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Trans woman explains the financial costs of being trans in a reality-checking video

Not everyone can afford to "pass."

Alluring Skull|TikTok and Julia Pomodoro|Canva

Trans woman details the cost of being trans in heartfelt video.

Being transgender in America isn't easy, especially given the current political climate around trans rights. But it seems that people forget it's not just policies that make it difficult to be trans, as the cost of transitioning can be astronomically out of reach for some individuals.

No matter how badly a person wants to do more than socially transition, medical transitions are not typically covered by insurance. So any medical procedures someone has to affirm their gender can cost thousands and thousands of dollars out of pocket. Even socially transitioning can come with a hefty price tag.

One trans woman, Jory, who goes by Alluring Skull on TikTok, is setting the record straight on the cost for trans people to "pass" in society. Jory recently saved enough money to get facial feminization surgery, which can cost anywhere from $20,000 to $50,000. This surgery helps to soften the facial features of trans women who went through testosterone-driven puberty.

Jory explains in her video that before she had the facial surgery and extensions, people were chastising her for not trying harder to pass. The criticisms even came from fellow members of the trans community. But she found that after the surgery, people continued to criticize her.

"From the second day of coming out, I was told by other trans women that I don't try enough to pass. Six months later, I would receive my facial feminization surgery, to receive hundreds of comments telling me that I looked disgusting and I messed up my face," Jory says.

She goes on to say that she has been open about her transition online to show how difficult it is to be trans before listing some of the things she has to pay a lot of money for. These expenses include hundreds of dollars on her makeup, extensions and an entirely new wardrobe. This doesn't include the cost of hormones or surgeries.

Being able to afford to pass as a trans person is a privilege that not every trans person has, so they make do with what's available.

"I want people to know that being trans is extremely difficult. It's not as simple as just waking up one day and deciding you're going to pass, or you're going to be seen as the gender you are inside," Jory explains. "It takes a lot of work and a lot of money that most of us don't have access to. The median income for trans people in America is $10,000. Most of us will never be able to present in a way that aligns with who we are."

She ends the video by calling for people to be kinder to trans people by not leaving hateful comments on their videos. You can watch her heartfelt video below.

@alluringskull

#stitch with @Alluringskull #trans

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Identity

Trans doctor says major insurance companies are refusing to pay her after legal name change

"As long as they're denying my claims for my services on that ground, they can do that to any trans healthcare provider of any type."

Courtesy of Dr. Tiffany Najberg

Insurance companies can withhold pay for trans doctors and one doctor is fighting back.

Insurance companies can be a frustrating maze for consumers and for providers. It's not uncommon to call the number on the back of your insurance card and get a different answer every time you call with the same question. But for Dr. Tiffany Najberg, the fight with the insurance companies is a bit more personal.

Najberg is a transgender woman who has run into a multitude of problems in the insurance claims world—not as a patient, but as a provider. After changing her name legally and updating all of the required information on official websites, including the Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare and the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System, two websites insurance companies look at to verify providers' credentials and ability to practice, her claims have been denied.

In the beginning of this year-long saga, Najberg was receiving checks, but the checks were in her dead name and couldn't be cashed. After going several rounds with the insurance companies, the checks stopped coming and the insurance companies started denying her claims altogether. Of course, this prompted even more questions and frustration since Najberg updated the insurance companies with her legal name as required.

Najberg told Upworthy that on six different occasions, she and her billing company attempted to rectify the situation to no avail. These aren't small companies that may have never encountered such a request. In fact, many Americans with insurance are likely covered by one of the companies she's currently challenging. "Human, Cigna and Aetna flat out refused, but Medicaid, BlueCross BlueShield changed it immediately so it clearly has been approved through national databases," Najberg said.

The insurance companies' refusal to pay has been hurting Najberg and her practice, UrgentEMS, located in Shreveport, Louisiana. "My clinic treats everyone, but we aim towards communities that are underinsured and uninsured. I don’t have money to pay my rent next month because of this," the doctor told Upworthy.

