Maria Needs Your Help
Donation protected
I have always known that something was “different” about me. Growing up with this difference was tough for me, and I eventually gave in and pretended to be something I wasn’t – a man.
The urges to explore my gender identity never went away – as hard as I tried to push them down – they would come back stronger. I found myself desperate to go somewhere – anywhere that I didn’t know someone so I could explore this side of me. After I graduated from high school, I chose to go to a small state college in a place where I would not know a single person – hoping that I would stumble across people with more open minds than those from my past. Sadly this wasn’t the case.
My college roommates found a stash of women’s clothes in my dresser while searching for money – and I was outed as being a “faggot”. I would come home to their semen stains on my bedding – pubic hairs on my tooth brush – and “FAG” scribbled across my door. They went through my address book – and outed me to my family and friends – and anytime they would see me on campus they would yell “there goes that panty wearing faggot” humiliating me and destroying my life.
Later that year – I contemplated suicide. I hated my life. Hated who I was. And felt there was no way I could ever be happy. Thankfully – I had a friend reach out to me and she gave me the courage I needed to get into therapy. It was through therapy – and lots of it – that I discovered what it meant to be transgender – and I began taking the steps necessary to start my transition. I started having my facial hair removed – had my letter for hormones – and started the process to change my name. That was 13 years ago – I now have been living full time as the woman I was meant to be and just need one more step for my transition to be complete.
This has been a long and hard road to where I am at today – and many many times I felt like surgery would never happen for me. Each year that went by the more that feeling grew, until last year when I slipped into a dark hole and felt that there was little hope of me ever finding peace within myself.
But thanks to my loving wife and all of you who have lifted me up I can finally see light again.
There are a couple of hurdles on my path ahead, and the biggest one of them is funding. The good news is my health insurance is covering a portion of the surgery, but I still need to raise $14,750 to make surgery a reality.
With the urging of several friends and loved ones I have created a go fund me page to help me offset some of the costs of the surgery, and it is with great humility that I ask for your help. If you can, please donate as every last bit helps, and if you are moved by my story I would also ask that you share it with your friends and family.
The urges to explore my gender identity never went away – as hard as I tried to push them down – they would come back stronger. I found myself desperate to go somewhere – anywhere that I didn’t know someone so I could explore this side of me. After I graduated from high school, I chose to go to a small state college in a place where I would not know a single person – hoping that I would stumble across people with more open minds than those from my past. Sadly this wasn’t the case.
My college roommates found a stash of women’s clothes in my dresser while searching for money – and I was outed as being a “faggot”. I would come home to their semen stains on my bedding – pubic hairs on my tooth brush – and “FAG” scribbled across my door. They went through my address book – and outed me to my family and friends – and anytime they would see me on campus they would yell “there goes that panty wearing faggot” humiliating me and destroying my life.
Later that year – I contemplated suicide. I hated my life. Hated who I was. And felt there was no way I could ever be happy. Thankfully – I had a friend reach out to me and she gave me the courage I needed to get into therapy. It was through therapy – and lots of it – that I discovered what it meant to be transgender – and I began taking the steps necessary to start my transition. I started having my facial hair removed – had my letter for hormones – and started the process to change my name. That was 13 years ago – I now have been living full time as the woman I was meant to be and just need one more step for my transition to be complete.
This has been a long and hard road to where I am at today – and many many times I felt like surgery would never happen for me. Each year that went by the more that feeling grew, until last year when I slipped into a dark hole and felt that there was little hope of me ever finding peace within myself.
But thanks to my loving wife and all of you who have lifted me up I can finally see light again.
There are a couple of hurdles on my path ahead, and the biggest one of them is funding. The good news is my health insurance is covering a portion of the surgery, but I still need to raise $14,750 to make surgery a reality.
With the urging of several friends and loved ones I have created a go fund me page to help me offset some of the costs of the surgery, and it is with great humility that I ask for your help. If you can, please donate as every last bit helps, and if you are moved by my story I would also ask that you share it with your friends and family.
Organizer
Maria Montano
Organizer
Pittsburgh, PA
