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Hung Jury: Testimonies of Genital Surgery by Transsexual Men
Hung Jury is the first book of personal testimonies focusing exclusively on FTM genital surgery and the important ways it changes our lives. Contributors write about the details and ups and downs of this transformative journey and dispel many myths and misinformation. They provide an in depth, understanding of the surgical, social, sexual, somatic, spiritual, and psychological aspects. Hung Jury appeals to readers from all walks of life. For those considering genitoplasty the book is a valuable resource of information for dealing with the ins/outs and ups/downs of surgery, how to decide which surgery is best for your needs, what to expect in the journey, and how to take care of yourself and optimize surgical results. For others who are curious, including the general public, you will be educated and enlightened about one of the most transformative experiences of female-to-male transitioning. Clinicians, therapists, and partners of trans men seeking genitoplasty will also gain tremendous insight and understanding of the emotional, psychological, and somatic factors underlying and motivating our journey down this path.
192 pages, Paperback
First published December 31, 2012
29 people are currently reading
297 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
February 12, 2013
A really informative look at an area that is so rarely talked about in the community. I appreciated the candor of the contributors. I wish the book had been divided more evenly between meta and phallo. The latter was definitely the focus. The more I think about it the more it seems as if a small penis doesn't qualify as a "real" penis from the editor's perspective. I also wasn't too keen on the partner's reactions in the back. It seemed haphazard and not really focused on their feelings regarding the extensive periods of caretaking this surgery necessitates. Their only voice was in relation to how they felt about the penis. This seems dismissive to me.
December 18, 2022
This is a crucial read for any trans masculine who is interested in learning about or is considering bottom surgery.
I myself was taken in by the harrowing descriptions online of genital surgery for trans men - and was incredibly disappointed and frustrated by those relations. This book dissects the many myths and exaggerations that are spread much more widely than the truth - men who get genital surgery are often very happy with the results, regardless of complications or limitations.
I myself was taken in by the harrowing descriptions online of genital surgery for trans men - and was incredibly disappointed and frustrated by those relations. This book dissects the many myths and exaggerations that are spread much more widely than the truth - men who get genital surgery are often very happy with the results, regardless of complications or limitations.
May 3, 2022
This book is an essential for any trans masc people considering bottom surgery. I was astounded to learn about the legal history of bottom surgery's reputation in court, which then led the info to leak into trans communities themselves. If you're only going to read a portion of this book, make it be the first two essays on the legal situation. It was eye opening to understand why I had all these negative associations with the surgery.
Beyond the legal side, the rest of the book is also quite helpful if you're trying to make a decision about bottom surgery. This process is a lot more "in the shadows" than top surgery, and this book really helped me feel like I can want this surgery and be happy with this surgery.
One just has to keep in mind that a lot of the info is old! Both medically and with terminology, but that doesn't stop this book from being valuable.
The reason I'm giving it four instead of five stars are minor things: mainly, it seemed that all of the authors were either single or in relationships with cis women, and the end of the book included partner perspectives, all of whom were cis women from what I could tell. I would love a Hung Jury Part II featuring writers who are dating cis gay men, other trans men, trans women, nonbinary folks. I'd love to hear from people who sexually identify more as submissive, and how this surgery impacted them. No one really talked about a relationship to receiving penetration, and I'd be curious to hear more about that too. Basically, I just want more haha.
Only other knit picky note I'll add is that some of the authors have compelling stories, but are not the best writers. That being said, each essay is pretty short, so it's not too bad powering through the ones that aren't as well crafted. And those ones all still had valuable gifts to give.
Beyond the legal side, the rest of the book is also quite helpful if you're trying to make a decision about bottom surgery. This process is a lot more "in the shadows" than top surgery, and this book really helped me feel like I can want this surgery and be happy with this surgery.
One just has to keep in mind that a lot of the info is old! Both medically and with terminology, but that doesn't stop this book from being valuable.
The reason I'm giving it four instead of five stars are minor things: mainly, it seemed that all of the authors were either single or in relationships with cis women, and the end of the book included partner perspectives, all of whom were cis women from what I could tell. I would love a Hung Jury Part II featuring writers who are dating cis gay men, other trans men, trans women, nonbinary folks. I'd love to hear from people who sexually identify more as submissive, and how this surgery impacted them. No one really talked about a relationship to receiving penetration, and I'd be curious to hear more about that too. Basically, I just want more haha.
