Former WWE star Gabbi Tuft shares latest step in her transgender journey: Getting new breasts
Former WWE superstar Gabbi Tuft, who came out to the world as transgender in February in a series of candid interviews, is now openly sharing the latest part of her transition: her breast augmentation surgery.
“I feel great,” she said, taking to Instagram just hours after her surgery, when she posted a lengthy video of herself in a hot pink robe, black headwrap, full face of makeup and a bandage wrapped securely around her new breasts. For more than an hour and a half and “still loopy,” she chatted with viewers and answered questions, at times joined by her wife of 19 years, Priscilla Tuft, who at one point reported about Gabi, “Her booty is looking more feminine.” The intimate post-op peek has already been viewed more than 13,280 times.
“I have so many messages of support I cannot get to them… I’m blown away,” she said, explaining that rather than just “double tap” all the messages to make hearts, she decided to offer a personal thank-you video. Then came a second video update, posted Friday afternoon and captioned, “Showing off my girls 24-hours post surgery.” That one, already viewed over 5,500 times, features Gabbi in a snug tank top and her long blonde wig in a headband as she continues to answer any question that’s thrown at her.
Gabbi retired from competing in WWE after three years, from 2009 to 2012, and came out as a transgender woman in February of this year on Instagram. Since then, she’s been transparent in documenting her transition for her 73,500 Instagram followers, sharing moments from hair transplant surgery and the occasional crying jag to her just-had breast augmentation. (While many transgender people take hormones prescribed by their doctors, and some undergo various surgeries, not all transgender people can or will take any or all of those steps, explains GLAAD.)
Among the questions lobbed at Gabbi in her videos, and her answers:
What size did you get? “I got 620 cc’s in each breast and I’m going to find out today at my post-op consult…what that means as far as cup size.”
How do you feel about Caitlyn Jenner running for California governor? “She’s not my governor. I don’t really want to get involved in that narrative. I’m not happy with her standpoint on trans athletes… But I don’t live in California so it’s not up to me.”
Are you and your wife still intimate? “I tend to stay away from those questions because the media picked up on it early on, and it became this thing that was more important than my overall transition and what we were trying to do for the world, for transgender people in general, which was spread awareness and make it easier for people to come out and feel comfortable…” Still, she added, “our relationship is definitely more of a friendship now. We are more in love than ever before.”
One viewer asked if she had any advice to offer to LGBTQ people struggling with issues around self-harm. She suggested finding supportive and reliable friends to lean on, sharing, “I was in that same position for a while. I wanted to off myself so bad, so many times. I’m not afraid to talk about it… the pain of coming out to be who you really are versus just ending it all seems like an easier method.” That changed once she felt comfortable in her skin she said, noting, “I have this saying: I know what I am. I’m a trans girl.”
One viewer admitted she was at first sad to learn about Gabbi’s transition, due to Gabbi and Priscilla having a daughter, 9. “Don’t have to be sad,” Gabbi said. “My family is doing great, my daughter loves me for who I am, I love her… my daughter will be the most accepting person on the planet as she gets older.”
Gabbi also fielded questions about the next step in her transition process: Feminizing facial surgery, which, she explained, will include a fat transfer to her lips, the shaving down of her Adam’s apple, moving her hairline, opening up her eyes and thinning out her nose. But the price tag is hefty — $100,000 — which is why she’s set up a “badge” donation system through Instagram. “It’s been really hard lately,” she admitted. “Things have kind of taken a shift, financially, and I’m not asking anyone to donate — it’s just there if you feel like it.” When one viewer asked how far she was from her goal, she answered, “Five percent… 5 percent of 100 grand is about where I’m at.”
Though the vast majority of viewers seemed overwhelmingly supportive, trolls did get in — and Gabbi gave attention to one, despite typically staying away from negativity, in order to explain the effect on her psyche: “‘How are you, big man?’” she read aloud, noting, “That’s like a slap in the face… It does hit here in the heart. It’s like, ouch, come on.”
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