Hey there! I'm Taylor, and I identify as non-binary. My whole life, I've struggled with the idea that I neither feel like a boy or a girl. To give you a glimpse into my childhood, this is me at eight years old:
I never "grew out of" the way I express gender, and I finally feel confident enough to pursue a body that feels natural to me. I've been saving for top surgery (reconstructive surgery of the chest) for a year now, working 40-50 hrs/week at minimum wage, but I need help with the latter portion of my funding if I'm to reach my ideal operation date in January of 2020.
This week I started gender therapy, which is the first official step toward actually getting the surgery. After I complete 4-6 sessions the therapist will sign a letter stating that I meet the mental health requirements for gender confirming surgery.
After I receive this letter, I can book a consultation appointment with the surgeon and really get the ball rolling!
The fact that you've read this far means everything to me. Everyone has been so unrelentingly supportive of my evolution in the past few years and I couldn't have gotten this far without all of the wonderful people in my life. I love you guys.
For the sake of this fundraiser, allow me get to the nitty gritty stuff.
Thus far, I've saved $4,500 of the ~$11,000 total cost. Below I've provided a breakdown of costs from the quotes I've been provided:
- Gender Therapy: $600 - $750
- Actual Operation: $7,700 - $8,500
- Consultation appt, followups and aftercare: $1,000 - $1,500
- Lost wages for recovery after paid sick time: $1,600
TOTAL: $10,900 - $12,350
Now, not all of this needs to be available in one lump sum, and when therapy concludes I should have approx $3,750 to go directly towards the consultation and operation.
This is a lot of math, but I want to let you know exactly how the $2,650 I'm asking for help with will be used, and why I chose that amount.
In order to actually book a surgery date, I need to present 75% of the operation cost to the surgeon's office. If the surgery costs $8,500, then 75% would be $6,400. Subtract what I would have following surgery, that's $2650.
$2,650 would allow me to secure a date with the surgeon and get a consultation appointment, which is the most difficult part of this journey. I could then spend the next six months saving up for more accurate costs provided, which are dependent on the results of my consultation.
Anything you can spare helps so much, you have no idea. Every dollar, like, share and comment means the world to me. I wouldn't be where I am without you.
I never "grew out of" the way I express gender, and I finally feel confident enough to pursue a body that feels natural to me. I've been saving for top surgery (reconstructive surgery of the chest) for a year now, working 40-50 hrs/week at minimum wage, but I need help with the latter portion of my funding if I'm to reach my ideal operation date in January of 2020.
This week I started gender therapy, which is the first official step toward actually getting the surgery. After I complete 4-6 sessions the therapist will sign a letter stating that I meet the mental health requirements for gender confirming surgery.
After I receive this letter, I can book a consultation appointment with the surgeon and really get the ball rolling!
The fact that you've read this far means everything to me. Everyone has been so unrelentingly supportive of my evolution in the past few years and I couldn't have gotten this far without all of the wonderful people in my life. I love you guys.
For the sake of this fundraiser, allow me get to the nitty gritty stuff.
Thus far, I've saved $4,500 of the ~$11,000 total cost. Below I've provided a breakdown of costs from the quotes I've been provided:
- Gender Therapy: $600 - $750
- Actual Operation: $7,700 - $8,500
- Consultation appt, followups and aftercare: $1,000 - $1,500
- Lost wages for recovery after paid sick time: $1,600
TOTAL: $10,900 - $12,350
Now, not all of this needs to be available in one lump sum, and when therapy concludes I should have approx $3,750 to go directly towards the consultation and operation.
This is a lot of math, but I want to let you know exactly how the $2,650 I'm asking for help with will be used, and why I chose that amount.
In order to actually book a surgery date, I need to present 75% of the operation cost to the surgeon's office. If the surgery costs $8,500, then 75% would be $6,400. Subtract what I would have following surgery, that's $2650.
$2,650 would allow me to secure a date with the surgeon and get a consultation appointment, which is the most difficult part of this journey. I could then spend the next six months saving up for more accurate costs provided, which are dependent on the results of my consultation.
Anything you can spare helps so much, you have no idea. Every dollar, like, share and comment means the world to me. I wouldn't be where I am without you.