Only other knit picky note I'll add is that some of the authors have compelling stories, but are not the best writers. That being said, each essay is pretty short, so it's not too bad powering through the ones that aren't as well crafted. And those ones all still had valuable gifts to give.
April 10, 2025
This book made me realize how important bottom surgery would be to me. I read it a bit back and I still think of it constantly. As a trans man, it meant a lot to hear real perspectives as opposed to the myths and horrific claims that surround that aspect of transition. It’s something I had occasionally thought about for myself but now I feel more inspired to actually do it. It changed the game for me, honestly, to hear people tell the good and the bad of it. I will definitely be researching it further now, but this book made me recognize that there is hope for me there.
Definitely recommend if you are considering masculine bottom surgery!
Definitely recommend if you are considering masculine bottom surgery!
February 24, 2025
This book is very informative, though it has to be read with a historical perspective since most of the descriptions of going through surgery, terms etc. are mostly outdated and have changed profoundly. Still I was surprised at how insightful and helpful most of the emotional and spiritual journeys of the (trans*) men and their loved ones were. I can recommend this book for anyone looking for more informative and non sensationalized information on especially the history of bottom surgery and important poineers in this area.
Beware of terms and understandings of being trans that I personally don't agree with and consider somewhat outdated.
Beware of terms and understandings of being trans that I personally don't agree with and consider somewhat outdated.
May 22, 2017
Hung Jury edited by Cotten. If you were undecided about phalloplasty, these life stories could put you off because of the length of time needed to perform at least 4 surgeries. Some guys went to Serbia and others had a penis made in the US. On the plus side, the guys felt it was worth it as they now felt complete. Not all were able to have intercourse but those who did, satisfied their, mainly female, partners. Another good book to go on the FTM shelf. And no pictures.
January 29, 2018
A good selection of first-person stories and historical profiles of transgender men who have undergone genital surgery, plus a few "partner's perspective" pieces. Any transgender man considering lower surgery should read this book.
May 24, 2025
Reading how hard these men fought was touching and I do relate to them. I'm grateful this book exists to preserve their voices in time. I really resonated with the foreword that talks about how trans male bottom surgery is treated in society and how a lot of it is self-defeatist rhetoric from the trans male community itself.
Though I wish this book had included any accounts from bisexual or gay men other than summarizing the posthumous experience of Lou Sullivan, I enjoyed it having a section for partners. The roles shown are rather heternormative (feminine cis woman vs masculine trans man) and don't allow for very much variation. There were no variant surgeries like non-vaginectomy, non-urethral lengthening, etc., only cut-and-dry "standard" phallo or meta.
Would I recommend this book to someone considering lower surgery? Yes, but with the caveat that most of the medical information is decades out of date (as most of their surgeries were performed in the 80s-90s). One part asserted all surgeons require vaginectomy for phalloplasty, which is just straight up wrong even with urethral lengthening.
Of the phalloplasty accounts, three were abdominal with two RFF composite, three were MLD, one was unspecified, and one was traditional RFF. ALT, which is now the 2nd most chosen donor site, wasn't even mentioned. The majority of accounts detailed at least one surgical steps/procedure that have been updated in the modern age or are completely obsolete.
I'm sure the abundance of outdated medical information could be confusing if someone was approaching the book as a source of advice and wasn't that knowledgeable on how phallo works. In the modern era phallo much more ideal and streamlined. I definitely don't think these surgeries are accurate to what you'd get in 2025. However, the emotional aspect is definitely worth a read.
Though I wish this book had included any accounts from bisexual or gay men other than summarizing the posthumous experience of Lou Sullivan, I enjoyed it having a section for partners. The roles shown are rather heternormative (feminine cis woman vs masculine trans man) and don't allow for very much variation. There were no variant surgeries like non-vaginectomy, non-urethral lengthening, etc., only cut-and-dry "standard" phallo or meta.
