Mae Martin is finally feeling like themself. If you’ve followed the Canadian comedian’s career from the early stand-up days to the Netflix smash Feel Good, you’ve probably noticed a shift. It’s not just the hair or the clothes. It’s a vibe. A specific kind of ease. In 2021, Mae officially came out as non-binary, but the real "before and after" moment for many fans came when they shared the news of their top surgery.
Honestly, it wasn’t some sudden PR stunt. It was a long time coming. For Mae, the journey toward Mae Martin top surgery before and after wasn't about "changing" who they were. It was about removing the static. Imagine living with a low-humming radio frequency in your ear for thirty years. Then, one day, somebody hits the mute button. That’s how Mae describes the "absence of agony" that followed the procedure.
The Reality of the Transition
Mae had the surgery in late 2021. Before that, they spent years navigating the world in a body that didn't quite match the internal blueprint. You can see it in the early seasons of Feel Good. The character Mae—a fictionalized version of themselves—wrestles with binders, baggy shirts, and a constant, nagging discomfort. It’s relatable for anyone who’s ever felt "off" in their own skin, but for Mae, it was clinical. It was gender dysphoria.
Then came the change. After the surgery, Mae started sharing photos on Instagram that felt different. They looked... lighter? In 2023, during their Netflix special SAP, Mae joked about the "new" chest, but they also got serious. They mentioned being on low-dose testosterone. It’s a gradual process. No overnight transformation. Just a slow, steady alignment.
Why the Timeline Matters
The "before" wasn't bad. It just wasn't whole. Mae has been open about how, even as a kid, they felt "in-between." They once told a story about being kicked out of a girls' locker room at ten years old because they had short hair and a towel around their waist. They didn't feel like a boy, but they didn't feel "safe" or seen as a girl either.
- Late 2021: Mae undergoes top surgery.
- 2022-2023: A visible shift in confidence during public appearances and Taskmaster.
- 2024: Hosting the documentary Fluid: Life Beyond the Binary on CBC.
- 2025: Starring in the Netflix thriller Wayward, appearing shirtless and showing surgery scars on screen.
Seeing the Scars on Screen
By the time 2025 rolled around, Mae wasn't just talking about the surgery; they were showing it. In the Netflix series Wayward, Mae plays a small-town cop. There are scenes where they are shirtless. You can see the scars. It’s a huge deal for representation. Usually, trans or non-binary characters are defined by their "struggle" to get surgery. Here, the surgery is just a fact of life. It’s done. The character is just living.
People often search for Mae Martin top surgery before and after looking for a radical physical change. But the real change is in the eyes. Look at any interview from 2019 versus 2026. The posture is different. The "before" Mae was often hunched, maybe subconsciously trying to hide their chest. The "after" Mae stands tall. They wear tank tops. They exist without the "agony" they mentioned to the LA Times.
"This has been the best year of my life... the absence of agony. It’s a low bar. Who are we to deny anybody that?" — Mae Martin
Beyond the Physical
It's not just about the chest. Mae’s move to Los Angeles and their work on the Handsome podcast with Tig Notaro and Fortune Feimster shows a comedian who is finally "embodied." Tig Notaro, who famously performed a stand-up set shirtless after a double mastectomy, has been a sort of kindred spirit for Mae. They talk about gender casually. It’s not a debate; it’s just a conversation between friends.
Mae's documentary Fluid actually dives into the science of this. They wanted to show that gender isn't this rigid, scary thing. It’s biology. It’s nature. By showing their own journey—including the surgery and the hormone therapy—Mae is demystifying the "hysteria."
Actionable Insights for the Journey
If you're following Mae’s story because you're questioning your own path, there are some very real takeaways here. Transitioning isn't a race. It’s a series of checks and balances with your own comfort level.
- Listen to the "Quiet": Mae says the best part of surgery was that they stopped thinking about their chest. If a part of your body takes up 90% of your brain space, that’s a signal.
- Low-Dose Options: You don't have to go "all in" on hormones immediately. Mae’s use of low-dose T shows there’s a middle ground for non-binary folks.
- Find Your "Tig": Surrounding yourself with people who "get it" (like Mae’s podcast co-hosts) makes the social transition much easier than doing it in a vacuum.
- Representation is Permission: Seeing Mae’s scars on Wayward isn't just about them. It's permission for others to exist without shame, regardless of where they are in their timeline.
The Mae Martin top surgery before and after narrative isn't a "reveal" like a home renovation show. It's more like a long-term restoration of an original building. The structure was always there. They just had to remove some walls to let the light in.
To better understand the various types of gender-affirming procedures and how they might fit into a personal journey, researching the differences between "double incision" and "keyhole" surgery can provide clarity on the different physical outcomes and recovery paths available today.