Juneau's Transition fund!

Hello! I'm Juneau and I'm a trans woman who is beginning her transition.


I am a comic book artist and illustrator, currently attending very intensive school called Max The Mutt for professional illustration. This program is incredible but I am shouldering a lot of debt from a private loan (government loans do not recognize my school) that leaves me unable to go into medical debt on top of student debt. I am moving to the yukon for a year this spring to work off some of my student debt and hopefully save up tuition, but even working more than full time I can only really save for school expenses, medical expenses are simply too much for me right now.


That being said, transitioning is critically important for my mental and physical health. I’ve already waited so long to transition and I really can’t wait any longer. This is why I’m asking for help (which I hate doing), because without this gofundme, I simply will not be able to start on my transition for another 3-5 years, which is far too long for my health and wellbeing to be ignored.


I am lucky to live in Canada where there is quite a bit of support for medical care, but that still doesn't cover a lot of the added expenses of transitioning. Unfortunately, our healthcare's coverage hasn't evolved to the point to comfortably cover the needs of transfolk. These are the procedures your money will be going to:



Fertility Treatments: Sperm freezing



I want the possibilities of children eventually, and as a trans woman this would involve freezing and storing sperm. This is quite an expensive procedure (and doesn't include the costs of IVF and withdrawl later on when I do want to have kids). To simply have an adequate amount of sperm deposited and then stored for 5 years will cost $2056.60 CAD. This is not covered by healthcare, even though its well known that starting HRT will render me infertile.

The cost breakdown for this is as follows: 


Sperm storage package: 920 + HST = $1039.60

[includes one deposit visit]


Extra visits to deposit requisite sperm; 3 x 339 (300 +HST) each =
$1017

[recommended amount to increase likelihood of useable sperm; they need at least 12 vials and one visit begets roughly 3-4]


Total:

$1039.60 + $1017

= $2056.60



Laser Hair Therapy



One of the major sources of my dysphoria is definitely my beard and stubble. If i could just pop the whole thing off my face and sell it to someone that would be ideal. In order to relieve my dysphoria, laser hair therapy for my face is medically necessary. I actually received 12 months at Canada MedLaser as a gift which I will start when I return to Toronto on sept 2020 (I’m moving to work in the yukon for a year and a bit to save money for school). But 24 months is needed for the laser therapy to make a lasting difference. So I am fundraising for another 12 month package for my laser hair therapy.

Canada Med Laser 12 month package: $1373



Hormones



Prescription medication isn’t covered by our healthcare system. But in the Yukon, of which I am a citizen, there is a program where you don’t have to pay more than $200 for your meds. You can then get your meds for free if you give the government one lump sum of $200. Hormones aren’t cheap, and as a trans woman, I will be required to take them for the rest of my life. $200 of this money will go toward me getting hormones covered by the government for a year.

Yukon prescription coverage: $200



Wardrobe



A big part of transition is feeling comfortable with how one presents. The leftover from this money ($370.40) will go toward getting a wardrobe that reflects my femininity so I don’t feel dysphoric when I only have masculine clothing to reach for. Getting a whole new wardrobe is quite an investment, and the $370.40 will go toward replacing all my basics.





Mathematics!

Sperm freezing: $2056.60

Laser treatment: $1373

Yukon prescription coverage: $200

Wardrobe: $370.40

+

________________

CAD $4000








If I’m lucky enough to receive money above the goal, I will use that money toward any unexpected costs related to transitioning. Of course, I’ve never transitioned before, so I don’t know if there is anything else I’m missing.

Any little bit counts, I am grateful for even the smallest donation. And if you cannot afford to donate, share this with your friends! Share this on social media, on your networks. All of it is so, so, appreciated.


Thank-you so much


Juneau, and Kim (her partner)