Would I recommend this book to someone considering lower surgery? Yes, but with the caveat that most of the medical information is decades out of date (as most of their surgeries were performed in the 80s-90s). One part asserted all surgeons require vaginectomy for phalloplasty, which is just straight up wrong even with urethral lengthening.
Of the phalloplasty accounts, three were abdominal with two RFF composite, three were MLD, one was unspecified, and one was traditional RFF. ALT, which is now the 2nd most chosen donor site, wasn't even mentioned. The majority of accounts detailed at least one surgical steps/procedure that have been updated in the modern age or are completely obsolete.
I'm sure the abundance of outdated medical information could be confusing if someone was approaching the book as a source of advice and wasn't that knowledgeable on how phallo works. In the modern era phallo much more ideal and streamlined. I definitely don't think these surgeries are accurate to what you'd get in 2025. However, the emotional aspect is definitely worth a read.
August 10, 2024
Hung Jury is an essay collection that seeks to dispel the mystery around transmasculine bottom surgeries. This book offers great insight into how trans men process and go about their bottom surgery. All essays are (more or less) written by trans men, for trans men and get very candid about the complications and sexual gratification post-surgery. There also appears to have been an effort to include trans men of color, which I do commend the book for.
However, I do not think this book can be given more than 3 stars for the following reasons:
1. For a book about queer people, for queer people, I feel the inclusion of only one gay trans man to be a slap in the face. To add insult to injury, it was excerpt from Lou Sullivan's dairy published posthumously. So, it was not even an account from someone alive.
2. The main focus of the book is about phalloplasty only featuring three (or so) essays about metoidioplasty. While this could be sampling bias, I feel like there should have been more balance between the two procedures.
3. Most of the men that write are heterosexual (see point 1) and take on a more dominant role in sex. This limits the experience that are told and published to a rather narrow version of sexuality.
4. The formatting was wonky at points. This is a nitpick, but bothered me enough to where I thought that the book as a whole needed another editor to fix it. There is also a chance this is due to the edition I bought of the book and this was fixed in later prints.
So the question becomes: should I read this book? The answer: depends. Are you considering transmasculine bottom surgery? You should read this book. Is a loved one of yours transitioning? You should read this book. Are you a transmasculine person looking for community? You should read this book. Otherwise, I don't recommend all that highly.
However, I do not think this book can be given more than 3 stars for the following reasons:
1. For a book about queer people, for queer people, I feel the inclusion of only one gay trans man to be a slap in the face. To add insult to injury, it was excerpt from Lou Sullivan's dairy published posthumously. So, it was not even an account from someone alive.
2. The main focus of the book is about phalloplasty only featuring three (or so) essays about metoidioplasty. While this could be sampling bias, I feel like there should have been more balance between the two procedures.
3. Most of the men that write are heterosexual (see point 1) and take on a more dominant role in sex. This limits the experience that are told and published to a rather narrow version of sexuality.
4. The formatting was wonky at points. This is a nitpick, but bothered me enough to where I thought that the book as a whole needed another editor to fix it. There is also a chance this is due to the edition I bought of the book and this was fixed in later prints.
So the question becomes: should I read this book? The answer: depends. Are you considering transmasculine bottom surgery? You should read this book. Is a loved one of yours transitioning? You should read this book. Are you a transmasculine person looking for community? You should read this book. Otherwise, I don't recommend all that highly.
May 21, 2021
This is a great book for anyone who's really only heard the myths or dismissive shots regarding bottom surgery, is uncertain about the realities of it, or just wants a better understanding of this element of life. It has reviews from quite varied individuals and stages of surgery and life, and the essays feel like snapshots of both individual trans lives and the experience of queer people in the United States and abroad over several generations. Given it is a collection of personal essays, some of the language used by the men who have undergone surgery may be rather direct or graphic. I disliked much of the 'Witnessing Transformation' collection at the end of the book, as some of these felt insensitive to the difficulties and sorrows of transitioning and seemed out of place, but this is not all of them.
