CJ (Jorah)'s Gender Affirmation, Part 2

Hi, my name is CJ (or Jorah), my pronouns are he/they, and I'm a 26 year old non-binary trans man having facial and body masculinization surgery at the Gender Confirmation Center with Dr. Alexander Facque on August 11, 2023.  

I live 24/7 in my authentic gender, but unfortunately, not everyone sees me for who I am. I often feel unsafe in cis-male-dominated spaces, such as bathrooms and locker rooms. Body and facial masculinization will help align my body and soul, and hopefully increase my safety, health, and wellbeing. It is a dangerous time to be a transgender person in America. Gender affirming procedures are not performed arbitrarily. They require much thought, consideration, and commitment. I have chosen to undergo facial and body masculinization to feel more whole within myself, and also to facilitate my safety as a transgender person in a hostile world. 

Facial and body masculinization are the highest priority in my life right now. When I imagine having these surgeries performed, I see a glimmer of hope for my future. I’ve wanted (NEEDED) these procedures done since before I even had the vocabulary to express it. Since I was as young as 14 and going through my first puberty, I knew my body and face were not consistent with my soul. And I prayed to god every day that they’d change me into the person I dreamed of being. Well now I finally have an opportunity to become the person I’ve always dreamed of being. If only I come up with the funds to pay for surgery.

I currently have 4 (yes, 4) jobs, but I will be on medical leave from 3 of them while I recover from surgery. Obviously, this will severely limit my income but I’ll still have bills to pay. I was reluctant to make this GoFundMe, but feel I have few other options to keep myself afloat during this time.

The funds I raise through this platform will be used in the following ways:

• Transportation (Uber/Lyft/gas money) to post-operative appointments.
• Groceries and take out (in recovery I will be on a special diet for at least 3 weeks and largely unable to cook for myself. I will need to have groceries and meals delivered).
• Anesthesia (this is not covered by my insurance).
• The surgeries themselves (roughly $9K, even with insurance).
• Medications and post-operative garments (antibiotics, painkillers, and special bandages uniquely used in the recovery from these surgeries).
• Contingency plan (in the event that I am hit with an unexpected bill or a medication is not covered by insurance, I want to have a safety net so that my savings are not completely drained).

Thank you for your kindness and consideration. Your support means the world to me.