Help Ellie Pay For Gender Affirming Surgery

Hi, my name is Lavender Ellie Mead, and I'm a neurodivergent trans woman, living in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. I am an artist and musician, who has recently graduated from Capilano University with a certificate in Acting for the Stage and Screen.

As a neurodivergent trans woman, I am faced with several systemic obstacles that have been put in place by the Canadian Government to prevent trans women and neurodivergent women from living as their authentic selves.

Unfortunately, in B.C. FFS (facial feminization surgery) is not covered under our Healthcare (MSP). As well as several other life-saving surgeries for trans, non-binary, and other gender-nonconforming individuals.

Gender Dysphoria and BDD (Body Dysmorphic Disorder) are very common among trans, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming folk. Causing many of us to feel unhappy, and depressed, and actively experience great discomfort in our bodies. These conditions can be treated by several life-saving surgeries including GCS, FFS, Mammoplasty, Top Surgery, Orchiectomy, Metoidioplasty, Phalloplasty, Scrotoplasty, Hysterectomy, RTC (Tracheal Shave), and VFS among others.

Having to wait, and pay out of pocket for these life-saving surgeries is a large financial burden put onto those individuals, and often means we never see the care we need.

That's why I'm starting my own Go-Fund-Me. As an extremely low-income, neurodivergent, trans woman, who can't afford to get these life-saving surgeries. It forces me to reach out to the community to look for support since the system denies us individuals a right to these procedures by systematically labelling them as "cosmetic", and deeming them non-essential. Preventing huge numbers of trans, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming folk from accessing these surgeries.

Please consider donating, and help me get closer to getting these life-saving procedures.

And while you're here please consider signing this petition to have gender-affirming surgeries funded in British Columbia.

https://www.change.org/p/british-columbia-ministry-of-health-fund-facial-surgery-and-electrolysis-for-transgender-people?recruiter=464137306&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&recruited_by_id=76eff310-b841-11e5-8807-e719febec1a9&utm_content=fht-28287884-en-ca%3A2