How Young Transgender Adults Pay For Transition Surgery

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NEWSDESK." I'M JOE HREN.

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I'M JOE HREN. LAST WEEK, WE MET KAYLEIGH AND

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LAST WEEK, WE MET KAYLEIGH AND DRAKE, TWO YOUNG TRANSGENDER

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DRAKE, TWO YOUNG TRANSGENDER PEOPLE LIVING IN INDIANA WHO ARE

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PEOPLE LIVING IN INDIANA WHO ARE IN THE PROCESS OF PHYSICALLY

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IN THE PROCESS OF PHYSICALLY BECOMING THE GENDER THEY

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BECOMING THE GENDER THEY IDENTIFY WITH.

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IDENTIFY WITH. IT'S CALLED TRANSITIONING AND

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IT'S CALLED TRANSITIONING AND REQUIRES YEARS OF WORK AND TENS

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REQUIRES YEARS OF WORK AND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.

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OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. SOMETIMES THE SERVICES ARE

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SOMETIMES THE SERVICES ARE COVERED BY INSURANCE, BUT AS

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COVERED BY INSURANCE, BUT AS TAYLOR KILLOUGH REPORTS, IN PART

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TAYLOR KILLOUGH REPORTS, IN PART TWO OF OUR SERIES MORE THAN

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TWO OF OUR SERIES MORE THAN LIKELY, THE BURDEN FALLS SOLELY

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LIKELY, THE BURDEN FALLS SOLELY ON THE PATIENT.

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ON THE PATIENT. >> THIS IS A BINDER, IT'S LIKE A

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>> THIS IS A BINDER, IT'S LIKE A DOUBLE TYPE MESH HERE.

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DOUBLE TYPE MESH HERE. IT'S GOT TWO LAYERS TO HELP

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IT'S GOT TWO LAYERS TO HELP BASICALLY COMPRESS THE CHEST A

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BASICALLY COMPRESS THE CHEST A LITTLE BIT MORE.

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LITTLE BIT MORE. >> DRAKE EILERT IS A FEMALE TO

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>> DRAKE EILERT IS A FEMALE TO MALE TRANSGENDER.

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MALE TRANSGENDER. HE REGULARLY WEARS A BINDER TO

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HE REGULARLY WEARS A BINDER TO COMPRESS CHEST TISSUE.

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COMPRESS CHEST TISSUE. >> THERE ARE A LOT RISKS TO IT

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>> THERE ARE A LOT RISKS TO IT OVER TIME.

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OVER TIME. THEY ONLY RECOMMEND ABOUT EIGHT

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THEY ONLY RECOMMEND ABOUT EIGHT HOURS A DAY, AND LESS IS BETTER.

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HOURS A DAY, AND LESS IS BETTER. IT CAN BE PHYSICALLY

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IT CAN BE PHYSICALLY UNCOMFORTABLE FOR BREATHING.

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UNCOMFORTABLE FOR BREATHING. YOU DO NOT WANT TO SLEEP WITH

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YOU DO NOT WANT TO SLEEP WITH IT.

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IT. IF YOU SLEEP, YOUR BREATHING

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IF YOU SLEEP, YOUR BREATHING SLOWS DOWN AND IT WILL COMPRESS

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SLOWS DOWN AND IT WILL COMPRESS YOUR CHEST MORE AND CAN CAUSE

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YOUR CHEST MORE AND CAN CAUSE ACTUAL PAIN WHEN YOU WAKE UP.

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ACTUAL PAIN WHEN YOU WAKE UP. >> DRAKE SAYS MANY TRANSGENDER

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>> DRAKE SAYS MANY TRANSGENDER YOUTH, INCLUDING A NUMBER OF HIS

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YOUTH, INCLUDING A NUMBER OF HIS FRIENDS, AREN'T OUT TO THEIR

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FRIENDS, AREN'T OUT TO THEIR PARENTS AND CAN'T AFFORD BINDERS

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PARENTS AND CAN'T AFFORD BINDERS ON THEIR OWN SO THEY USE THINGS

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ON THEIR OWN SO THEY USE THINGS SUCH AS DUCT TAPE OR ACE

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SUCH AS DUCT TAPE OR ACE BANDAGES TO SUPPRESS THEIR CHEST

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BANDAGES TO SUPPRESS THEIR CHEST TISSUE.

