Help Ally Achieve Gender Affirming Top Surgery

Hi everyone! My name is Ally (he/they). Though many of you will know me, let me introduce myself for those who don’t: Hey!! I am a transgender man located in Austin, Texas, and I am seeking support to raise money for gender affirming top surgery. After a lifetime of battling for self acceptance, I began transitioning just over a year ago.

This past year, I have felt more myself than I had ever thought possible. Despite all the work I have done, I am now at the point where top surgery is necessary to feel confident in recognizing the person I see in the mirror, to feel safe in my body, and to feel safe in the world around me.

If you are able to, please consider donating! If you cannot, please consider sharing this fundraiser to help reach people who can. I am grateful for every cent and every share. Any amount makes a difference!! If you are interested in learning more, please keep reading below :)

Why is this important?

For the better part of fifteen years, I spent significant time working through and unpacking feelings of poor self-worth, a lack of belonging, and a general sense of otherness. Through therapy, finding the language of ‘gender dysphoria’ opened up my eyes to what I had been feeling for so long- I am transgender. In a vulnerable and emotional place, I began to connect the dots and realized that I felt disconnected from my body. Who I was up until that moment did not feel like home.

Then, my eyes were opened to the possibility of living a life without fear or pain in who I am. I began the process of socially and medically transitioning. I have been on HRT for just over a year, and I am actively in the process of changing my legal name and gender marker. Now, I am at a point where the next step in my transition is obtaining top surgery and achieving a masculinized chest.

This surgery will alleviate a future lifetime of daily stress of dysphoria and dissociation. I will no longer have to spend time, money, or my health on binding or taping my chest. It has been a privilege being able to do so much despite these things taking up space in my life, but it has now gotten to a point where I am unable to function well most days, if at all. Feeling safe and having full access to myself will allow me to be my full, genuine self without worry.

Why am I fundraising?

Due to the impending changes in administration, I have found it necessary to expedite this process and obtain surgery before the inauguration on January 20th, before any opportunity to do so is taken away, as other aspects of trans healthcare already are (especially in Texas).

The good news: I am fortunate to be in a position where I have already received support from my family and available scholarship opportunities, as well as have some funds saved from recent months. Even on a short timeline, I have already received and scheduled a date for surgery in mid-January with Dr. Peter Raphael in Plano, Texas. Dr. Raphael not only meets all of the criteria I am wanting, but is an extremely well respected doctor for transgender care and gender affirming procedures.

The bad news: Due to a young credit history, I have already been denied for CareCredit and loans are not an option. I make too much through my job to be eligible for most public scholarship opportunities (while not making enough to realistically save up for this), and my insurance won’t cover anything related to the procedure. Other surgeons do have coverage but wouldn’t be available for even a consultation until, at earliest, April 2025 with surgery being a full 6-9 months afterwards. That is a timeline I am not willing to take for the risks mentioned above.

These circumstances have left me in a tight spot to make decisions and have made navigating all of this a living nightmare. I found the best option is to do the thing I struggle with the most- ask for help from the community.

What am I doing with the money?

All funds raised will be put towards various things related to surgery, surgery recovery, and general necessities:

Closing Thoughts

If you have read this far, thank you, thank you, thank you!! Thank you for taking the time to read about my fundraiser. Any amount or type of support (financially, emotionally, or otherwise) brings me closer to my goal and is so greatly appreciated. If you are unable to donate and want to help out, sharing this fundraiser and spreading the word is so valuable! Any funds raised over the desired amount will be further donated forward to another gender affirming care fundraiser of choice.

An extra special thank you to August for all of the love, support, and everything he’s done for me, and to Xander for all of the extra work he and his crew have done for the cause. Without them, most of this wouldn’t be possible in the first place <3

ALSO! I am wanting to send out hand-written thank you notes to all donors and supporters. If you donate and are comfortable, please consider sending a private message with an address/P.O. Box of choice to receive one! These will be completed during my recovery as a way to help build strength back in my arms and chest :)

With much love and gratitude,

Ally