Summer (she/her) is a dedicated advocate, artist, and survivor who has faced significant obstacles on her journey to gender-affirming care. As an autistic person, maintaining steady employment and benefits has been a challenge, but she found stability working at a private mental health clinic. During that time, she also became a resource for transgender clients, helping them navigate name changes, gender marker updates, and other crucial steps in their transition. “It has truly become a passion for me,” she shared. However, after a downturn in business led to her being laid off in 2023, Summer’s path took an unexpected turn when she became seriously ill. A partial foot amputation meant relearning how to walk, and her savings quickly dwindled as she focused on recovery.
Despite these hardships, Summer has remained determined. She has worked closely with her doctor to meet the medical requirements for bottom surgery, achieving incredible progress in her health—including losing 80 pounds, significantly lowering her blood pressure, and improving her A1C. “My doctor told me our common goal is to ‘prepare your body for surgery,’ and I’ve been working hard to make that happen,” she said. While her current Medicaid plan does not cover gender-affirming surgery, she has researched surgeons, planned her recovery with a retired nurse friend, and explored crowdfunding options.
Summer’s long-term goal is to return to school and become a therapist for the LGBTQ+ community, turning her lived experience into a career that helps others. “When I first tried to attend college, my mom put me in a form of conversion therapy,” she shared. “Now, I find that not having a degree is making my job search difficult, but I want to go back—not just for myself, but to support my community.” With this grant, Summer will finally take the next step in her transition, allowing her to move forward with the confidence and peace she has fought so hard to achieve.