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TISSUE. >> THOSE CAN ACTUALLY LEAD TO

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>> THOSE CAN ACTUALLY LEAD TO THE BREAKING DOWN OF YOUR RIBS.

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THE BREAKING DOWN OF YOUR RIBS. >> DRAKE HAS BEEN LUCKY, HIS

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>> DRAKE HAS BEEN LUCKY, HIS FAMILY SUPPORTS HIS TRANSITION,

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FAMILY SUPPORTS HIS TRANSITION, BOTH EMOTIONALLY AND

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BOTH EMOTIONALLY AND FINANCIALLY.

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FINANCIALLY. >> HE'S MY CHILD.

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>> HE'S MY CHILD. YOU KNOW -- IT'S GOING TO BRING

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YOU KNOW -- IT'S GOING TO BRING ME TO TEARS.

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ME TO TEARS. YOU KNOW, I WOULD THROW MYSELF

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YOU KNOW, I WOULD THROW MYSELF IN FRONT OF A TRAIN FOR MY KIDS.

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IN FRONT OF A TRAIN FOR MY KIDS. I WOULD GIVE THEM MY LAST

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I WOULD GIVE THEM MY LAST BREATH.

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BREATH. I WANT HIM TO BE COMPLETE.

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I WANT HIM TO BE COMPLETE. I WANT HIM TO BE HAPPY, YOU

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I WANT HIM TO BE HAPPY, YOU KNOW, WHOLE.

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KNOW, WHOLE. AND THIS IS WHO HE'S MEANT TO

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AND THIS IS WHO HE'S MEANT TO BE.

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BE. >> ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES I GOT

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>> ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES I GOT TO WEAR A TIE IS FOR MY SENIOR

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TO WEAR A TIE IS FOR MY SENIOR PICTURES.

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PICTURES. >> WHEN DRAKE TOLD HIS MOTHER A

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>> WHEN DRAKE TOLD HIS MOTHER A TRUTH ABOUT WHO THEY WERE, THEY

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TRUTH ABOUT WHO THEY WERE, THEY CAME ONE A PLAN IF DRAKE WANTED

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CAME ONE A PLAN IF DRAKE WANTED TO TRANSITION, SHEILA WANTED TO

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TO TRANSITION, SHEILA WANTED TO MAKE SURE HE DID IT SAFELY.

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MAKE SURE HE DID IT SAFELY. THE WORLD ORGANIZATION FOR

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THE WORLD ORGANIZATION FOR TRANSGENDER HEALTH PROVIDES BEST

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TRANSGENDER HEALTH PROVIDES BEST PRACTICES FOR TRANSITIONING.

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PRACTICES FOR TRANSITIONING. THE FIRST STEP IS COUNSELING.

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THE FIRST STEP IS COUNSELING. SO DRAKE AND HIS MOM WENT TO

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SO DRAKE AND HIS MOM WENT TO INDIANAPOLIS THERAPIST BECKY

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INDIANAPOLIS THERAPIST BECKY BICKLE.

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BICKLE. >> WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR

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>> WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CLIENTS ARE READY, THAT THEY

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CLIENTS ARE READY, THAT THEY HAVE THE COPING SKILLS THAT THEY

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HAVE THE COPING SKILLS THAT THEY NEED, THAT THEY REALLY

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NEED, THAT THEY REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS IS GOING TO

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UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS IS GOING TO DO TO THEIR BODY AND WHAT IT'S

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DO TO THEIR BODY AND WHAT IT'S GOING TO DO FOR THEM SOCIALLY,

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GOING TO DO FOR THEM SOCIALLY, LEGALLY, ALL OF THESE SORTS OF

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LEGALLY, ALL OF THESE SORTS OF THINGS.

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THINGS. SO THE FIRST RULE IS JUST TO

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SO THE FIRST RULE IS JUST TO HELP THEM THINK THROUGH THIS AND

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HELP THEM THINK THROUGH THIS AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS ON

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MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS ON THE SAME PAGE AND UNDERSTAND

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THE SAME PAGE AND UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE NOT DOING

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THAT THEY ARE NOT DOING SOMETHING THAT'S POTENTIALLY NOT

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SOMETHING THAT'S POTENTIALLY NOT REVERSIBLE.

