Hi! My name is Joakim and I am transgender. I'm a 25 year old man, an unemployed student. I am working towards making creative ways to earn money by drawing illustrations and other designs. I also do photoshoots, photo-consepts and videos. But for the time being, the work that I do now, is for free to build my portofoilo.

I've been volenteering and doing LGBTQ+ activism for six years now. Before I came out as a transman, I worked towards building a more inclusive society and stronger community for LGBTQ+ people to feel safe, valid and taken seriously. I've been doing lectures to educate people on diversity and issues that the LGBTQ+ community face. Now the most important work I do, is living my true self.

I'm asking you for help because I've been waiting most of my life to have a chance to belong to myself and within myself truly. I've been in the closet for 20 years. And I didn't plan on coming out untill I was 50 years old. To spare the ones I love from getting hurt by my authentic existence. I hated myself in silence and kept it all alone. But last year, around the corner of my 25th birthday I got into a deep depression of feeling like waiting was not an option anymore. The pain of not feeling at home in my body or recognize true belonging to the gender others expected me to be. It took me alot of courage to just talk to someone about who I am. I couldn't hold my pain alone anymore. I had to come out. And I was lucky enough to have friends and family supporting me. And loving me for who I am. My name, pronouns and body are all important aspects for me to express who I am. Joakim is the name that was meant for me if I was assigned male at birth, and I get to be Joakim now. Respectful people use he/him pronouns about me. When it comes to my body I need hormone-replacement therapy (testosterone), top surgery (double mascectomy) and other surgeries.

I am asking for your help to be able to get top surgery. Transitioning means belonging in my body, and feeling at home in my body. It takes both time and money. The current situation is that if I only follow the official health care system in Norway, it's gonna take me atleast 3-5 years to get top surgery (due to long waiting-lists and my lack of financial income). I'm greatful for any kind of help you would be willing to give.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, I am grateful if you would share this with others in hopes of reaching my goal.

If you would like to buy or order some of my work you can also follow @joakimtheartist on instagram.

Love,

Joakim.