Gender affirmation care for Bijoux

My name is Nadia and I am fundraising for my pal Bijoux to help support her upcoming vaginoplasty and recovery. Bijoux is an amazing artist, musician and friend who should be living in the body she deserves. All money will go to the cost of surgery and aftercare including accommodations and a carer.

Here is her story:

Dear readers,

My name is Bijoux Marie-Cone. I’m a 500 foot tall transgirl with a deep voice and a teeny lil big lil dream.

My process medically transitioning is not yet complete. It started with hormone therapy and has also included some surgery already. When I initially began hormone therapy I took a blood test which revealed that my hormone levels were actually on an intersex line and that hormone therapy was suggested regardless of my desire to transition. With every change I have made, my body has been instantly happier and felt more harmonious and tuned. My outlook has improved exponentially. I got on the list for gender affirming procedures such as vaginoplasty, ffs and top surgery years ago, a year before being out publicly.

For all of my gender affirming surgeries, I couldn’t wait to get started. This type of health care is discouraged, gate-kept, underfunded, and overall just not easy to achieve in the United States. From the beginning, I looked into international options. With the help of friends, chosen family, selling everything I own, and spending all the savings I had, I was able to receive facial feminization surgery from Facial Team and top surgery from Dr. Matheus Manica, both in Brazil. Nothing has ever improved my quality of life more than that decision and the changes it produced in me. I have been learning, with patience and self-love, how to take better care of myself and my journey has been exponentially healing emotionally and physically. After surgery I lost 40 lbs and I felt so much power and clarity in my positive shift. I formed better and happier relationships with myself and others, all because the mental baggage was easier to bear and I started to learn how to love, not hate, being in my body. Gender euphoria

In late 2023, I discovered that something “went wrong” with my spot on the list for bottom surgery (aka vaginoplasty) at OHSU. I was devastated. I argued a lot with the poor people who answered my calls. I spiraled. I binged. I got “back on the list”, but at the bottom (no pun intended). Years of waiting became meaningless. At the moment, I’m now in place about 3.5 years away from a projected surgery date at OHSU. Sorry but no. I plan to make this happen now. I also have the option to pursue bottom surgery via Legacy, but they don’t offer the type of procedure I want and they make it a two part surgery, which means healing twice and way more time away from work. It’s not feasible for me and its not my preference anyway.

This surgery will be a major step in my healing process as an individual in my trans journey. It’s an important step for me to achieve a sense of harmony and feel less shame as a physical being, a sexual being and as a person living in our fucked up stupid world that I actually really do love so much, despite the fact that it is full of road blocks and obstacles for gender affirming care.

Bottom surgery will be the biggest surgery I have faced. It’s a really sensitive and a powerful change. I have taken special care to consider my options, near and far, and I have decided to go back to Brazil for this surgery. My previous doctor, Dr. Matheus Manica, has been performing bottom surgery for hundreds of trans women for several years. He’s a fucking pro and his work is unbelievable. OHSU has offered to give me post operative support when I return, without waiting list. I trust this doctor, I feel this is the best choice for my body and for my goals.