The Joy Tuck Club

Hair transplants aren't just about hair; they're about defeating dysphoria and channeling confidence.  Whether you're looking to fill-in your hairline or fill-out your beard, Dr. Dilan Fernando at the multi-award-winning Treatment Rooms London is a true artist. His clinic is known for the incredibly natural results it can give almost everyone looking for gender affirming care, but he a...

Pull up a comfortable chair and join us as we share the second part of our interview with Dr. Marci Bowers. Dr. Bowers is renowned for her exceptional surgical work, work that has brought about remarkable advancements for all women, cisgender and transgender alike. Her dedication to both groups is testament enough, but after thousands of vaginoplasties and hundreds of metoidioplasties and clitoral...

In this very special episode of The Joy Tuck Club , we sit down with Dr. Marci Bowers—trailblazing surgeon, passionate advocate, media-figure, WPATH President, and genuine trans icon. Marci shares her deeply personal journey from childhood in small-town America to becoming the first transgender woman to perform gender-affirming surgery. We talk candidly about her early attempts to access hormones,...

In an exemplary move toward clarity, the High Court in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh has ruled that transgender women are women. This important legal shift helps relieve discrimination against those whose human rights were traditionally filtered through the lens of a being a third, lesser, gender, giving them the same rights as other women. In a notable decision, the judge rejected the notion...

Come join us in this episode with Dr. Loren Schechter, one of the United States’ foremost experts in gender-affirming surgery and the President-Elect of WPATH (World Professional Association for Transgender Health). With over 20 years of experience performing some 150–200 surgeries annually, Dr. Schechter is not short on insights into the evolving field of transgender healthcare. He also performs...

Injectable treatments are a quick and easy alternative to more invasive surgery to adjust your facial aesthetics to better match your gender. But, as you’ll learn in this episode of The Joy Tuck Club, there are aspects to injectables that also make them first-class participants in any gender-affirming care plan. They can, in some cases, replace FFS, or at least make a very good start at refining y...

Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers Some walls are fortresses. Each week, new rules, new restrictions, new barriers that make them higher and harder to climb. Some walls need a hero—someone to shatter their faulty logic and malign rigidity. In this episode of The Joy Tuck Club we have a chat with exactly that kind of person. Dr. Ioannis Ntanos is a surgeon specializing in gender-affirming care, sp...

In this episode of The Joy Tuck Club we are joined by the delightfully dynamic Dani St James. This isn’t for the faint-hearted though. If you clutch your pearls at the occasional f-bomb, best get them ready. Calling in from her colourful studio in the seaside town of Margate, Dani shares a transition journey that traces a path from Wales (where trans-miners, yes, miners as in mines, played a key r...

Not so long ago (narrator: it was just late last year), we had the pleasure of interviewing Dr Giuseppe Di Taranto—a lively, passionate Italian surgeon now based in London. His fascination with microsurgery led him across continents to Asia, where he discovered a deep interest in the intricate challenges of gender-affirming care. Dr Di Taranto now offers a wide range of treatments at his own clini...

Few combine humor with heartfelt political discourse better than the unbreakable Freda Wallace. Her insights and commentary make for a riveting blend of levity and gravity on the JoyTuck Club. Honestly, it’s a rollercoaster, but one whose twists and turns, ups downs, mirror the reality in which we live. Recorded in 2023, this interview portends a 2nd Trump presidency and the grave nature of the fi...

Any surgery involving your bones has, historically at least, always seemed rather brutal, evoking images of saws, hammers and brightly glinting chisels. But any status quo also represents an opportunity for innovation, for disruption, and sometimes all that takes is to step back and look at things a little bit differently. And that’s exactly what happened at Facialteam. Where other surgeons chose...

The big day is almost here! Your bag is packed, you’ve got comfy clothes for the hospital, and you’ve even pre-ordered the scar gel. You’re all set, right? Maybe not. Have you also made sure you had a soft laser pre-treatment performed on the area that is expected to scar? By priming your body’s natural healing response, your skin will have a supply of naturally-produced collagen at the ready, and...

