Hi everyone! We are friends of Nora Treatbaby and are fundraising on her behalf.

Nora is so many things to us. A poet, a teacher, a student, a listener. A bright light of joy with an immense sense of humor, Nora writes a world we want to hope for, sees beauty we want to believe in. We are immensely lucky to have her as part of our community and are here to ask you all, her extended friends and family, to offer financial support in order for her to continue blooming and thriving in this life.

Nora has experienced housing instability throughout her adult life and has finally settled into a home in Hudson that brings her support and comfort as she attends the Bard MFA Program. She supports herself financially through school and holds more than two jobs, but will graduate with significant student debt. This new found stability has allowed her to finally pursue gender affirming care that she’s long desired. We do not want her to lose out on this opportunity due to the reality of living with immense financial strain.

Nora has lived as a woman for many, many years, but recently began more aggressive gender affirming treatment for her dysphoria. She does not qualify for laser, so she has had to resort to electrolysis for hair removal, a far more time consuming and expensive process. Her electrologist estimates it would take $15,000 to remove her chest, back and facial hair over 2-3 years of sessions. Weekly appointments have added about $500 dollars a month to Nora’s expenses. We are hoping to raise $8,000 to help cover the cost of continued gender affirming care and educational expenses, now and in the future, as she is planning to get more invasive treatments over the next few years.

As a bartender and educator in public-facing positions, Nora is constantly misgendered, often without the support of her employers. As friends of Nora’s, it is painful to hear her daily accounts of misgendering in her places of work, spaces that should feel safe and supportive to her full person.

Nora’s been reluctant to ask for help because asking for support can be wrapped up in feelings of shame or undeservedness. Pursuing gender affirming care is a humiliating and fucked up process in a country that offers little to no medical support for trans people. We are rallying around our beautiful and special friend because she deserves to experience embodiment in a way that feels aligned with her sense of self and allows her spirit to thrive. Please join us today in making a donation!