*second edition, printed in 2023*
Written, designed, and illustrated by Rimona Eskayo, the 96 pages of “I’m Having Top Surgery: An Illustrated Guide for Me and You” interrupt the sterile, dehumanizing realm of the operating room to offer a meditation on the political dimensions of medical gatekeeping and trans liberation.
Part-essay, part-handbook, and full-on love poem to their community, this project draws upon Rimona's experiences alongside the knowledge of trans scholars, healthcare experts, and friends. Filled with practical insights like the difference between periareolar and keyhole procedures, how to get a therapist’s letter of approval, and what to expect from recovery, the work also delves into the personal — guiding conversations for talking about top surgery with loved ones and offering first-hand narratives from a handful of Portland-based artists, educators, and activists.
Books are risograph printed on 80# text paper, measuring 8x8” and bound with tangerine-colored plastic coils. Each book is handmade and will have small variations between copies. This second edition of 410 books was printed with care in July 2023 by Cereal Box Studio in Cincinnati, Ohio — a city built on the homelands of the Adena, Hopewell, Myaamia (Miami), Shawandasse Tula (Shawanwaki/ Shawnee), and Wazhazhe Manzhan (Osage) Peoples who continue to survive and resist US empire.
Please see our guide here on where to pay on the sliding scale - if you are purchasing this book for an institution or business, please pay towards the top of the scale!
Maker Bio: Rimona Eskayo
As an artist, educator, and organizer, much of Rimona's work is concerned with how we reach each other — in order to build collective power, who do we need to bring along? What information needs to be disseminated? And how do we communicate outwards to tell stories that bring us closer to liberation? In addition to being an avid reader and committed journal-keeper, Rimona is a queer and trans, neurodivergent and antizionist mixed Ashkenazi-Sephardi Jew of color with light skin. They’ve given talks at Sexual/Gender Minority Youth Resource Center (SMYRC) and Portland State University's Trans Action and Care Conference, taught art and design students at universities ranging from USC to Iowa State, and received funding from Regional Arts and Culture Council and Common Field's Regional Support Fund. They currently live in their hometown of Portland, OR. Their work can be found in doctor’s offices, classrooms, zine libraries, and a bookshelf near you.