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New today at Austin Free Press: On Saturday, June 13, Austin #transgender musicians and #drag performers will come together to raise money for gender-affirming surgeries, working to fill a gap in the #healthcare system created by anti-trans sentiment in both the federal and state governments. Christened Tops and Bottoms, the fundraiser, at Swan Dive on Red River Street, grew out of problems Austin musician Theo Nesland faced when trying to get top surgery, gender-affirming plastic surgery to help their chest better match their gender identity. Nesland scheduled their surgery for February at a center in Austin that specializes in the procedure. But just before the surgery date, Nesland found out that their insurance company had dropped coverage for the treatment. The news was devastating. Nesland, who works at Franklin Barbecue, couldn’t hope to pay for the surgery out-of-pocket. Nesland’s friends suggested setting up a GoFundMe, but Nesland struggled with the idea. “Asking for help is not one of my strong suits,” Nesland said. “What I’m good at is working, so let me work for support. That would make me feel good as a human.” Read more ... https://austinfreepress.org/trans-formation/ #Austin #Texas #news #Pride #LGBTQIA #LGBTQ