A recent report detailing the immense popularity of breast reduction surgery among cisgender men has got transgender advocates erupting over the fact that gender-affirming care has always been celebrated for cis folks but demonized for trans people.The New York Post published a story on December 3 that explained that breast reduction surgery is the most popular plastic surgery among cis men in the country. Related University punishes trans educator for discrimination after student calls her demonic At some point in their lives, almost half of men experience a condition called gynecomastia, which is an increase in breast gland growth often due to a hormonal imbalance. It is not harmful to a mans physical health and so must only be fixed if it is making someone feel self-conscious (or, as some might characterize it, dysphoric).oh so when cis men are getting their breasts removed its just popular surgery among guys? pic.twitter.com/RDluI9FO1a https://t.co/3Ww78A9VgB daphne (@endiive) December 3, 2025 Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today The men interviewed for theNew York Postpiece called breast-reduction surgery life-changing. Their recountings of the dysphoria they experienced before surgery feel eerily similar to what trans people describe feeling before they begin to live as their true selves.There were summers that I would wear two shirts just to feel comfortable enough to go outside, even if it was 100 degrees, one man said, adding, When you have this condition, youre willing to go through anything and everything to overcome it.Meet the men getting gender affirming care Shannon Gregory (@princessshay013) December 4, 2025 Another man said he would go into the fitting room and get so emotional and frustrated because no matter what I wore, [my breasts] were still so prominent.I did try to embrace the wholebody positivity movement, said 32-year-old Kelbin Ramirez. I tried to wear stuff that I really liked but at the end of the day, under the clothes, they were always there. And I always felt it.So, gender affirming care The Saurus (@TheSaurus831) December 3, 2025 And just as their dysphoria sounds similar, so too, do the changes they experienced after they took steps to correct it.I never really understood confidence until this year post-surgery, Ramirez said. Now, I wear whatever I want. Im not crying in fitting rooms anymore. I go up to people and introduce myself. It has completely changed everything.The article concluded by saying the men interviewed for the piece all shared a similar sentiment: Your body is yours. If you need to make a change to feel good in it, do it. Soooo, kevin can get breast surgery becuase hes overweight but a trans person..ok Astro Lamont (@astrolamont) December 4, 2025It took almost no time for folks on social media to draw parallels between pretty much everything in the story and the experiences of trans folk who seek gender-affirming surgery. As cis men like those in this story are celebrated for their decision to honor what feels right for their bodies, trans people continue to lose that right across the country. Hold on. So when a man wants to make sure he doesnt look like a woman gets cosmetic surgery to cut off his breasts due to his body not developing how he would want it to, thats okay but when trans people do it they are the devil? Xachary (@XacharyGG) December 4, 2025Many laws banning gender-affirming care across the country (predominantly for youth) explicitly do so when it is related to gender transition, but still allow hormone treatments and other care that affirms the sex someone was assigned at birth.Puberty blockers, for example, are used safely and regularly for cisgender young people to alleviate the distress associated with early onset puberty. This unequal treatment was the crux of the argument in the Supreme Court Case United States v. Skrmetti, which ruled in favor of Tennessees gender-affirming care ban for trans youth. The states legislation allows for the same medications banned for use by trans people to continue being used by cisgender youth for other conditions. The bill doesnt ban any specific treatments for being too dangerous; rather, it bans a class of people from using them for a specific purpose (namely, to treat trans-related gender dysphoria).Many states are also trying to make it more difficult for trans and nonbinary adults to receive gender-affirming care with legislation to limit federal health insurance plans from covering it.The concept that cisgender people also regularly receive gender-affirming care is being spoken about moreso in the context of trans rights. In a recent interview, reality TV star Bronwyn Newportof the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City called on more members of the franchise to speak out in support of LGBTQ+ rights. Nobody gets more gender-affirming care than the Housewives, Newport told PRIDE, so if your favorite Housewife is not standing up for the community, especially the trans community, you need to DM them and push them to stand up for your rights, especially now.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.