Jordan Palmer's GA Surgery Fund

Hi, dear loves...

my name is Jordan. I'm a transgender woman who's been on her transition journey for nearly a decade. This April, I will undergo gender reassignment surgery -- the last step to realize my full alignment.

This surgery is intense but will help me achieve peace. My previous gender-affirming surgery, Facial Feminization Surgery, improved my quality of life more than I thought possible. It was like an entire layer of shame, anxiety, and mental noise that I'd grown used to was removed from my life. I had more space to live in. That's what I expect from this surgery, too: more space to live in. And I can't wait for it.

More important than my transgender status, I am an actress, a writer, a musician, a teacher, an activist, and an aspiring community health worker. The more I align within myself, the better I can enact my purpose: to change the world with story and song; to build LGBTQ+ community space and connect LGBTQ+ people to resources; and to create bridges of connection and understanding between individuals and communities to end violence and hate. I'm grateful to live in a time and place that affords me the privilege to be this body, do this work, and touch lives.

But I’m not in the financial situation I wish I were in before undergoing this surgery. After graduating college in 2019, I worked, then hit a wall during the pandemic with a mental health crisis. I stayed in Boston and worked for four more years, slowly rebuilding. When it came time for my first surgery — FFS — I paid out of pocket for private insurance because my employer didn’t offer any. Luckily, I found financial help and was able to break even. I moved to New York from Boston in August to keep pursuing my dreams — but that move was costly too. Although I tried to negotiate a Boston-to-NYC level raise from my work before moving, the answer was no, but I elected to move anyway to take a step in the direction of my dreams. As it stands, I already find it tricky to live off my current pay, and now it will be slashed to 60% while I’m on temporary disability. Still, this is the right time for me to have surgery. Given the political situation, soonest is best. And this surgery will allow me to live the life I'm meant to live.

So I need your help.

I'm asking for $4,500 to help cover:

1) Out-of-pocket surgery costs ($2,500)

2) 2 months basic expense needs not fulfilled by disability insurance ($1,500)

3) $500 emergency funds for potential complications

Your contribution to my surgery fund isn't just a donation, it's an investment in LGBTQ+ art, activism, and social work.

Thank you in advance for your help and support. Whether you donate $1 or $1,000, I am so grateful for your love and your belief in me.

Please reach out with questions, concerns, or press inquiries any time.

With love,

Jordan Palmer