Kaden's Top Surgery
Donation protected
My name is Kaden Huesken and I am a 21 year old transgender man; meaning I am a man who was born in a biologically female body. Because of this, I experience heavy gender dysphoria, specifically in regards to my chest. Dysphoria is a feeling of disconnect from one’s body and can cause several mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. In order to attempt to alleviate my chest dysphoria leading up to this point I have had to bind my chest, which is also now taking a physical toll on my body. But, even binding my chest is not enough to alleviate this feeling or hide my chest enough. In public I constantly have to worry about whether or not I have a flat enough appearing chest or if my binder is showing through the collar of my shirt. This feeling of paranoia of not being perceived as the man I am due to my chest is one that weighs heavily on me on a constant basis. Top surgery would be a life changing surgery that would alleviate not only my dysphoria, but the pains of binding, and allow me to become one step closer to a body I can call home.
Unfortunately, this surgery isn’t entirely covered by my insurance, as they wrongly classify it as a “cosmetic” procedure. As someone who has had to live in a body they do not connect with, I can assure you it is not cosmetic and is nothing short of necessary. That being said, if I were to get this surgery, I would have to pay $8,000 out of pocket.
I am currently a full time college student with a part time job, so primarily all of my money I make goes towards schooling and housing. As much as I know my parents would like to be able to finance this procedure for me, we just don’t have that kind of money in a single income household. Recently I have been privileged enough to have been offered the opportunity to get my top surgery done as soon as late March, which is a short wait compared to what most people experience. Obviously this is exciting news and I am incredibly grateful, but that means that if I want to be able to take this opportunity I need to come up with $8,000 in 2 short months. My family and I will be continuing to work and save money, but solely relying our income, we would never be able to get $8,000 in time. After spending so many years in a body I don’t identify with and doesn’t properly represent who I am inside, I often fear that I will not last much longer in a body that I can’t claim as my own. Testosterone continues to change my voice and much of my outward appearance which is helping to somewhat alleviate my gender dysphoria, but my chest continues to be the largest source of dysphoria and often a reason I get misgendered. Knowing what I know about myself, and my personal mental health, I cannot pass up this life changing opportunity due to my insurance policy.
Throughout not only my college experience, but through my transition art has been my way to express myself when words can't. In an effort to express my gratitude towards anyone who is willing to donate, I will be randomly selecting 3 individuals who donate anywhere from $1-$50 and making them a digital sketch portrait of any picture of their choosing. I will also be randomly selecting 3 individuals who donate over $50 and making them an acrylic pour painting with a color scheme of their choosing.
No donation is too little and I am incredibly thankful for any support that I may receive. I know that gender dysphoria and other transgender issues are not ones that many people understand or can relate to, but I am so grateful and privileged that people are willing to support me in an effort to bring me closer to the life and body I have always only been able to dream about.
Unfortunately, this surgery isn’t entirely covered by my insurance, as they wrongly classify it as a “cosmetic” procedure. As someone who has had to live in a body they do not connect with, I can assure you it is not cosmetic and is nothing short of necessary. That being said, if I were to get this surgery, I would have to pay $8,000 out of pocket.
I am currently a full time college student with a part time job, so primarily all of my money I make goes towards schooling and housing. As much as I know my parents would like to be able to finance this procedure for me, we just don’t have that kind of money in a single income household. Recently I have been privileged enough to have been offered the opportunity to get my top surgery done as soon as late March, which is a short wait compared to what most people experience. Obviously this is exciting news and I am incredibly grateful, but that means that if I want to be able to take this opportunity I need to come up with $8,000 in 2 short months. My family and I will be continuing to work and save money, but solely relying our income, we would never be able to get $8,000 in time. After spending so many years in a body I don’t identify with and doesn’t properly represent who I am inside, I often fear that I will not last much longer in a body that I can’t claim as my own. Testosterone continues to change my voice and much of my outward appearance which is helping to somewhat alleviate my gender dysphoria, but my chest continues to be the largest source of dysphoria and often a reason I get misgendered. Knowing what I know about myself, and my personal mental health, I cannot pass up this life changing opportunity due to my insurance policy.
Throughout not only my college experience, but through my transition art has been my way to express myself when words can't. In an effort to express my gratitude towards anyone who is willing to donate, I will be randomly selecting 3 individuals who donate anywhere from $1-$50 and making them a digital sketch portrait of any picture of their choosing. I will also be randomly selecting 3 individuals who donate over $50 and making them an acrylic pour painting with a color scheme of their choosing.
No donation is too little and I am incredibly thankful for any support that I may receive. I know that gender dysphoria and other transgender issues are not ones that many people understand or can relate to, but I am so grateful and privileged that people are willing to support me in an effort to bring me closer to the life and body I have always only been able to dream about.
Organizer
Kaden Huesken
Organizer
Stratford, NJ