October 1, 2022
i really mostly read this for the metoidioplasty section because i am interested in that surgery. the testimonials from these men made me feel a lot better about that surgery as an option, in a way i think only the experiences of other trans men can do.
i did take off a star because it seemed like all of the men were straight or only focused on their relationships with women (other than the section with lou sullivan, who only lived about 5 years after recieving surgery due to contracting aids) and, as a gay man, i wouldve loved to hear gay experiences.
i did take off a star because it seemed like all of the men were straight or only focused on their relationships with women (other than the section with lou sullivan, who only lived about 5 years after recieving surgery due to contracting aids) and, as a gay man, i wouldve loved to hear gay experiences.
October 4, 2023
I think this is a tremendous resource and a worthwhile read, But, it is disappointing that seemingly the only chapter about a man who doesn't primarily partner with women (and all of the non-trans partner essays are by women) is not even a first person account, but a chapter about Lou Sullivan.
I'm not necessarily saying this as a criticism - I don't know the editorial process that went into this book - but in my experience as a gay trans man there is often a gulf of difference between gay and queer trans men, and straight ones, and this book altogether feels very Straight.
I'm not necessarily saying this as a criticism - I don't know the editorial process that went into this book - but in my experience as a gay trans man there is often a gulf of difference between gay and queer trans men, and straight ones, and this book altogether feels very Straight.
March 19, 2022
Important and informative book sharing the stories of transmasc folks going through the journey of bottom surgery. Emphasis was mostly on phallo, which was a little disappointing. For its time I think it’s great, but reading it now there’s a lot of really binary language that I didn’t love. Regardless, I’m glad it exists and glad I read it.
July 30, 2019
I was really excited about this book in the beginning. It was informative. But the stories were just okay; I kept putting the book down.
July 11, 2020
Everything you ever wanted to know and more...about the emotional, physical and surgical journey to become fully male. These are some very brave and determined people!
February 24, 2021
Needed this <3
Read
August 8, 2022slightly dated but a crucial resource. i did find it lacking that this only included straight men (or, only discussion of men with women)
November 7, 2025
I cant believe this book exists! if you or someone you love are Trans masculine and considering bottom surgery, this is a must read.
August 10, 2021
A slightly dated must-read for trans men considering lower surgery
August 5, 2025
This book takes a candid look at bottom surgery straight from the trans mens' mouths, and trans or not I wish people with ANY interest in surgery read it as it dispels a lot of misinformation spread about the topic that many see repeated without hesitation. I'd recommend it for trans men considering bottom surgery and their partners alike
March 29, 2016
This book is incredibly informative and an important read for anyone considering bottom surgery, or anyone who wants to be a supporter for someone going through the process. Through sharing the stories of people who have had bottom surgery, the book offers a glimpse into possible decisions and outcomes, which has been helpful to me in preparing for surgery. Reading the book helped me solidify my wants and needs surrounding bottom surgery, and has been influential in my journey of self-discovery. The book also does a great job of dispelling some of the myths that are often spread about bottom surgery. Thank you to all of the courageous men who shared their stories for this book.
December 11, 2021
Great book with lots of interesting and important information! It's definitely helpful and informative to read all these different experiences by different people, and learn about what can be achieved with this surgery. Some stories were a little depressing, but also necessary, I think, and I loved reading about older trans guys who transitioned long before I was even born, as well as learning about the first ever phalloplasty performed. The section of partner's perspective stories at the end was okay, but some of them felt unnecessary and even a bit offensive at times, though others were really sweet and nice to read.
February 16, 2014
As I am coming close to surgery it was very informative to read stories of those who have done what I am about to go through. Wish that I could speak more with people, who have had surgeries from my surgeon but oh well. I am more prepared by reading this book. Thank you so much to men who were able to share their stories and help us out. You are amazing!
August 9, 2014
I think this is an important book because of the topic at hand. However the amount of detail, clarity, and completeness of the information wasn't much better than information you can find online on blogs and message boards. It's definitively more accessible and easy to share though, so for that it has some value.
March 17, 2013
I think this is absolutely a must read for anyone considering surgery, whose already had surgery for doctors and community members to understand not just the medical workings behind surgery but the emotional things behind this often long process.
January 24, 2017
Wonderful book. Particularly loved the straightforward honesty and advice of the trans brothers who had surgery. I enjoyed the writing style of a partner perspective ("Femme Chrysalis" by Isabella Abrahams)
December 27, 2015
A great and inspiring read, especially from someone who themself is a trans* activist.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews