Producer, musician and singer-songwriter Jay Arner has been a staple of Vancouver's local music scene since the '90s, performing and recording both under her own name and as half of pop duo Energy Slime with wife Jessica Delisle. Last year, the pair released Planet Perfect — a great Canadian album you might have missed.
On a perfect planet, gender-affirming healthcare would certainly be more accessible than it is on this one, which is why Delisle has launched a GoFundMe crowdsourcing campaign to raise money to help cover Arner's transition costs.
With a goal of $90,000 CAD, she's hoping to fund her partner's facial feminization surgery (FFS), travel and accommodation costs for the trip to Toronto for the procedure (there are only two doctors in the entire country who officially perform FFS), laser hair removal, voice training and medication — none of which is covered by BC's provincial MSP insurance.
Arner started transitioning a year ago, a process that Delisle described as both "incredibly affirming" and "utterly financially draining." She wrote, "We have never had much money but have always managed to scrape by freelancing in the arts. Sadly this has become less and less sustainable over the last few years."
She continued, "We are inexperienced at asking for money from our friends and community, but our usual scrappy DIY spirit cannot fund the cost of transitioning. Any amount you can donate means a lot to Jay and I — even $10! We appreciate your help more than we can express."
See the GoFundMe campaign here.