Help Jolliff get top surgery!
My name’s Jolliff, and I’m a disabled Black trans man who needs healthcare.
I’ve been fighting for years against oppressive medical systems to get top surgery. This will flatten my chest and make me able to do basic things like leaving the house for more than a few hours at a time, exercising, and dancing with my friends. For me, the weight of dysphoria is debilitating: not being capable of holding presence in my own body to such a degree that basic executive function is impossible. This also impacts my physical health, exacerbating the back problems I have developed because of my chest. Top surgery will significantly improve my mental and physical health, and it’s been a long time coming.
If you’re not familiar with the UK trans healthcare crisis, wait times for top surgery on the NHS are currently 3+ years and climbing with GIC’s at a near stand-still under COVID. Between the mental health triple threat of the pandemic, anti-Blackness in healthcare, and dysphoria, I just don’t have that time to wait.
The NHS isn’t fit provide trans people with what we need, so I need some community support to get me vital healthcare.
I’ve booked in for private top surgery costing £7170 – nearly half a year’s income.* I’m a musician (stream “Sertraline Gang”!), drag artist, and astrologer. I also do a lot of community care, including work for the Black Trans Foundation, which connects other Black trans people in the UK with free affirming therapy. I love the work I do and need gender-affirming healthcare to keep doing it, but surprise surprise, it doesn’t pay much.
I’m asking for help to get me to my goal so I can start recovering from this pandemic with a body that makes me feel whole. Any extra money I raise will be distributed to other Black trans people’s fundraisers.
I have paid the deposit for my surgery so I’m just trying to come up with the rest and some money to live on while I am recovering form surgery and not working.
My Black trans life matters. Help me get to where I need to be to thrive.
