Jamie's top surgery and recovery fund

Hello there! My name is Jamie, a Montreal native who is currently residing in Baltimore, Maryland. Some of you have known about this for a long time but a lot of you may not have heard. On January 24, 2024 I will be getting top surgery. This is an opportunity that I didn't ever think I would have and I am so excited that the day is fast approaching.

Growing up I always felt very alien to everyone around me, I never knew exactly where I fit in and was always a 'tom boy.' I tried to fit in with the girls in my class but I always felt a huge disconnect there. As I got older and gender norms and the male gaze became more apparent in my life this feeling got a lot stronger. It made me feel really distant from my classmates and everyone in my life. I didn't grow up in a home that provided me the language I needed to express how I was feeling or even give me an understanding that being non binary was a thing. When I hit high school age is when I started to hate my body. I always thought that the changes I needed to make were to be more appealing to my expectations as an AFAB person. I swore when I turned 18 I would get a boob job and colour my hair blonde, I thought that would make me feel better. I tried really hard all through my teen years and early 20s to fit into this box I thought I needed to be in but it still didn't make me feel any better about myself. When I was in my 20s and started to become equipped with language I identified with. When I spoke openly with my previous partner I was constantly told that because I didn't identify as trans and I was more femme presenting there was no way that I could be non binary. I was lead to believe that if I was public about my identity or wanting to change my body I would be taking something away from my trans and gender non conforming friends. Again, I locked up this part of me and hid it away. Being forced into a perceived gender without my consent has been one of the most damaging experiences of my life to my mental health and self esteem.

Through the constant support of my wife, my chosen family, and even my loving clientele at work I was able to find validation in the way that I identify and reassurance that there was space for me in this life. I started to be more open about my need for top surgery and publicly posted that I was proudly enby. I started the long journey with my mental health team and a local hospital to make moves towards this surgery.

I have been a barber for many years now and as a lot of you know in the service industry we don't have the luxury or paid time off or sick days- if I'm not working, I'm not making money. My surgeon has assured me that because of how physically demanding my job is my recovery time is looking like a 6 week time period. The funds I'm asking you to help with would be to help cover the financial loss of this time off, my hospital care and copays as well as any pre and post care treatment that I will need in regards to medical supplies and things around the house to help make this transition smoother on me and my wife.

If you've made it this far, thank you! I appreciate all of your kindness and support in helping me 'yeet the teet.' You mean the world to me. <3