Julian's Gender Affirming FFS

Hello! My name is Julian. I’m a 27-year old trans woman from Vancouver, BC. A little bit about myself: I make music as Baby Blue and Tenderness, and I am an active member in the Vancouver music scene. I've been putting on events with an emphasis on individual expression, love, and freedom for the past seven years and work a retail job to support myself day-to-day.

For the past year and a half I’ve been transitioning into the person I’ve always known I should be and addressing the gender dysphoria that has plagued me as far back as I can remember.



For those who don’t know, gender dysphoria as defined by the DSM-5 is “clinically significant distress associated with the feeling of gender nonconformity.” People who suffer from gender dysphoria from childhood into adulthood are at highly-increased risk of suffering from anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, social stigmatization, and suicide.

 

The last year and a half has been a truly life changing journey for me, and with directed therapy, hormone treatment, self-reflection, and mindfulness I can gladly say that my quality of life has become better in ways I did not know were possible. However, it’s become clearer to me that the next necessary step in confronting my gender dysphoria is Facial Feminization Surgery (FFS). Although I’ve made huge progress with the support of my friends, family, and medical professionals, I know that it’s time for me to start to see the person that I know I am on the inside reflected on the outside. This is so much more than simple cosmetic surgery — it will help reduce the amount of times I’m misgendered in my daily life, which despite my attempts at empathy and understanding, wears down on my soul. FFS only changes “masculine” features and isn’t for aesthetic improvement. All I want from these procedures is to begin to live a normal life, and I feel this surgery will help me achieve the things I want out of being my authentic self and sharing it with others. Unfortunately, I do not have access to insurance coverage at the moment so everything from medication to therapy is paid out of my own pocket.



I hope to raise $25,948 CAD ($20,000 USD) for this major step in my life and although asking for help is difficult for me, I come requesting assistance of all of you on this journey. All the funds from my campaign will go purely to the costs of surgery. I have decided to go to Argentinian clinic T-Change  so the funds will be used on:


- Surgery

- Flights

- Room and Board

- Buffer money for the time I will have to take off from work

- Accounting for the % cut GoFundMe takes 

I will also be updating the campaign with donations from outside sources and money that I’m saving at the same time from working. My goal throughout this campaign is to be completely transparent and forward.

 All I can really say is, if I could do this on my own (in the time I need it to happen) I would, but any and all help will be greatly appreciated! Even just sharing this would mean the world to me. 

Everyone in life deserves a chance to be themselves, to look in the mirror everyday and see the person they wish to be reflected back at them.

Thank you so much to everyone who reads this, and my endless thanks to those who feel compelled to donate. None of this can be possible without you.

All my love,

Julian