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REVERSIBLE. >> ONCE THE COUNSELOR

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>> ONCE THE COUNSELOR ESTABLISHES THAT A PATIENT IS

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ESTABLISHES THAT A PATIENT IS TRANSGENDERED, THEY RECOMMEND TO

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TRANSGENDERED, THEY RECOMMEND TO BEGIN HORMONE THERAPY.

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BEGIN HORMONE THERAPY. DRAKE BEGAN TAKING TESTOSTERONE

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DRAKE BEGAN TAKING TESTOSTERONE JUST BEFORE HIGH SCHOOL

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JUST BEFORE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION.

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GRADUATION. AFTER ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF OF

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AFTER ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF OF LIVING AS HIS PREFERRED GENDER,

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LIVING AS HIS PREFERRED GENDER, THE NEXT STEP NOW IS TOP SURGERY

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THE NEXT STEP NOW IS TOP SURGERY WHICH DRAKE HAS SCHEDULED LATER

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WHICH DRAKE HAS SCHEDULED LATER THIS MONTH.

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THIS MONTH. >> IT'S DEFINITELY, I THINK,

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>> IT'S DEFINITELY, I THINK, FREEING ALMOST.

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FREEING ALMOST. AFTER, YOU KNOW, CAME OUT, I

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AFTER, YOU KNOW, CAME OUT, I THINK WHEN I WAS 17 AND AFTER 17

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THINK WHEN I WAS 17 AND AFTER 17 YEARS OF KEEPING THAT INSIDE, IT

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YEARS OF KEEPING THAT INSIDE, IT WAS LIKE I CAN BE WHO I AM.

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WAS LIKE I CAN BE WHO I AM. >> IT'S MORE DIFFICULT FOR MALES

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>> IT'S MORE DIFFICULT FOR MALES TRYING TO MAKE THE TRANSITION TO

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TRYING TO MAKE THE TRANSITION TO FEMALE.

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FEMALE. TESTOSTERONE ADDS MASCULINE

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TESTOSTERONE ADDS MASCULINE FEATURES TO A BODY THAT CAN BE

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FEATURES TO A BODY THAT CAN BE HARD TO REVERSE.

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HARD TO REVERSE. KAYLEIGH RENTER IS 26 AND DRIVES

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KAYLEIGH RENTER IS 26 AND DRIVES A CAB IN BLOOMINGTON.

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A CAB IN BLOOMINGTON. SHE REALIZED SHE WANTED TO

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SHE REALIZED SHE WANTED TO TRANSITION THREE YEARS AGO.

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TRANSITION THREE YEARS AGO. SHE FELT IT WAS TOO LATE.

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SHE FELT IT WAS TOO LATE. >> I FEEL LIKE I'M TOO OLD.

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>> I FEEL LIKE I'M TOO OLD. MAYBE 26 DOESN'T SEEM OLD.

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MAYBE 26 DOESN'T SEEM OLD. YOU ARE PAST PUBERTY, AND

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YOU ARE PAST PUBERTY, AND TESTOSTERONE HAS DONE THINGS TO

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TESTOSTERONE HAS DONE THINGS TO YOUR BODY.

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YOUR BODY. >> BUT IT WAS THE ONLY WAY FOR

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>> BUT IT WAS THE ONLY WAY FOR HER TO BEAT DEPRESSION.

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HER TO BEAT DEPRESSION. >> THE FUTURE IS BLACK.

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>> THE FUTURE IS BLACK. IT'S NOTHING.

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IT'S NOTHING. IT'S NOT EVEN THERE.

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IT'S NOT EVEN THERE. YOU CONDITION EVEN CONTEMPLATE

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YOU CONDITION EVEN CONTEMPLATE TOMORROW, BUT NOW THIS IS

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TOMORROW, BUT NOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I NEED TO DO, AND

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SOMETHING THAT I NEED TO DO, AND I CAN -- I CAN SEE THE END GOAL

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I CAN -- I CAN SEE THE END GOAL AND IT'S SOMETHING I'M REALLY

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AND IT'S SOMETHING I'M REALLY STRIVING FOR.

