Trans couple stronger than ever after undergoing major surgery

By Amy Reast via SWNS

Meet the trans couple supporting each other through their transitions - who both had top surgery within 11 months.

Friday Anderson, now 27, met their now-partner Miller Doimede, now 28, in late 2021 - and they bonded over both being non-binary and transgender.

Both were raised female but started experiencing gender dysphoria - feeling as though their biological sex and their gender didn't match - as young children.

Friday came out publicly as non-binary in spring of 2019 and Miller did the same in summer of 2020.

They met on a dating site in September 2021 after they had both already come out to their families and hit it off instantly.

The pair became a couple in December 2021 and agreed they'd both like to have top surgery - surgery on the chest to remove breast tissue.

Miller's surgery was paid for by insurance but they fundraised $5k to cover the out-of-pocket costs, and they went under the knife in June 2022.

Then, in April 2023, Friday decided the time was right for them to have top surgery too and went through the same process to pay for it.

The couple are both happily healed and loving their new bodies.

They reckon their unique joint experience has strengthened their relationship and made their bond stronger.

Friday, a creative producer and editor, from Brooklyn, New York, said: "Having someone by your side who can truly know and understand what you're going through was so important during both of our transitions.

"It's a sense of safety and comfort throughout an experience that feels like the opposite of those things."

Miller said: "We got to embark on this journey together and found ourselves in a relationship that made space for us to explore ourselves without restraint.

"It is breath-taking to feel safe enough to figure out who you are alongside your most trusted friend."

Friday and Miller got on from the very first time they met - and became a couple in December 2021.

Both felt they didn't relate to the social gender binary and experienced gender dysphoria in a similar way.

Friday said: "I describe dysphoria as a high pitched ringing noise, you don’t look or feel right.

"We felt like people didn't see who we were and we were both commiserating about that."

Friday recalled they asked Miller if they'd ever consider starting testosterone and getting top surgery instead of wearing a chest binder every day.

Miller said yes so Friday supported them through the process of researching and crowdfunding for the expenses that weren't covered by insurance.

In June 2022 Miller had the surgery and hasn't looked back.

Friday said: "I sat with Miller while they were called in for their consultation - when they came back out, they couldn't stop smiling.

"Seeing Miller's chest for the first time after surgery was amazing - they were so happy and relieved."

Friday looked after Miller through the long and painful three-week recovery process when they could hardly move.

Friday cooked, cleaned and supported Miller until they were back up on their feet again.

Through supporting Miller, Friday did research and eventually pieced together that it was something they wanted to do as well.

Friday said: "There's this idea that trans people need to suffer and you hate their body to change it.

"I never really hated my body, so I thought because of that maybe top surgery wasn’t for me.

"But I began to realize being trans isn't about hate, it's about love.

"I wanted to pursue gender euphoria - it wasn't about what made me sad, but what would make me happy."

So their roles switched - and this time Friday began researching clinics and fundraising just as Miller had done.

And in April 2023 it was Friday's turn to go under the knife.

They said: "As a kid I was quite feminine, I would play with dolls and princess tiaras.

"But I never saw myself as a girl, I saw myself as a friend - I would play with girls but I knew I was somehow different.

"So I remember laying on the operating table before they put me under, I put my hands up to my chest and said 'thank you, I love you'.

"It was a truly divine moment, when I woke up I was just happy, I just kept crying and crying.

"I was so happy, I was so at peace. I never thought I'd get to live with this happiness."

Friday recalled in the days and weeks following the surgery as they recovered, they felt the same anxieties as Miller had done.

Friday said: "It was so funny, I had guided Miller through their feelings of panic.

"It didn’t stop me from having my anxieties.

"I asked what if it looks really bad, and they said remember 'when I said that?' – and turned my own words back on me.

"It was really helpful to have Miller and I would ask them every question in the book about their experience.

"They were always there to calm me down."

Since Friday's surgery they said they "didn’t realize this amount of peace was possible for anybody" and they are healing well.

Being able to support each other through their experiences has strengthened their relationship too.

Friday said: "Being trans is hard sometimes - but because we are able to really understand each other, we don't have to translate our pain to someone who doesn't get it.

"For us, the understanding was already there - it's really wonderful."

Miller added: "It was a gift to get to be there through Friday's surgery and recovery.

"I can't even begin to explain how special Fri is to me in general, and in regards to my trans journey."