Help Big B Heal

Hi, my name is Bethany (they/them) although my community lovingly knows me as Big B. :)

There have been many times in my 22 years of life where I have not known if I would be able to make it through the trauma, oppression and community disruptions that have arisen during this pandemic and from the unfortunate traumatic reality that so many marginalized folks, like myself, face. However, I am here to share with you community - that I have survived.

Although I have survived and I am incredibly grateful that I am here today - I have faced an incredible amount of financial stress when it comes to the medical care that I have needed to ensure my personal safety and healing. From temporary hospitalizations, to making sure that I feed myself when I do not have strength to cook, and from the hundreds of dollars of treatment that my family and I pay for each week to help me cope and manage my PTSD, depression and anxiety and seemingly chronic traumatic incidents within my UVM atmosphere - I have decided to ask my community for help. I know that it can often be difficult for many folks in my communities - from the Penn Wynne mothers, to my previous Ultimate teammates, and even my family/chosen family - to know how to support me when you have watched me experience so much chronic pain during my 3.5 years of college, and, even in middle school and high school. For this reason, I am grateful that I can share this as a concrete way to show me some of that love that I feel everyday from all of you that I know and that I know are cheering me on from near and far. I know this is a big goal, but United States' systems really suck the money out of people who are struggling and every dollar and share counts.

Even if you do not know me personally, and you just happen to come across this but have some extra financial space - supporting me could be a way to support survivors of sexual violence, folks in the LGBTQ+ community and community members actively navigating and working hard to dismantle the systems of oppression we are embedded in. Part of the reason that I have chosen to stay alive is in the hopes that one day I can heal enough to thrive and continue be an advocate, mentor and teacher for other folks like me to thrive, too.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this.