Help Eden (Venus) with Top Surgery

Hi, my name is Eden and I am raising money to help cover the expense of top surgery. Most of the local LGBT+ community knows me as Venus Victrola- a drag queen, trans activist, and artist living in Colorado. Please read my story below, and help support my gender journey. Please reach out to me on instagram @venusvictrola if your business or venue would like to host a fundraising event for me. Any support is GREATLY appreciated.

I moved to Colorado two and a half years ago from Springfield, Missouri to safely explore my queer and gender identity. I became immersed in the LGBT+ community of the front range area. Here there were many LGBT+ individuals from all walks of life with many different interests, values, and world views. Over the past year, I've consistently worked at large-capacity LGBT venues and nightclubs. By working at these venues I realized how large vast and diverse the queer community is as a whole. As well as the vast amount of trans humans committed to living their truth, taking control of their lives to make themselves feel more comfortable in their own bodies. I realized how vast and diverse the community of trans humans is despite the continued censorship and silencing mainstream media, religion, and politics force upon our community.

Through these experiences I have come to terms with my own gender and truth. I am a bigender, transmasculine human. For the past 4 months, I have been on the path of transitioning my body to feel more comfortable in my skin. The HRT I've been taking has allowed me to feel more like myself than I ever have before.

Part of my gender journey is my decision to get top surgery. The chest I currently have is causing me dysphoria daily. I constantly feel uncomfortable. There is a weight on my chest I cannot remove. This is contributing daily to my major depressive and anxiety disorders. Sometimes I lose hours of my day because I feel so uncomfortable it is difficult to leave my bed and small apartment.

I hope to receive this procedure from the Center of Cosmetic Surgery in Golden, Colorado. This center is paid out of pocket and does not accept insurance. Although the cost is higher than other gender-affirming surgery locations - it is worth it to me for several reasons. Since the center is out-of-pocket the surgery itself will be deemed "elective." Though this surgery is essential to improving my mental health and well-being - classifying the surgery on paper as an elective can simplify the process immensely. At the center, I will not be mandated to answer invasive lines of questioning mandated by state insurance companies. I will also be able to receive the procedure much quicker than if I wait for my Medicaid insurance to approve it. Finally, the surgeon that will be operating has over 30 years of surgical experience and invented the t-anchor method. Knowing this experienced surgeon will be responsible for a major affirming procedure makes me feel like I'm in good hands.

All money raised from this fundraiser will directly go to my cost of surgery and living expenses during the recovery stages. If you can help me on my gender journey please donate today. Thank you so much for your kindness and support!