Hello! My name is Milo, and I need top surgery! I’m a 31 year old transgender man from Texas. I work as both a freelance artist and product fulfillment team member in the warehouse of a local Texas small business.
As a transgender man, I grew up in a female body and went through female puberty without my consent as a teenager, and then transitioned in my 20s when it seemed to finally be feasible. Even in childhood, I knew I did not want to become a woman, but I struggled to accept and express this in a society that told me that trans men do not “really exist” and that it was not a path I could take in life. Friends in school told me that spending time with me was “just like hanging out with a guy, but then you also have boobs” which always felt like an accurate assessment. But I’m tired of having boobs! I never asked for them, and I do not enjoy them existing on my body. It’s time for me to just be a guy, full stop.
Living as a man has allowed me to break free from the suicidal ideation and depression that plagued my life before I began transition. Gender-affirming breast removal surgery (aka “top surgery” because it’s fixing the “top half” of my body) is the next step in my transition: it will vastly improve my quality of life and allow me to finally have a body that reflects me, who I am and have always been on the inside. This is vitally necessary for my continued comfort, health, and safety.
It has taken many years and many false starts, but I have found the right surgeon who I trust and who has agreed to operate on me in late May 2026 in San Francisco, California. Yay! Yippee!
Why go out of state? Because I consulted every available surgeon in Texas and none were the right fit; some were disastrously wrong due to lack of skill, inexperience with the desired procedure and surgical techniques, or just terrible and offensive attitudes that left me unable to trust them with my healthcare. And this is a permanent surgery with results that will last the rest of my life. This is not something that should be compromised on or half-assed.
I have been saving funds myself slowly since 2020, but due to a number of recent unexpected and large expenses (like my car being broken into while parked outside my workplace, my cat needing to be suddenly hospitalized, and a trusted figure in my life refusing to repay a sizable debt to me) my savings are no longer adequate to pay for the surgery along with associated costs.
The surgery itself is expected to cost close to $12,000. This will not be covered by my insurance because it is out of state and considered cosmetic (but believe me, this is not just about looks; gender affirming care is life-saving medical treatment with a regret rate lower than any other type of surgical procedure). I will also need to pay for flights there and back, pet care for my cats while I am away from home (almost 3 weeks), post-operative medications, and rent and utility payments for the month during which I will be unable to work after surgery due to the highly physical nature of my job in the warehouse. The amount of funds I’m looking to raise will help bridge the gap between my existing savings and the total cost associated with the surgery.
I know times are tough right now for almost everyone, and I would never ask my community to give more than they are able or to put themselves in financial distress just to help me. But if you can afford to donate, you will be directly contributing to my health, happiness, and continued ability to function. If you can’t donate, I ask that you please share this fundraiser in LGBT+ supportive social circles so that others who are interested in helping might find it. Thank you very much to everyone for reading, sharing, and supporting.
Also it apparently needs to be said, I did not use any AI for this fundraiser and have never used AI at all. I grew up writing multi-page essays (sometimes on the spot, in an hour and a half) in advanced English classes, and I just talk like this! Again, thank you all for reading, sharing, and contributing! Feel free to reach out to me if you have questions.