Hi, my name is Elio. I'm 19 years old, and I'm here because I want to live the way I was always meant to.

I've wanted to get top surgery for many years now, but I have to go the private route. My health insurance has denied my application twice, even though I provided every required document; it took me nearly two years to gather them all.

Their reason for denying it was that I stayed in a daycare clinic for my mental health about 1.5 years ago, and they claimed I should "focus on that first." The truth is, I have done the work, I've had lots of therapy and I'm currently working with a wonderful psychologist. It feels like they were just looking for an excuse to say no. I had so much hope that this would finally be approved, and being denied something so life-changing is truly devastating.

All I want is to wake up one day and finally feel comfortable in my body, to feel confident, to live freely. Right now, it feels like my life is on pause until I can have top surgery. The daily burden and depression that come with dysphoria are overwhelming. I just want to look like the man I am, to have a flat chest. I do have moments of gender euphoria, for example when my outfit makes me look more masculine or when I draw on a mustache. Those moments feel like pure bliss. I want to feel like that every day.

Please help me make this dream a reality. Every contribution means the world to me, and if you can't donate, sharing my story helps just as much.  

Thank you for reading and for supporting me.

With love, Elio