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Navigating crowdfunding as a novel mechanism to support gender affirmation surgery
Brooke Wangler BS, Yida Cai BA, Lesley Summerville BS ScM, Anand Kumar MD
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and University Hospitals
2020-02-02
Presenter: Brooke Wangler
Affidavit:
Brooke Wangler
Director Name: Anand Kumar
Author Category: Medical Student
Presentation Category: Clinical
Abstract Category: Breast (Aesthetic and Recon.)
Purpose: Transgender individuals often rely on crowdfunding to fund gender affirming surgery. The aim of this study is to evaluate the success and characteristics of funding campaigns using publicly available data.
Methods: Crowdsourcing campaigns for "Top Surgery" on the website GoFundMe.org were identified during 2019. Variables of interest included demographic data, dollars requested and received and meta-data related to social media traffic. In addition to descriptive statistics, univariate models were used to identify factors associated with successful campaigns.
Results: 131 campaigns listed under "Top Surgery" were included in the study. 53 campaigns (40.5%) were trans male, 25 (19.1%) nonbinary, 2 (1.5%) were trans female and 1 (0.8%) an intersex male, while 50 campaigns (38.2%) did not report. The average age was 22.6 years (SD = 4.6 years) and majority white (21 campaigns, 60% of 35 reporting). 37 campaigns (28.2%) met their fundraising goals, receiving an average of $4,546.05 (SD: $3,347.18) compared to unsuccessful campaigns, receiving an average of $2,970.63 (SD: $2,151.25). Successful campaigns requested less than unsuccessful campaigns ($4,258.73 vs $6,554.52, p = 0.0002) but raised more (p = 0.0009). Successful campaigns had more donors (92 donors vs 68 donors, p = 0.001). Followers were associated with campaign success (93 follows vs 70 follows, p = 0.017).
Conclusion: Although the majority of crowdfunding campaigns for top surgery do not achieve their funding goals, successful campaigns are associated with lower fundraising goals, higher individual donations and followers. Future studies will analyze campaign factors that influence funding for various gender affirming procedures.