Happy New Year, everyone! Gender affirming facial surgery (facial feminisation surgery, better known simply as FFS) is one of the most fundamental and important aspects of many an FtM transition. Our face is likely the first thing people notice, and the last thing they remember. It is our signature, our calling card, and unless puberty blockers were in use, the most obvious pointer to our assigned...

Merry Christmas to all you wonderful Tuckers! We wish you an abundance of peace, happiness, and safety. Christmas gifts take many forms, so we’re going to try to get away with making this episode ours to you. We’re not doing this just to wish you a Merry Christmas, although why not?, it’s that you may discover that tackling one of the most challenging aspects of transition is easier than you had p...

“When the sunlight strikes raindrops in the air, they act like a prism and form a rainbow. The rainbow is a division of white light into many beautiful colours. These take the shape of a long round arch..." If you ever have gender affirming vocal surgery, you'll probably become more than a little familiar with this quotation. It's the start of the Rainbow Passage, a standard recitation...

What happens when two trans podcasters decide to trade in negative headlines for personal stories of joy and adventure? Rachel and Phoebe, affectionately known as Red and Freckles, invite you to find out as they kick off season two of the Joy Tuck Club podcast after a long hiatus. We've had a whirlwind of a year, from Phoebe's globe-trotting escapades to our serendipitous nuptials. Tune in...

Ready to get the inside scoop on the recent Doctor Who special controversy? Stay tuned as we, your hosts Rachel and Phoebe, react to the backlash regarding the inclusion of a transgender character. We'll navigate the choppy waters of representation in media, and discuss whether there's ever a "right" way to include transgender characters. Prepare to dive deep into the less-discusse...

Have you ever wondered what it means to truly be yourself? Join us in a heart-to-heart conversation with Robin, a brave individual who shares her enlightening journey of self-discovery and transition. This captivating episode unfolds Robin's tale of unveiling her true identity during the pandemic; an extraordinary period that had us all locked away in our homes and lost within our thoughts. Ro...

Ever wondered how it might feel when your identity is at odds with the world's perception of you? Rachel, a remarkable trans woman and mother of four, sheds light on this experience.  In a talk given to a global audience at her workplace during Transgender Awareness Week, Rachel courageously shares her personal journey of self-discovery and resilience as a transgender woman. She explores her t...

Have you ever wondered about the rich tapestry of transgender history and the challenges we face today? Journey with us, Rachel and Phoebe, as we traverse through the annals of time, retelling the often overlooked stories of our trans ancestors like King Henry III of France and the group "Rebecca and her daughters". We celebrate the beauty in the diversity of our community, sharing persona...

The unprecedented rise of transphobia, which is shaking the very core of our societies, is the burning topic of our discussion today. This unnerving wave of discrimination has prompted the UK government to redefine the concepts of 'man' and 'woman' to 'biological sex', paving the way for a potential withdrawal from the UN's European Convention on Human Rights.  As we na...

On this transpiration special edition, we get down and dirty with transmasc author Oliver Radclyffe, talking about every aspect of his life, from an upper-class girl breaking gender boundaries, and mother of four, to his eventual coming out at a motorcycle rally, the euphoria of aligning with his gender identity, and the challenges and delights of his ultimate transition journey. A refreshing and...

Ever found yourself puzzled and curious about gender dysphoria? Let us, Rachel and Phoebe, be your guides on this journey, taking you through the complexities of this condition, its symptoms, common misconceptions, and varied treatment options. Drawing from the well of our personal experiences, we offer a uniquely empathetic perspective on the discomfort often associated with gender dysphoria. Nav...

How well do you truly understand the vibrant spectrum of transgender identities? Get ready to challenge and expand your perspectives as we share personal stories, debunk myths, and provide helpful insights about the transgender experience. Beginning with the pivotal question "How do you know you're trans?", we navigate the complex terrain of transgender identities, shattering the notio...

Meeting Meja Have you ever given much thought to the complex and challenging journey that comes with transitioning? What if you were not just transitioning, but doing so rapidly and globally? Meet our extraordinary guest Meja Foss, a trans woman who decided to take charge of her destiny, racing against time and borders to transition medically and surgically. A successful serial entrepreneur, Meja&...