Help Chelsea Get Gender-Affirming Surgery (FFS)

Hi! My name is Chelsea. I’m a 30-year-old transgender woman in desperate need of facial feminization surgery.

*Please be gentle with me; I'm aware that a lot of this seems like an incoherent mess, and it’s entirely because I wasn’t exaggerating when I (later) said that I was sobbing while writing this. I suggest reading the posted update if understanding my surgical needs and costs better is your priority!*

At the age of seven, I already knew I was a girl. I grew up in Germany, but my childhood was cut short. My father was heavily abusive, enough so that my mom feared deeply enough for my life to flee the country with me, and bring me to the United States. Following this, she spiraled into a deep depression. It didn't take long for my mom to self-medicate by any means available. I've been starved, abused, abandoned, homeless, and so on. I'd rather not be direct, but I’m a survivor.

I live in a red state, which is dangerous enough in and of itself, let alone without a mask to hide my face, for fear of harassment, violence, or worse.

As most people do, I work far too much for far too little pay. 45 hour weeks are common, but my employer doesn’t even provide me with health insurance, let alone a living wage. I thought I could do this on my own, but the cost of living here is so high that I’m only ever treading water at best, and I’ve had no choice but to do desperate things to get by.

Since the start of my transition, in October 2020, I've found and achieved my feminine voice, entirely on my own! I've also volunteered over a hundred hours inspiring and tutoring other trans femmes to find their voices. Voice training can be very difficult, but I can’t let these girls give up, because being properly gendered is often critical to our survival.

Thanks to my feminine voice, people correctly gender me, but only if I'm wearing a mask. I'm tired of only feeling safe in public with a mask on. I can't wear it forever. I know that the day will come when I have to show my face, and it terrifies me.

I just want to be free.

I want to be able to look in the mirror, and not only see the girl that I've always been, but no longer cry myself to sleep most nights over what's looking back at me.

I want to study computer science, and one day find a job that pays me well enough to help other girls like me to afford the lifesaving and gender-affirming care they deserve

In truth, I never expected to come here for help. Two and a half years ago, my plan was to claw my way through my transition. I've worked myself to the bone, and then gone the extra mile. But even in doing so, I’ve only made a small dent in what I’ll need to finally afford my dreams and achieve some semblance of peace. I wanted so badly to be able to say that I did this all on my own.

I don't need much to be happy, so long as I can be safe—not only from the outside world, but also from my own mirrors. I'm sobbing as I write this, and beyond tired, but no one should ever have to feel like this. I don't do so easily, but the time has finally come to accept it: I can't do this on my own, and I need your help.