Chest Fixin' for Lee
Donation protected
Hi there, y’all – this is Lee Mandelo and I’m crowdfunding to pursue gender confirming top surgery with Dr. Medalie in Cleveland, OH this fall.
Having top surgery would be an immeasurable boost to my mental and physical well-being as a transmasculine person. I also, as a recent joiner of the 30s club, have developed back problems that prevent me from continuing to wear a binder any longer—so, I do need to take surgical steps to live that best life one hopes for.
To introduce myself further: I’m a writer, critic, and occasional editor whose fields of interest include speculative and queer fiction. If you’re curious about some of the work I do, check out a recent interview project at Tor.com, “Queering SFF : 12 Authors, Critics, and Activists on What’s Changed in the Last Ten Years,” or for short fiction, “The Pigeon Summer ” (2016). I’ve been a past nominee for some genre writing awards including the Nebula, Lambda, and Hugo… plus I’ve got a novel, Summer Sons, forthcoming from Tor.com publishing in September 2021!
Aside from a brief stint overseas learning to speak Scouse, I’ve spent most of my life ranging across Kentucky, and I’m currently living in Lexington while pursuing a PhD at the University of Kentucky. That “currently pursuing a PhD” part is a major reason for pursuing help via crowdfunding. While we do have graduate student insurance, which will assist with a small portion of the cost, our documented yearly salary is around $15,000.
On the good side, I’ve built some savings toward the procedure & process! On the negative side, I also have rent. As you might guess, all of this is made far more strange and unsettling by COVID-19… which also delayed the procedure, as I’d intended to go forward earlier in the spring.
The goal of $5,000 will cover two significant things: travel and accommodation for me and my surgery care buddy (don’t worry: no flights, driving only!) for the week of the appointment and a significant portion of the post-insurance costs of the procedure. While I’m intending to cover a portion myself as well, this would be such a great help in these trying times.
And hey, I promise to post a million cute short-sleeve button up selfies with that sweet, sweet flat chest after recovery!
Thanks, everyone – and stay safe out there.
--Lee
Having top surgery would be an immeasurable boost to my mental and physical well-being as a transmasculine person. I also, as a recent joiner of the 30s club, have developed back problems that prevent me from continuing to wear a binder any longer—so, I do need to take surgical steps to live that best life one hopes for.
To introduce myself further: I’m a writer, critic, and occasional editor whose fields of interest include speculative and queer fiction. If you’re curious about some of the work I do, check out a recent interview project at Tor.com, “Queering SFF : 12 Authors, Critics, and Activists on What’s Changed in the Last Ten Years,” or for short fiction, “The Pigeon Summer ” (2016). I’ve been a past nominee for some genre writing awards including the Nebula, Lambda, and Hugo… plus I’ve got a novel, Summer Sons, forthcoming from Tor.com publishing in September 2021!
Aside from a brief stint overseas learning to speak Scouse, I’ve spent most of my life ranging across Kentucky, and I’m currently living in Lexington while pursuing a PhD at the University of Kentucky. That “currently pursuing a PhD” part is a major reason for pursuing help via crowdfunding. While we do have graduate student insurance, which will assist with a small portion of the cost, our documented yearly salary is around $15,000.
On the good side, I’ve built some savings toward the procedure & process! On the negative side, I also have rent. As you might guess, all of this is made far more strange and unsettling by COVID-19… which also delayed the procedure, as I’d intended to go forward earlier in the spring.
The goal of $5,000 will cover two significant things: travel and accommodation for me and my surgery care buddy (don’t worry: no flights, driving only!) for the week of the appointment and a significant portion of the post-insurance costs of the procedure. While I’m intending to cover a portion myself as well, this would be such a great help in these trying times.
And hey, I promise to post a million cute short-sleeve button up selfies with that sweet, sweet flat chest after recovery!
Thanks, everyone – and stay safe out there.
--Lee
Organizer
Lee Mandelo
Organizer
Lexington, KY