First Detransitioner Wins $2M Mastectomy Suit

A 22-year-old woman from New York has become the first detransitioner to win a medical malpractice lawsuit against health professionals who recommended and performed a double mastectomy on her when she was 16. On January 30, 2026, a jury in Westchester County Supreme Court in White Plains awarded Fox Varian $2 million, finding psychologist Kenneth Einhorn and plastic surgeon Simon Chin liable for failing to follow standards of care.

The verdict included $1.6 million for past and future pain and suffering and $400,000 for future medical expenses. Varian, who identified as male during her teenage years due to gender dysphoria, underwent the procedure, known as top surgery, in 2019. She filed the lawsuit in 2023 after detransitioning and expressing regret over the irreversible surgery, which removed her healthy breast tissue. Her attorneys argued that Einhorn, in particular, influenced her decision by emphasizing surgery as a solution without adequately addressing her other mental health challenges, including depression, autism, social phobia, anxiety, and anorexia. They contended that the professionals overlooked signs of body dysmorphia and did not ensure comprehensive...