical reasons, there is not likely anything wrong. It gets a little gray if done for aesthetics.
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According to the OP, she doesn’t want the surgery for either of the reasons you suggest. She wants the surgery because she wishes to identify as gender non-binary.
po18guy said:
I would peruse the website of the National Catholic Bioethics Center.
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The OP may be interested in the section on gender identity. She does not say that she is transgender. I’m not seeing anything about cosmetic surgery on that site. I also note that she doesn’t say that she is Catholic.
Hello3 said:
I was contemplating in getting surgery because well, I wanna be a non-binary and I’m worried and scared that I might regret it; in life and death. I want a clear answer so.
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The main reason for having breast reduction surgery, as you will presumably know, is because large breasts can cause problems such as back pain. I cannot imagine that there are any ethical concerns about that, as it is treatment for a condition which causes pain and potentially damage to the spine.

It’s not clear from your post whether what you are talking about is breast reduction or having your breasts removed. When I have read about women who have this kind of surgery because they identify as being non-binary, they have had their breasts removed.

You are obviously right to think that this requires careful consideration. What you are talking about is major surgery which would have a significant and irreversible impact on your life. The surgery will very significantly change your appearance, you may lose sensitivity in your breasts, in particular the nipples, and there is a substantial likelihood that you will be unable to breastfeed (if you have your breasts removed, you will definitely be unable to breastfeed).

Many people will tell you that your gender identity is determined by your physical sex and that this is given to you by God and is unchangeable. I am not a Catholic and do not have a clear opinion on this. It’s not obvious from your profile or your post whether you are Catholic and whether you are seeking specifically Catholic opinions. I would say that I find the concept of being gender non-binary difficult to understand, and I think you should seek some kind of psychological help before making any irreversible decisions.
 
In my religious beliefs, no.

By the way, are you referring to a breast reduction (usually done to reduce back pain cause by heavy breasts) or a mastectomy (complete removal of the breast tissue)? Either way, they are both medical procedures with the intent of improving your quality of life. The first step is speaking to a gender therapist who can help you to understand both your own identity and the steps you want to take from there. It will help you to be so much more sure of your decision, outside of any moral boundaries.

Well wishes on your transition, I hope it brings you great happiness. <3
 
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Breast reduction for strictly medical reasons is no sin, in fact, it might be necessary to alleviate suffering. Aesthetic reasons, I’m not going to go there — ask a confessor. To address issues of gender dysphoria, or wanting to be “non-binary”, as the OP puts it, my heart goes out to anyone with such dysphoria (not clear where “non-binary” fits into that), but I cannot advocate surgery to correct the dysphoria.

Just curious, how did people deal with such issues before modern surgery made reasonably satisfactory bodily alterations possible? (Male castration, that’s pretty much always existed, it’s not that complicated.) Various cultures have been able to accommodate gender fluidity, if that’s the word — the berdache in Native American culture and the Albanian “sworn virgins” who basically functioned socially as males. And don’t forget the Monroe Brothers, Alf and Ralph (the latter actually being a plain-Jane female with short hair, and there is nothing wrong with being a “plain-Jane”, I find them refreshingly authentic, myself), from Green Acres. (I don’t think anybody really questioned Ralph’s gender, it was just one of the many surreal in-jokes in what was actually a very quirky, intelligent show.)
 
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Depending on your reasons, you may have difficulty finding a surgeon to perform this surgery. There is a process you go through when it’s for medical reasons, but when done to alter the body for alteration sake, just be aware. As with any surgery, there are always risks.
 
Thank for updating me on this week’s sexual identify selections. Had no idea. Self mutilation when one’s DNA proves which sex they are, will ultimately be lamented.
 
snarflemike said:
My daughter just finished “Irreversible Damage” and she was appalled. She had seen this all play out among some of her friends a few years earlier, with disastrous results. OP, please read the book.
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My son tells me about all this gender fluidity, cis-this, trans-that business he sees online, and I find it horrifying. I have told him how disordered all of this — while he is avowedly cis-male (i.e., normal male), he tells me about this actress who has decided she is male and rejects being “deadnamed” (i.e., referred to by her “old” female name), and other similar bizarreness. It is as though that whole generation has gone crazy. We must pray and do penance for our youth.

If they were just cross-dressing, adopting hair styles (and even beauty routines) of the opposite gender, and taking names of that gender, that would be bad enough, but at least it wouldn’t do any permanent damage, could easily be discontinued once they had their fill of it, and could be dismissed as a fad that will one day fall out of favor. But surgery and hormone therapy? No. Just no. (You can discontinue hormones a whole lot more easily than you can reverse surgery. And some surgeries are irreversible.)
 
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@Hello3 I’m getting the impression that you are under 18. I’d advise you to talk to your parents, your priest and your doctor/counsellor about this. This is a serious issue, and not something you should be considering.
 
This might seem like a clear issue but it isn’t . It depends on your motives. That is why you need to ask a Priest, he can help you sort that out.
If the primary drive is to help your self esteem, that is understandable. There are those who might say that it could help relations between you and your husband. If the reason rises to the level of vanity and pride, that of course would not be good. It is probably a good first step to ask for advice, but it is harder to give a yes no answer without more information.
 
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It is not. You are beautiful in God’s eyes, and he wants you to be comfortable in your own skin. You are a beloved child of God.
 
Sparkles said:
It is not. You are beautiful in God’s eyes, and he wants you to be comfortable in your own skin. You are a beloved child of God.
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I’m not so sure. I don’t think gender transition surgery is morally licit according to the Church.
 
This is not gender transition surgery as the OP has described it. There is no talking of transitioning.

Even if there was, is it our place to judge?
 
Where in the Bible does it say that breast reduction and wanting to be non-binary is a sin?

To go out on a limb a bit: suicide is a mortal sin, right? Not that the OP is suicidal, or transgender, but the rate of suicide amongst transgender individuals is concerning. What if one has breast reduction surgery, and/or becomes non-binary and lives a beautiful, belief-filled life?

What if they don’t have surgery and it significantly impedes their life and their service to the Lord?
 
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