My Superfat Top Surgery Fund

I HAVE FINALLY BEEN APPROVED FOR TOP SURGERY… and I might have the highest BMI that top surgery has ever seen??

Hello lovely mutual aid minded humans in the virtual stratosphere! My name is Jay. I'm a super-fat (on the higher end of the fat spectrum), nonbinary, transmasculine person living with my partner and fur babies in rural Kansas. I work at a university for my 8-5 job and Comfy Fat has been my passion project. I've spent 32 years attempting to radically accept my gigantic chest because I thought top surgery would never be a possibility for me. But now IT IS.

BMI limits are used to gate-keep access to surgery for fat people. Surgeons don't want to operate on fat bodies unless it's what they consider a "life-saving procedure." Unfortunately, the overwhelming consensus on gender affirming surgeries is that they are not considered life-saving. But I’ve found a doctor who is changing the narrative, and I need your help getting to my surgery date!

Let me tell you about the Surgeon…

While keeping my eyes and ears tapped into virtual transmasculine communities, I heard through these networks about a surgeon who doesn't use BMI in determining surgery approvals. I spoke directly to a friend of similar size who reported having a great experience with this surgeon and I inquired with the surgeon immediately.

To my greatest surprise, I heard back from Dr. Mosser at the Gender Confirmation Center in San Francisco. After looking at my health stats and situation, including reference photos, he's willing to do my surgery! Not only that, but he seems confident that my BMI is not an added risk, given that I check other more vital health related boxes. On top of that, my health insurance approved the surgery. I'm absolutely over the moon. And stunned. THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING.

Here’s where I need your help…

There are still coinsurance, surgeon, and facility fees associated with top surgery, even after health insurance approval. And because I have to travel out of state and stay in the Bay Area for upwards of two weeks to attend a post-op appointment, the cost of lodging is going to be quite high. I've included a breakdown of expected costs below:

Coinsurance to GCC fee: $3000

Medical center fee: $3000

Anesthesiologist: $900

Airbnb/lodging: $2500

My partner and I have saved enough to cover our airfare, meals, and car rental (approximately $3000), but we need help getting the rest of the way there!

I am already forever grateful to the communities that have shown up for me over the years. The fat community, the queer community, folks who understand how much cancer freaking sucks, my academic peers, my western Mass babes and of course my midwestern family. I could not have the strength to be this vulnerable without your support and words of affirmation.

Post surgery I imagine myself stepping into the light with much more ease. I see myself dancing and jumping in on photos without hypervigilance of my chest. I imagine finally harnessing my main character energy, and using that confidence to continue to advocate for queers and people of size in my little corners of the world. And most importantly, I’m excited to be free of these enormous hangler danglers and feel the most me I possibly can in my own skin.

Thank you for donating and sharing this post and my story <3