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STRIVING FOR. >> SO KAYLEIGH BEGAN THE

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>> SO KAYLEIGH BEGAN THE PROCESS.

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PROCESS. SHE SOUGHT COUNSELING AND

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SHE SOUGHT COUNSELING AND STARTED TAKING HORMONES AND

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STARTED TAKING HORMONES AND PLANNED SURGERY.

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PLANNED SURGERY. THE MAJOR TRANSITION IS FACIAL

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THE MAJOR TRANSITION IS FACIAL SURGERY.

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SURGERY. >> ALL THE SURGERY, THE MOST

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>> ALL THE SURGERY, THE MOST COMMON SURGICAL PROCEDURES MALE

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COMMON SURGICAL PROCEDURES MALE TO FEMALE WOULD BE COMBINATIONS

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TO FEMALE WOULD BE COMBINATIONS OF A FOREHEAD LIFT WITH A

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OF A FOREHEAD LIFT WITH A HAIRLINE ADVANCEMENT, AND HAIR

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HAIRLINE ADVANCEMENT, AND HAIR TRANSPLANTS TO GIVE THEM A MORE

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TRANSPLANTS TO GIVE THEM A MORE FEMININE HAIR LINE.

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FEMININE HAIR LINE. THAT'S PART OF THE BROW LIFT, WE

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THAT'S PART OF THE BROW LIFT, WE WILL OFTEN DO A BONY REDUCTION

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WILL OFTEN DO A BONY REDUCTION OF THE BOSSING OF THE FOREHEAD,

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OF THE BOSSING OF THE FOREHEAD, THE FULL THICK FOREHEAD THAT

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THE FULL THICK FOREHEAD THAT MANY MEN HAVE, AND THEN WE'LL

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MANY MEN HAVE, AND THEN WE'LL USUALLY DO THEIR EYELID SURGERY,

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USUALLY DO THEIR EYELID SURGERY, FEMINIZE THE KNOW WITH THE

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FEMINIZE THE KNOW WITH THE RHINOPLASTY AND VERY COMMONLY WE

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RHINOPLASTY AND VERY COMMONLY WE PUT IN SOME CHEEK IMPLANTS AND

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PUT IN SOME CHEEK IMPLANTS AND CHIN IMPLANTS AND THEN DO A FACE

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CHIN IMPLANTS AND THEN DO A FACE AND NECK LIST.

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AND NECK LIST. >> FACIAL SURGERIES CAN COST

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>> FACIAL SURGERIES CAN COST BETWEEN $30,000 AND $70,000

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BETWEEN $30,000 AND $70,000 DEPENDING ON THE DOCTOR AND HOW

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DEPENDING ON THE DOCTOR AND HOW MANY SURGERIES ARE NEEDED.

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MANY SURGERIES ARE NEEDED. TOGETHER, TOP AND BOTTOM

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TOGETHER, TOP AND BOTTOM SURGERIES FOR MALE TO FEMALE

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SURGERIES FOR MALE TO FEMALE COSTS ABOUT $30,000.

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COSTS ABOUT $30,000. SO THE TOTAL COST OF

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SO THE TOTAL COST OF TRANSITIONING FOR KAYLEIGH COULD

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TRANSITIONING FOR KAYLEIGH COULD BE UPWARDS OF $100,000.

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BE UPWARDS OF $100,000. AS A YOUNG ADULT, KAYLEIGH WAS

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AS A YOUNG ADULT, KAYLEIGH WAS COVERED UNDER HER FAMILY'S

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COVERED UNDER HER FAMILY'S INSURANCE PLAN BUT THE FAMILY

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INSURANCE PLAN BUT THE FAMILY DIDN'T WELCOME THE CHANGE FOR

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DIDN'T WELCOME THE CHANGE FOR MANY REASONS.

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MANY REASONS. >> TO THEM, IT WAS A HUGE BLOW

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>> TO THEM, IT WAS A HUGE BLOW FROM LEFT FIELD.

