Leo’s Transition

Hey there! My name is Leo. I'm a 25 year old transmasculine artist living in Dundee, Scotland. Since moving from the United States in April of 2021, I've had an incredibly difficult time attempting to work within the NHS to receive gender affirming care. Even though I've been on testosterone since April of 2017, I'm required to be on a waitlist estimated to be three years long before I can be seen at one of the two NHS gender clinics in the country. This would result in me going through a medical withdrawal of a substance I've been on for nearly half a decade, which would have vastly harmful results physically and mentally. Because of this, I've chosen to go through the private healthcare system rather than the NHS to access hormone replacement therapy. This will have a much quicker turnaround, but has a higher cost out-of-pocket that will be genuinely difficult for me to manage.

The plan I’m on with GenderGP, the private healthcare provider I have chosen to go through, costs approximately £25/month with my medication costing anywhere between £20-£70 for two months worth. I'm lucky enough that I’m able to be comfortable in my skin most days, but realistically I’ve been unable to consistently access and afford hormones at the best of times, and have skipped several months to be able to afford basic necessities, which has led to unfortunate side effects such as restarting my menstrual cycle and regrowing some breast tissue post-top surgery. Both of which have been quite dysphoria-inducing.

I really only want this to be a space where I can have a little financial wiggle room from month to month, and be able to not worry about whether I have to skip medication or forgo important blood tests to make sure that I’m healthy and comfortable. Being able to consistently access the medical care that I’ve been prescribed since 2017 would be a huge weight off my shoulders.

Thanks so much for reading, and I hope you're able to support or share this campaign! It means the world to me that you took the time to read this.

All my best,

Leo!