Najberg explained that between the three major insurance companies, she is currently owed nearly $200,000 in unpaid claims. Of course, she could turn patients who have these particular insurances away, but for Najberg, that's not an option because she focuses on serving those who are underinsured and people in marginalized communities. She currently has over 100 trans patients who need continued healthcare with someone who makes them feel safe.

During the height of the pandemic, her clinic served as a place where people could get COVID-19 treatment, with Najberg proudly saying she treated everyone across the political spectrum. Najberg has built such a reputation on TikTok for her openness and ability to present public health issues in a relatable way that CDC officials have contacted her for pointers on how to engage the public.

But none of that matters if she can't keep her doors open, and the fear that comes from recognizing that possibility keeps her up at night. Through tears, Najberg expressed her concerns for the most vulnerable population she treats, saying, "I'll likely have to sleep in my car, and what about my trans patients? If my clinic closes, a few of them may kill themselves."

Dr. Najberg runs a clinic in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Courtesy of Dr. Tiffany Najberg

Najberg actually found herself in the position to lose everything last month after once again not being paid, but thankfully someone anonymously paid the rent on her office space, which costs around $5,000 a month. Recently, she has relied on donations from her followers in order to keep her doors open until she wins her fight with the insurance companies.

During the interview, Najberg informed Upworthy that one insurance company is now complying. "Aetna has started processing all the back claims and a new contract has been signed. I have no retirement anymore. I have no savings. I’ll never own property. For a lifetime to be wiped away over a name change is ridiculous," Najberg said.

A name change isn't uncommon. People change their names for multiple reasons, the main one being marriage, so it would stand to reason that insurance companies know how to navigate name changes within their system. What makes this name change so different if other companies had no issue?

It took Najberg months of phone calls to find out the reason for her denials was due to her name change and she was advised to submit under her dead name. But submitting an insurance claim under a different name than your own is insurance fraud and kind of illegal, she protested.

For Najberg, who's had a lifelong passion for helping people, the fight isn't just for herself.

"If they’re doing this to me, they have to be doing this to other people. If they get away with this, they’ll do it to other trans providers," Najberg told Upworthy.

If you'd like to support Dr. Tiffany in her fight against the insurance companies, you can sign her petition here, and if you'd like to donate to help her pay rent and get needed medical supplies, you can do that here.

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Equality

San Francisco unveils major plan to combat homelessness amongst city's transgender community

America's housing crisis needs more creative solutions like this.

Image collage via Wikicommons

San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced a new plan to combat homelessness amongst the transgender community

Home is somewhere to lay your head down at night without worry that someone will steal all of your worldly possessions. Home is where people start families and make lifelong memories. Having a place to go home to every night is safety. Safety from the elements and safety from other people who may mean you harm.

And there's almost nothing more quintessentially American than owning a home. Yet, the reality is America does poorly with keeping people housed. Homelessness is a growing problem across the country, especially with the lack of affordable housing and wages that don’t always meet the minimum basic needs.

And the rates of homelessness among transgender people are higher than average with 8% of trans adults experiencing homelessness compared to 1% of cisgender straight adults, according to UCLA School of Law Williams Institute.

To help remedy the problem in her city, the mayor of San Francisco, London Breed, announced a plan to allocate $6.5 million toward an initiative to end homelessness of transgender people in the city.

The multiyear plan would see an end to trans homelessness by 2027. Transgender people face more discrimination, including when securing housing, than their cisgender counterparts. While this is unfair, it’s not particularly surprising when you consider the legislation around what bathrooms trans people can use. It’s not a far reach to assume they likely have difficulty finding a homeless shelter that will accept them based on their identified gender. Safety would also be a large component even if there was no discrimination in sheltering trans individuals.

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

"Transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming San Franciscans are 18 times more likely to experience homelessness compared to the general population, and we know that the rates are even higher for our minority trans communities," Breed said in a statement. "With one of the largest TGNC populations in the country, we not only must ensure that all San Franciscans have access to housing and essential resources through continued investments, but we can show the country that we continue to be a leader on supporting and protecting our trans communities."