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FROM LEFT FIELD. THEY -- YOU KNOW, THE OLD

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THEY -- YOU KNOW, THE OLD ARGUMENT OF, WE DIDN'T SEE

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ARGUMENT OF, WE DIDN'T SEE EVIDENCE OF THIS WHEN YOU WERE A

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EVIDENCE OF THIS WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD.

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CHILD. YOU ARE KIND OF MAKING THIS UP.

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YOU ARE KIND OF MAKING THIS UP. THIS IS A CHOSEN LIFESTYLE.

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THIS IS A CHOSEN LIFESTYLE. THIS IS NOT WHO YOU ARE.

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THIS IS NOT WHO YOU ARE. >> SO WHEN KAYLEIGH'S PARENTS

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>> SO WHEN KAYLEIGH'S PARENTS FOUND OUT SHE WAS USING THEIR

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FOUND OUT SHE WAS USING THEIR INSURANCE FOR COUNSELING AND

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INSURANCE FOR COUNSELING AND HORMONES, THEY DROPPED HER FROM

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HORMONES, THEY DROPPED HER FROM THE PLAN JUST DAYS BEFORE THE

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THE PLAN JUST DAYS BEFORE THE SCHEDULED SURGERY.

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SCHEDULED SURGERY. >> IT WENT BACK TO THE

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>> IT WENT BACK TO THE DEPRESSION I WAS IN BEFORE, JUST

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DEPRESSION I WAS IN BEFORE, JUST WORSE BECAUSE IT WAS SO REAL.

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WORSE BECAUSE IT WAS SO REAL. IT WAS LIKE -- IT WAS ABOUT TO

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IT WAS LIKE -- IT WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN, AND THEN IT WAS JUST

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HAPPEN, AND THEN IT WAS JUST GONE.

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GONE. >> KAYLEIGH WAS LEFT TO PAY FOR

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>> KAYLEIGH WAS LEFT TO PAY FOR SERVICES ON HER OWN.

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SERVICES ON HER OWN. SHE ALSO NO LONGER HAD ACCESS TO

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SHE ALSO NO LONGER HAD ACCESS TO COUNSELING AND HORMONES, LEAVING

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COUNSELING AND HORMONES, LEAVING HER TO PURCHASE THE DRUGS ON THE

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HER TO PURCHASE THE DRUGS ON THE BLACK MARKET.

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BLACK MARKET. >> YOU CAN'T BE SURE WHAT YOU

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>> YOU CAN'T BE SURE WHAT YOU ARE GETTING IS THE REAL THING

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ARE GETTING IS THE REAL THING OR, LET'S SAY FRESH AND NOT PAST

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OR, LET'S SAY FRESH AND NOT PAST ITS EXPIRATION DATE OR SERVICES.

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ITS EXPIRATION DATE OR SERVICES. >> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SHE

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>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SHE SEES IS THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT,

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SEES IS THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, IF SHE CAN AFFORD THE RIGHT MAP.

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IF SHE CAN AFFORD THE RIGHT MAP. BUT THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

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BUT THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT DOESN'T COVER ANY TRANSGENDER

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DOESN'T COVER ANY TRANSGENDER PROCEDURES BECAUSE THEY ARE

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PROCEDURES BECAUSE THEY ARE CONSIDERED ELECTIVE AND NOT

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CONSIDERED ELECTIVE AND NOT MEDICALLY NECESSARY.

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MEDICALLY NECESSARY. >> KAYLEIGH HOPES TO RAISE MONEY

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>> KAYLEIGH HOPES TO RAISE MONEY FOR HER SURGERIES BY WORKING AND

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FOR HER SURGERIES BY WORKING AND APPLYING FOR AID THROUGH VARIOUS

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APPLYING FOR AID THROUGH VARIOUS FOUNDATIONS.

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FOUNDATIONS. IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW ARE

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IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW ARE QUESTIONING YOUR GENDER, THERE

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QUESTIONING YOUR GENDER, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THE SUPPORT

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ARE A NUMBER OF THE SUPPORT GROUPS AND SERVICES AVAILABLE.

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GROUPS AND SERVICES AVAILABLE. YOU CAN FIND LINKS TO ALL OF

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YOU CAN FIND LINKS TO ALL OF THESE GROUPS ON OUR WEB

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