Top Surgery for Syd
WHO:
Hi! My name is Syd and I've been out as a transgender man for about eight years, living my daily life as a male. I have always been aware of my self-identity but didn’t feel comfortable or safe to truly start transitioning until my mid-twenties. After making it through the innumerable unique challenges of being a trans identified man, I was finally able to begin Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). on June 30th, 2011, I gave myself my first shot of Testosterone (T). Taking testosterone was a dream come true for me. I was ecstatic when the day finally came that I was fortunate and blessed enough to begin my medical transition, which began to accompany the mental and emotional transition that had been progressing for me over so many years.
Now the next step in my transition is a big one. A mastectomy, more commonly know in the Transgender community as “Top Surgery”. Which brings us here, today. This is a fundraiser for top surgery. Top surgery, is a medical procedure that, in my particular situation, will include bilateral mastectomy and male chest reconstruction.
On a personal level, deciding to create a crowd funding page was an extremely difficult decision (still is), and it doesn't come without some discomposure, particularly for a procedure that is so intimate. I feel conflicted to ask for help in this way and to display a vulnerability that feels far too exposing. And yet, over the past eight years, my life has unfolded to lead me into wonderful friendships and relationships with people who have endured similar experiences. It has also led me to work in a field where so many others seek to align their inner experiences with the people and the world around them, without shame. My dream is to be standing, arms wide, glowing in the light of the sun; Free and unbound.
WHAT:
This page is dedicated to the pursuit of top surgery, which is a gender-confirming/affirming surgery. This surgery means that I get to finally experience what congruence feels like - to have my exterior match how I have felt on the interior for so many years. The doubts and anxieties I have felt on and off throughout my decision process have largely been based on fears around how others will perceive me.
As much as the world has opened its eyes to the gender spectrum, there is still so much fear and misunderstanding. Despite that, this statement rings true and loud: "You are the one who must live with yourself for the rest of your life." With those words and the rising confidence I feel in myself, I am taking my body back, my power back, and making the choice to live truly, as me.
Here's a look at where your donations are going and why your generosity means so much:
Procedure Double Incision Method = $6,500
Flight+Car=$310 (for one)
Hotel=$450 (for one)
Food=$150 (for one)
Pre-op doctor's visit=$200 ($15 copay)
Pre-op lab work=$150 (out of pocket)
Post-op medications=$45
Misc travel/post-op items=$100
Estimated Total cost: $7905
WHY:
It is often an uphill battle to come to terms (and to a place of love and acceptance) with oneself, before having to endure the dehumanizing and demeaning battle of institutional approvals.
I'm so fortunate and grateful to have a job advocating for other Trans and Gender Non-Conforming people in the city I love. Unfortunately, using insurance for this procedure is not one of my options. This means that even with insurance, I have 0% insurance coverage for surgery.
All that to say, I am asking my community for however much support you can give. Your collective participation brings me that much closer to being the person I was meant to be - the friend, the community servant, the human being, the person who wants to be his best and most fulfilled self in their unrestricted and unashamed shape.