Hello! My name's Thea. I'm a trans woman and community organizer who's about to embark on the most important medical journey of my life, and I can only do it with your help.

This May 22nd, I'm scheduled to finally get my bottom surgery!!!

It's been a long time coming- too long. I first consulted for this surgery in May of 2020 and proceeded to experience setback, after setback, after setback. I had to undergo many thousands of dollars worth of electrolysis to be medically cleared for this surgery, which was damn near impossible to afford on medicaid. Some of you who donate might recall the fundraiser I started for that over two years ago- and whoever donated to that, I am deeply grateful. This ended up being a much longer, more painful, and less reliable process than I could have ever anticipated, but over the past year I finally found the most effective options for electrolysis and pain management, and am SO excited and relieved that that process is finally complete.

A little over a year and a half ago, I finally found both a job with high quality health insurance and an accessible electrologist who was worth the money, and a few months ago I finally got to a point where I could safely receive this surgery. I'd almost given up hope. But here I finally am. This surgery is the second most important decision of my life- the most important was my deciding to live long enough to get to this point, despite everything.



My latest setback in this journey happened this week- I lost my job at an environmental nonprofit despite being one of their highest performing canvassers. I'd been consistently organizing with fellow workers to improve our job security and conditions, so I'm not surprised, but the timing couldn't have been worse. Now, I am unemployed, can't rely on the paid FAMLI leave that I was expecting, and have to maintain one more month of that health insurance at a much higher rate via COBRA, while keeping a roof over my head. This surgery will keep me from being able to work most jobs for 7-10 weeks. I will be more dependent on community support than I've ever been, and I need your help.

I don't like asking for help with medical expenses, and this is by far the largest medical expense I've ever faced- and hopefully ever will face. If you support me, you will get me through a massive medical procedure that can help me live the good quality of life that I deserve- after all, despite all the work I do for the community (which is something many in the community can attest to), well over half of my capacity to is taken up by this grueling, increasingly severe, bottom dysphoria. It's torture, and I'm too close to the end of this torture to let these setbacks stop me. Once I'm recovered, I'll have so much more capacity to pay this privilege forward, and better serve the communities and liberatory causes I live for.

So let's break it down. $15 buys me a meal. $30 covers the copay for a medication. $80 buys me a month of internet, $200 buys me a week of groceries, $400 covers almost a quarter of my rent. I don't now what my new medical expenses will be under COBRA, but I'm sure it'll be an awful lot. This isn't a small ask, I know, but if you can donate anything or at least share this fundraiser with someone who can, I'll be eternally grateful.

In sincerity and solidarity-

Thea Halloran