Riley's Top Surgery

I have struggled with every aspect of my identity all of my life and have only recently come to terms with accepting every part of myself as a whole. The road to get here has been bumpy and had many obstacles and detours, but after much reflection and discussions with others, I have finally found the correct path to being my true self.

Part of being my true self includes changing my outward appearance to reflect how I feel internally and how I view myself already -- not many people may understand this, and that's okay, because it's about me and not you, but support and acceptance still go a long way despite not being able to relate or fully comprehend another person's life experiences. 

As of posting this fundraiser, I am approaching eight months on HRT - or hormone replacement therapy - in which I take regular testosterone injections. I will need to take these injections for the rest of my life, and this was not something I entered lightly. The changes are irreversible, much like the surgery will be. 

I have worn binders -- material used to help "hide" your breasts -- but, in the end, they still need to go. I feel good enough about the length of time I have been on HRT and the progress I have made in the gym (and will continue to make up until surgery) to start pursuing male chest reconstruction - so now I am asking for a little bit of help.

Ideally, I want to pay for this all out of pocket myself, but it might be a very long time before I can make it to $8,000. My state insurance will not cover the procedure, though luckily, it covers other things. I am trying to avoid taking out a loan that I will be paying interest on and this is where donations come in: whether it's $5 or $25, every little bit will help me get one step closer to being comfortable in my own skin. 

Thank you to everyone that has continued to support me, and I love you all.