A transgender Mormon is facing possible disciplinary action and expulsion from Brigham Young University, owned by the LDS Church, if they go through with their plan of having top surgery.

Kris Irvin lives in Bluffdale, Utah with their husband, Nate, and their son, Toby, and attends BYU in Provo, which requires students to be endorsed annually by a faith leader. If a bishop revokes that endorsement, the student "must discontinue enrollment," although they do have the opportunity to appeal the decision.

Irvin has no intention of having gender confirmation surgery, also known as bottom surgery, and has said they want to have their breasts removed in order to feel more comfortable in their body. The Mormon Church is opposed to gender confirmation surgery, with its handbook for local lay leaders stating a "transsexual operation" could constitute grounds for formal discipline.

It is unclear which procedures qualify as going against its doctrine, and an LDS Church spokesperson declined to provide clarification to The Salt Lake Tribune.

Irvin's bishop, who learned of the planned procedure by stumbling upon a GoFundMe they setup to help fund the surgery, made clear his stance on the issue: He considers it grounds for disciplinary action.

“At what point do my breasts determine my level of membership in the church?” Irvin wrote in a letter to their bishop, Jake King.

“It’s not prerequisite that the church and church leaders accept elective transgender surgery in order to accept, love and serve LGBTQ+ members,” King wrote back to them last month. “I know that no surgery can bring you true peace and comfort in this life.”

Irvin argues the surgery does not constitute a transition, and that it won't change their sex.

“Well, obviously he sees it differently,” Irvin's husband, Nate, told them. “And so do I.”

In addition to no longer being able to attend BYU, Irvin faces possible disciplinary actions including restricted participation in church activities—such as no longer being given the sacrament, or not being allowed to speak during service—up to possible excommunication.

Irvin is 30 credit hours away from graduating with a bachelor's degree in English.

“I’m really close,” they said. “I’m looking into transferring or trying to finish up as quickly as possible.”

The school has no formal policy regarding transgender students, and university spokeswoman Carri Jenkins said it handles "every case on an individual basis.”

Still, even if Irvin manages to graduate without an issue, they will still be at the mercy of the disciplinary actions of the bishop. Irvin said they wish to remain in the church.