What does it mean?

Non-op is short for “non-operative”, meaning someone who does not plan to undergo a medical operation.

The typical implication is that this refers to someone who does not plan to have bottom surgery (surgery to alter the genitals).

People who plan to have such surgery may be described as pre-op. People who have already had such surgery are sometimes described as post-op.

Change focused

"Non-op" is a term that describes people by changes they have made or plan to make.

Terms like this can:

• make it more visible that those changes are possible
• make it more visible that some people want or need those changes
• make it easier to find people to discuss those changes with

However, terms like this can also:

• imply everyone should want the same things
• imply everyone should do the same things
• imply that people who do not make a particular change are inferior or fraudulent
• help create an expectation that people’s history is public and not private

Think carefully before using this term to describe someone or a group of people - they may not wish to be described that way.

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