Hung Jury is the first book ever published of personal essays focusing exclusively on transmasculine genital surgeries. Stories document the medical ups and downs of surgery, the sexual and psychological aspects of having surgery, and the overall life-changing nature of surgery. As a collection, Hung Jury also dispels many common myths and negative stereotypes about FTM bottom surgery, and informs about the real possibilities that these remarkable procedures offer.
Trans men thinking of having metoidioplasty or phalloplasty surgery will find plenty of practical nuts & bolts information and advice in the pages of Hung Jury. From planning surgery and healing from surgery, to valuable reflections about the deeper experience of transformation, Hung Jury fills a gap that no other book has ever tried to bridge.
In addition to the personal testimonies, Hung Jury also includes chapters about FTM pioneers Lou Sullivan—the lone gay FTM featured in the book—and Michael Dillon, the first transsexual man to undergo phalloplasty. The inclusion of the Michael Dillon chapter comes off a bit like filler material but it does provide interesting historical context.
Hung Jury concludes with essays from five partners and spouses who share their reflections of loving men who have had bottom surgery. Often overlooked in trans studies, SOFFAs will appreciate these important stories.
While readers of all persuasions will find valuable insights in these testimonies of trial and triumph, Hung Jury is primarily positioned for trans men considering surgery, their partners and medical providers. As the book does a good job of myth busting and communicating why some men seek out these surgeries, another key audience for Hung Jury could be trans men who do not plan to have surgery. That may sound like an awkward fit, but all trans men would benefit from abolishing negative stereotypes about genitals.
Genital surgery for transsexual men provides an initiation to manhood that is risk filled, physically daunting and transformational. These deeply personal, often contemplative essays both reveal and inform readers of the many levels of transformation taking place on this path. Any reader can intuitively grasp the importance of these surgeries, which heal at an acute intersection of identity and technology.” — Max Wolf Valerio, Author of The Testosterone Files
Personally, I identified with a lot I read in Hung Jury, and am extremely thankful to the contributors and editor for their efforts to publish this never-before content. Hung Jury is essential reading (and re-reading) as I plan for phalloplasty. I love that the partners section was included and I hope that my GF reads the whole book. Unfortunately, she was turned off by the negative introduction to the book and hasn’t picked it up since. I have to agree: Shannon Minter’s intro drags the book down out of the gates and would have been best left out. Overall, there’s a somewhat disjointed feel to Hung Jury (perhaps not uncommon for an anthology) and some pieces end abruptly, but these are minor issues.
If you’re looking for “The ABC Guide to FTM Bottom Surgery,” with before and after photos, look elsewhere. Hung Jury goes deeper—into the heart of the fire that drives some of us on a quest for genital transformation. It’s a vastly important book, especially for trans men considering metoidioplasty or phalloplasty, but also for non-op trans men and SOFFAs, and doctors and therapists wanting to gain insights into the needs and motivations of their trans male clients.
Hung Jury is edited by Trystan Cotten, a long-time activist in the LGBT movement and Associate Professor of Gender and African American Studies at California State University, Stanislaus.
Hung Jury can be purchased online at Amazon, as well as directly from the publisher, Transgress Press, a social entrepreneurial publishing firm devoted to empowering communities of trans and queer experience.
