Put the T in Ray (T)homas
Hi! If you don't know me - I'm Ray, I'm 21, and I'm a trans non-binary person who uses they/them pronouns.
I was AFAB (assigned female at birth), but I've been certain that I was transgender since I was 16.
It's only been in the last couple of years that I have started coming out to more and more people, but I only recognised I needed to properly make transition a reality, when I experienced the most painful shocks.
I lost 3 friends to suicide last year, all of which I had known through the LGBT+ society at Cardiff University. It was beyond tough, and undoubtedly the absolute worst year of my life, but it was particularly hard that I had to grieve for two lovely trans men. It still hurts that those friends aren't here anymore, but after they died, I promised myself that I'd start living more authentically. So here I am, trying to be more open about who I am, just like they were.
Unfortunately, I know that I just can't face years on a waiting list to access hormones. Gender dysphoria is increasingly causing me to struggle with my mental health, and some days I don't even want to look in the mirror - let alone go outside - because it's so painful to think of people assuming that I'm a woman.
I'm currently working four (4!) jobs to raise money so that I can access gender identity services through private healthcare. I have a full-time, Monday-Friday, 9-5 (sadly unpaid) NHS Psychology placement, and on the side: I do life modelling, I lead walks in the Brecon Beacons and I work in hospitality. I work weekdays, weekday evenings, and usually one (if not both) weekend days - yes, I'm quite exhausted.
I'm asking for your help to raise money, because I have to admit that I really can't do this on my own. I need support to start the process of making my outside look more like the way I feel inside, because the dysphoria I experience each day only seems to be getting harder and harder to cope with. Honestly, I need to do this as soon as I am financially able to.
(me holding a jar containing what I've managed to save up over the last few months)
If I can raise £600, that should help to cover an initial consultation with gender services, and a further two appointments - after which, I should hopefully have a prescription for hormones!! I know it's such a cliche, but even the price of a cup of coffee will help me on the way to my goal. Please spare anything you can, or help me out by sharing this page.
I wouldn't be able to thank you enough, you'd be making a massive difference to my life and I truly believe I would be so much happier :)
If you want to find out anymore or would like any updates, please check out my trans instagram in the link below!
(Be warned there are some unclothed/life modelling shots!)
Over and out - thank you!!
