Allegra's Top Surgery Fund & Recovery

My name is Allegra Hernandez and I am a 25-year-old musician, songwriter, music director, and private lessons instructor. I am queer, non-binary, and transmasc. I am raising funds for out-of-pocket costs of my gender-affirming top surgery that will take place on Monday, January 22nd in West Des Moines, IA. My insurance does cover some of this procedure however, out-of-pocket costs will be higher than expected due to this surgery taking place early in the 2024 calendar year. These funds will go towards any costs I have.

Here's where the donation funds will go:

My Journey with Gender Identity

This has been a life-long journey for me. I've wanted this specific surgery for about 10 years. My earliest memory of feeling disconnected from my body and assigned gender at birth was when I was 4 years old. This started to worsen as I became more socially aware of the constructs of gender and throughout the duration of going through puberty. From the age of 11, I struggled immensely with gender dysphoria which resulted in much confusion, shame, and even self-harm. I learned what transgender meant when I was 12 years old which helped me to identify how I feel. I also learned about non-binary identity when I was 15 years old in 2013. That was when I came out to friends and people I cared about in my life as non-binary. I have already socially transitioned as a non-binary individual in all areas of my life - Personally and professionally, along with a formal medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria to reaffirm what I've already felt my entire life. Medical transition was always something I always wanted and now at age 25, I finally feel I'm at a point in life where it's achievable. I am extraordinarily grateful to all of my friends, close family, and the music community in Iowa for supporting me in the most recent years. Being able to have access to this surgery will help me to make other potential future decisions of more steps I may want to take in my transition. I am proud to be who I am. My queerness is something that I view as joyful, powerful, masculine, magnetic, and artistic.

Anything helps. Thank you so much for reading. If you can't donate, feel free to share. Please know that every donation means more to me than you'll ever know. This is my life and I am ready to live it how I want.

With immense love and gratitude,

Allegra (they/them)