"My Money, My Body, My Choice"... Transgender Woman Defends Removing Ribs to Create Ant Waist

Six Ribs Removed... 25 Million KRW Spent
"My Money and My Body, I Will Use Them as I Wish"
Responding to Criticism of "Excessive Appearance Obsession"

A transgender woman in the United States has sparked controversy by confessing that she underwent surgery to remove her ribs in order to achieve her desired body shape.

According to a report by the New York Post on the 13th, Emily James (27), who lives in Kansas City, Missouri, had a total of six ribs removed?three from each side?with the aim of reducing her waist circumference. It is reported that Emily spent about $17,000 (approximately 25 million KRW) on the surgery.

A transgender woman in the United States confessed to undergoing rib removal surgery for cosmetic purposes. New York Post

She shared the surgery process and recovery status through her social networking service (SNS), attracting significant attention from netizens. In a video before the surgery, she joked, "Within three days, I will have three ribs removed from each side," and said, "I will eat 'Emily Barbecue'." After the surgery, she explained, "I had my ribs removed for cosmetic purposes. To reduce swelling, I had to wear a corset all day," and added, "Thanks to the medical staff, the pain was only about 2 out of 10." She also revealed, "The medical staff allowed me to take the removed ribs. At first, I planned to gift them to my best friend, but I decided to make a crown out of them."

Local netizens who heard her story criticized her, saying things like "Appearance obsession has gone too far" and "I should boil the bones for broth." In response, Emily said, "My meat probably tastes good," but also stated, "Eating human meat can cause fatal diseases. I will not participate in cannibalism." Furthermore, she emphasized, "Just because I had my ribs removed doesn't change the fact that I am a kind and lovely transgender woman," and added, "It's my money and my body. I will use it as I want."

Meanwhile, rib removal surgery is mainly known to be performed by people suffering from conditions such as thoracic outlet syndrome to alleviate symptoms. However, some undergo the procedure to improve a body shape characterized by a broad chest. The surgery generally takes about two to three hours and requires a recovery period of at least 2 to 6 weeks. Experts warn that organs may be easily exposed to external shocks, and complications such as pneumothorax or loss of skin sensation may occur.