Alex's Top Surgery

I'm Alex, an 18 year old trans guy/transmasculine person from New Jersey.

I started my social transition at the end of middle school, after a few years of questioning my sexuality and gender identity, and briefly being out as a lesbian. Some of the specific labels I used then don't apply to me now, but learning that there were other people like me and that it was okay made me more comfortable expressing myself however I wanted to. I soon realized how much more authentic it felt to present in a more masculine or androgynous way, and how uncomfortable I was with being seen as a girl.

I’m still early in my medical transition, but I’m much more confident in my identity than I used to be. I started testosterone in March 2020, and I'm very happy about the changes I've already had from it, but the worst of my dysphoria has always been about my chest. I started binding my chest regularly when I was 14 and it’s gotten more and more difficult over time -- I can either bind and have back pain and rib pain for the next few days, or not bind and be just as uncomfortable emotionally. I'm not able to get top surgery yet, but I hope to within a few years, and I started this GoFundMe early to give myself as much time as possible to accumulate donations and put away as much of my own money as I can. I'll post updates regularly when I have more information.

I hardly expect this fundraiser to go viral, but if I end up raising more money than I need, the rest will be used for other important transition-related expenses or donated to other transgender people’s medical transition fundraisers. Any donations, no matter how small, are greatly appreciated.