The ability to make choices in life is a privilege and blessing, to have some control and influence over the direction your life takes, and your future is a gift to be treasured and protected. I once had such a gift and indeed was thankful and appreciative for the stability it provided. But for myself and many others in life the ability to make these important choices can be transient and easily lost. In my case this loss of choice and control was primarily due to a medical diagnosis and the subsequent emotional upheaval that followed. All of which led me to a desperate, directionless state of confusion and helplessness and ultimately to compose this fund raising request.

In April 2015 after many years of internal struggle and in desperation I sought professional medical assistance and as a result was diagnosed as transgender, a hugely disruptive and destructive conclusion but one that finally provided a name for the lifelong feelings of disconnect, unhappiness and struggle. As a result of the diagnosis I am currently on a pathway to full transition, hopefully concluding at some point in the future with medical intervention. A major aspect of my transgenderism was the diagnosis of profound gender dysphoria and the subsequent damaging feeling of misalignment between body and mind that this creates. As a result I am trying to reduce this dysphoria by creating a physical appearance that is more aligned and akin to my emotional needs and internal state of mind.

One such important physical change and the purpose of this fund raising Just Giving Page is the facilitation of feminsing surgery to help create a body that reflects and represents as much as I’m able, the person inside. This life affirming process will provide a much needed emotional and physical balance and help lessen the damaging dysphoria and emotional disconnect I currently feel. Such a request will no doubt appear strange and alien to some but to myself and others like me, the deeply significant requirement to attain internal and external symmetry is a hugely symbolic and life affirming need.

Therefore I respectfully ask you to carefully consider my request and try to understand the reasons that lie behind the creation of this page, what I hope it will achieve and what it ultimately means to me. That is, the creation of balance between the inner person and the outer physical body, a reduction in damaging dysphoria and the subsequent positive and life affirming impact that this change will make to my life.

Thank you.

Further information about my transition is available at;

http://www.troubador.co.uk/book_info.asp?bookid=4896