Ryan’s Top Surgery Recovery Fund

Ryan Power is FINALLY getting top surgery on April 2nd!!!

Ryan is a queer, transmasculine MSW student, bartender, friend, son, brother, boyfriend, and beloved community member! He has been working towards getting top surgery for over 3 years now and is so excited that he is finally getting his chance.

To make this happen, Ryan needs community support to help cover part of the surgery cost, medical supplies, and rent/living expenses while he recovers. They will be taking a month off of bartending as part of the recovery process after the surgery, and this fundraiser will also help offset that cost!

Getting top surgery will allow Ryan to live freely in his body to the fullest extent and do the things he loves with the people who love him the most. The past few years of binding and taping have been incredibly restrictive and painful, and Ryan is very excited to literally and figuratively shed that weight! He can’t wait to hike, swim, camp, and frolic with all his beloved friends and community members (like you!)

Every dollar helps support Ryan in his recovery plan, so please donate and share this fundraiser widely!

If you’d like to donate directly to Ryan and avoid any fees or waiting, you can Venmo him @rypower or Zelle at ryanpower1998 *at* gmail

If you have any questions about how you can support Ryan further, please DM him on IG: @ ry_power

Now for the Q&A portion:

Q: What is top surgery?

A: Top surgery, or chest masculinization, is a procedure that many transmasculine and nonbinary people choose to do as part of their gender-affirming care. Ryan will be getting a double-incision mastectomy to remove chest tissue that is causing him gender dysphoria.

Q: Wait…what is gender dysphoria?

A: Gender dysphoria is the distress and/or discomfort that a person feels between their gender identity and the sex they were assigned at birth. While not all transgender people experience gender dysphoria, many do (including Ryan!), and Ryan feels incredibly fortunate to be able to undertake medical intervention in order to help close the gap between his physical presentation and felt gender.

Q: What is the recovery process like?

A: The recovery process varies widely depending on the person, but Ryan will need to wear a compression vest for a month, and his movement will be restricted over that time. For several weeks after surgery, you cannot lift your arms greater than 90 degrees away from your body or over your head. You also should not push, pull, or lift anything greater than five pounds during these four weeks–aka, bartending is a big no-no!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read, share, and hopefully donate! Ryan will post updates here and on his Instagram as the surgery date gets nearer.