Help Rory get gender affirming surgery

Hi, my name is Rory and I’m a 23 year old transgender man. I’m raising money in order to pursue top surgery privately, as the current state of NHS gender affirming care is pretty much non existent. I have been told by my GP I will have to wait 10 years for an initial consultation in order to join the waitlist for surgery, which then requires a further unknown wait period. To be frank, I cannot wait this long to simply exist in my own body.

I first came out as transgender when I was 14, but due to lack of acceptance in my environment I went back into the closet until late 2022. I started taking testosterone on the 4th January 2023, which means I am currently undergoing male puberty and experiencing changes such as my voice dropping, growth of body and facial hair, and my body and face shape changing to appear more masculine. This was the best decision I have ever made and I feel more comfortable in my skin every single day.

Top surgery involves the removal of breast tissue to create a flat male chest, and is the next step in my medical transition. I have been using a binder every single day for the past four years, which is a vest you wear under your clothes that basically compresses your chest to make it appear more flat. This is painful to wear every single day and my ribs are permanently sore to touch, but I have no other option as my gender dysphoria is too bad to go without wearing one. Getting top surgery would mean I no longer had to do this, and given how long the NHS waitlist is, my body will be further damaged from binding which can affect your surgery results. I have quite a large chest (I’m literally an E cup) and it is so mentally draining having to deal with it. This surgery would be life changing for me.

Anyone who knows me knows I like to keep my private life private, but the situation I’m in at the moment feels a bit hopeless. Getting surgery on the NHS, even in the best case scenario, will leave me waiting until I’m in my 30s to finally feel comfortable in my body. I really want to be able to move forward in my transition and live my life as myself, and this surgery will finally allow me to do this fully. I have been trying to save up for this myself, but it’s a lot of money. I hate the fact I’m asking for help with this but I’m just not sure what else to do. I want to be able to move forward with my life and this surgery will help me be able to do so. This is not a cosmetic surgery, it’s medically necessary gender affirming care. My gender dysphoria is genuinely debilitating, and in all honesty I just want to get this sorted so I can move on.

All of the money donated will go towards the cost of the surgery itself. I will be travelling to Turkey to get surgery in Istanbul with transgender surgery by Neda, which is an option some of my trans friends have also taken. Top surgery in the UK is going to cost a minimum of £10,000, funds i simply cannot raise myself, hence why I am travelling abroad. Having to fly to the other side of the continent for a surgery I am technically entitled to on the NHS is an extremely daunting concept, and I hope it speaks to my desperation and the lack of gender affirming healthcare offered in the UK.

My transition has brought me peace like no other. I love all the changes testosterone has brought me and I feel like I’m finally seeing the world in full colour. It’s difficult to explain if you’ve not been on the journey yourself but this surgery will complete my medical transition for the time being - I just want to feel whole.

Thanks for reading and lots of love,

Rory :)