Hi everyone, I learned recently that my friend Elle would love to receive gender-affirming surgery. Elle has her master’s in creative writing and currently works at Target. Because of student loans and her low-paying job, she can’t afford surgery, though she feels it would help her feel more at home in her own skin. Research shows that gender-affirming surgery can be a game-changer for trans humans’ mental health. As a psychologist, I of course care deeply about mental health, and especially when it is the mental health of a friend. Elle has a good heart and I would love nothing more if we could raise this money for her to get surgery. Here are her words:

“I came out trans in 2015 and started hormones a year later. It's been difficult but also rewarding experience, transitioning from a depressed and largely soulless "man" to the much happier and more confident woman I am today. At this point in my transition, I feel like it's time for surgery. I've struggled all my life with anxiety and depression, and transitioning and dealing with transphobia and a general feeling of exclusion, my mental health has been a roller coaster. Any help I can get to further my transition would really make such a difference to me.”