America has not been kind to gender nonconforming people, especially people that identify as trans. It almost seems like it's acceptable to treat transgender people poorly. It needs to stop. If we are silent when injustice is present, our silence is the loudest voice in the room.

Photo by Delia Giandeini on Unsplash

Breed’s proposed plan would include at least 150 long-term housing subsidies through the city's already established Flexible Housing Subsidy Pool program. It would also fund short-term rental subsidies, flexible financial assistance and support to build the capacity of nonprofits serving transgender and gender nonconforming people. The budget plan is extensive and will include planning for housing for LGBTQ youth who are at a transitional age.

Housing should not be reserved for those who society deems appropriate based on lack of knowledge and biases. Transgender people who are experiencing homelessness deserve a place to call home just as much as the next person. It’s not clear if this announcement was timed just in time for Pride Month, but it sure feels fitting.

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Identity

Trans kids get an outpouring of love as people on Twitter share moving letters of encouragement

Thriving trans adults are switching the narrative to joy and hope.

Twitter. Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash.

It gets better.

As trans children face bullying, violence and a potential loss to healthcare rights, the world might seem like a hostile and lonely place.

However, several trans adults, now thriving in their post-formative years, have taken to Twitter to offer solidarity and hope.

Kicked off by Axios Chief Technology Correspondent Ina Fried, the Letters 4 Trans Kids hashtag recognizes that “it’s been a rough time for trans and nonbinary youth,” and offers to show support by “posting a message of encouragement to these amazing young people.”

Hundreds did.

Fried set the tone early on with her letter, which was filled with compassion.

“I know it can be hard sometimes — really hard. It’s tough enough to figure out who you are inside. And then you have to figure out what to do with that knowledge and how to make your way in a world that isn’t always so kind.

Please know that however many angry voices are out there, there are also lots of us cheering you on. I want you to be fully you, whoever that turns out to be. And it’s okay if it takes some time to figure it out.

That’s part of what being a kid is supposed to be all about - figuring out who you are.

I just want you to know that I may not know you, but I see you and I stand proudly with you and for you every day.

Keep being you.”

From there, journalist Arthur Webber followed suit, sharing a story from his own childhood:

“My nights were spent praying that in the morning I would be a boy. I would wake up disappointed. However, I already was a boy–no divine intervention required.

On Christmas Eve aged 7, I cut off all my own hair and enthusiastically told my family that I finally was a boy. I had been watching ‘The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe’, so perhaps I took the image of children coming out of a closet too literally. However, I already was a boy–no (terrible) haircut needed.

When I met other children on holiday I would tell them I was a boy. I’d avoid giving them my name and say I was born without one. Which everybody is, really. The devastation I felt when my family would fetch me using my deadname and reveal that the outside world believed I was a girl still lingers with me. However, I already was a boy.

I was a trans kid like you. It's a limited edition gift with no receipt. Sometimes you’d give anything to return it because it’s too hard to look after, but most of the time you’re thankful that it’s unique."

Filmmaker Alice Wu applauded trans children for their self-awareness.

“In many ways, you are more mature than the world is (than I was at your age)....we need you,” she wrote.

“I am embracing you. Accessing the Power, the Magic, the Love of our friends, our community, our ancestors and engulfing us in it,” wrote Puerto Rican actor and drag king Vico Ortiz. “We are so proud of you…you are a light in this world. A gift…I am in awe of how fierce y’all are…and with every fiber of my being I will fight with you and for you because you are indispensable.”

He also noted having more representation than ever on “film, tv, media” starkly contrasting “thousands of bills threaten[ing] our very existence” felt “a little dystopian.” However, he regarded it as a “reminder” of the trans community's power.

Countless tweets began to flood in from other trans artists, advocates and allies ready to open up their hearts.

Everyone had a different version of supportive words and stories. However, the general message was clear: You are valued exactly as you are, and you are not alone.

When so many obstacles seem to await these kids—all while facing the everyday challenges of simply growing up—genuine care like this can go a long way.

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