Fundraiser for Kiko's transition

Hello! My name is Kiko Stewart, from Glasgow, Scotland. I am organising this fundraiser to ask you for your help and support.

 

After delaying speaking about my identity and wish to transition at the start of 2020, I finally publicly spoke about identifying as trans just over a year ago, in 2021. The reality, however, is that I have been struggling with my gender for many years. As some may know, I previously described myself with terms such as non-binary or trans femme. However, the truth is that I used these identities to avoid facing the harsh reality of being trans and, simply being a woman in today's world.

 

I chose this avoidance route to dodge any potential repercussions out of fear of not 'passing', fear of returning to the working world as trans, and fear of my family. Since then, I have been surrounded by the support of the Scottish drag and alt communities, my work colleagues, and my family. Many have reached out and spoken to me about their own gender identities. I have been absolutely honoured to be able to pass on the little knowledge I have and encourage others to seek the best version of themselves (a cliche statement, I know!)

 

Strangely enough, the COVID pandemic was weirdly formative in focusing and affirming my identity. I'm sure many trans drag artists can perhaps agree somewhat, but I had never truly understood why I was so happy looking at myself while performing, despite the intense physical discomfort of drag. It wasn't until I had no option but to stop working - like everyone else, of course - that I finally chose to come to terms with myself.

 

I want to say that I have been lucky enough to be blessed with supportive workplaces, such as the Trigger collective, the Cathouse Rock Club and the Lighthouse Lab COVID Testing Facility. I want to take this moment to thank everyone who works in these places formally - many of you knew about my identity long before I spoke publicly about it. Your support over the last two to three years has been truly invaluable and has enabled me to finally take the steps I need to become my true self. The support of my closest friends has also been extremely vital to this, and I thank you all dearly.

 

Unfortunately, this delay has been seriously detrimental to my gender affirmation. I'm sure that it's a secret to nobody in the UK that the NHS's gender services are critically underfunded. At the time of writing, the Sandyford Gender Clinic is currently offering initial appointments to those who registered with the service in April 2018. I am now on a waiting list... for the waiting list of the only private gender clinic in Scotland. To go further afield is undoubtedly an option available to me; however, I fear that it may be at a cost I cannot achieve on my own. Further to this, the more I delay beginning HRT, the more delay I place on eventual gender-affirming surgeries.

 

I hope that I will be able to begin HRT within the next few months, with an outlook to undertake surgeries over the next couple of years to kickstart my goal of living life as my authentic self. Anything that you can donate towards this, whether large or small, means the absolute world to me - and I am immensely grateful.

 

I will be able to put any donations towards consultations for HRT and surgeries and follow-up appointments, passport costs, hair treatments, and aftercare. I hope to keep this fundraiser up for a while and add to it through my own funds, and hopefully some fundraising events.

 

Thank you again to my friends who have encouraged me every step of the way and asked me to ask for help when I've needed it. And finally, thank you for reading this and for any support you may be able to give.