Isaac Labbe is a native Lousianaian and local of New Orleans. After almost 5 years, he is finally able to schedule his gender-affirming top surgery. He began his journey in 2018 in an unwieldy and unfriendly medical system that spurns, discourages, and actively works against providing coverage for trans-supportive medical services. After scheduling his procedure he realized that his insurance, provided through his employer at the time, specifically excluded medical care for trans employees in their coverage plans.

 

 

 

On top of the structural oppression he faces daily, Isaac's parents passed away at an early age and he has been on his own working full time and going to school since early 2016. In order to bring improved medical care to his community, he has tirelessly dedicated himself to this industry. He is often found working overnight in local hospitals and providing emergency medical services to make ends meet. During the day, he is working towards his undergraduate degree to propel his medical education forward, helping provide the vital trans queer representation and perspective general emergency medicine desperately needs.

 

Isaac is asking for $20,000 to pay his deductible plus procedure costs ($10,000), as well as additional funds to allow him time to heal without working within his first month post-op. While Covid-19 has impacted us all in deep and unprecedented ways, as a medical care worker Isaac has been impacted far more directly than most of us. He has been continuously exposed working on the front lines against this pandemic and confronts vicarious trauma every day while caring for others in his community. As someone who has poured so much of himself out for all of us, it is long overdue that we pour a little back in for him.