Support Katie’s Journey to Gender Affirming Care

After several years wait, our friend Katie is readying to undergo their top surgery on December 10th!

There are many joys and obstacles to this kind of gender-affirming care, and for Katie, patience has been key. Katie’s primary health insurance is through the VA, which excludes gender-affirming procedures like top surgery. However, Katie recently became covered under their partner, Sarah’s, insurance plan, so after years of waiting, they now have access to the care they need.

Katie’s journey to embrace themselves and feel AT HOME in their body has been slow and difficult. But not for lack of trying. At long last, they’ve been able to schedule their procedure: one major hurdle cleared.

Katie looks forward to a day when they are in less physical and emotional pain. To know embodied J O Y in every sense; A freedom many of us take for granted. On the other side of surgery, Katie awaits enjoyment of movement, a newfound confidence, and a lasting ability to practice presence in their body whether alone or with friends and loved ones.

And those friends and loved ones are such an integral piece of Katie’s full recovery. Mutual aid is when we choose to take care of one another using the resources we have access to. For you, that might mean making a donation. For another, that might mean using their social media to share this mutual aid request with their wider circle. BOTH of these actions are ways in which we offer Katie unconditional support. This is about being in solidarity with each other—putting into practice a network of caring.

It’s the collective contributions of many that make this procedure financially accessible to Katie and their family which includes Sarah and their two sweet pupperonis, Marty & Olson. In fact, Katie and our community showed up in a BIG way for Sarah just this spring when they were fortunate enough to undergo their top surgery.

Now, it’s Katie’s turn. Please donate today

Like many of us alive today, Katie is staring down a significant amount of costs not fulfilled by health insurance. These costs, itemized below, represent a $8,600 financial hardship that Katie must manage on their own as a self employed social worker:

$2,560 - out-of-pocket maximum/annual deductible

$800 - 4 days unpaid time off for Sarah, Katie’s partner

$5,850 - 4 weeks unpaid time off for Katie

$200 - misc. supplies not covered by insurance

THANK YOU for taking the time to read Katie’s story. A donation of any amount gets Katie one step closer to a full and healthy recovery!

Please share this GFM with your community. We do this together!

With love & deep gratitude,

Chelsea (Sarah, & Katie)