By Catie Byrne, Staff Writer

Published print Mar. 25, 2015

     Those who know Shane Hicks know him as a poet and active member of UNCG’s Technical Theatre Department. Hicks is a transgender male who has been hormonally transitioning since 2013, and is currently raising money for gender reassignment surgery on his GoFundMe page, “Bye Bye Boobies.”

     While Hicks has $1,100 raised for  the surgery, its total cost of $6,800 is entirely donation dependent as is it is not covered by any insurance plan, including the University’s.

On his GoFundMe page, Hicks describes the integral nature gender reassignment surgery would have in allowing him to be at peace with his body without assistance from a chest binder.

     “Every morning, I choose an illusion of what happiness could be like over the ability to breathe. I look into the mirror for as long as I can stand it, trying to admire a body that doesn’t seem to be mine, and then I cover my chest with a binder. Even after 2 years, I still have to wrestle into this thing every morning and peel it off every night.”

     Hicks continues to contrast the dysphoria he experiences with the self-love he wishes to attain after gender reassignment surgery.

    “I don’t know how many more summer days I can take not being able to enjoy a dip in the pool because of the horrible fear that if people saw what was under my shirt, no one would respect my gender. I don’t know how many more times I will have to walk hunched over, sit hunched over, pull at my shirt or wear shirts two sizes too big, afraid of people not caring how I identify after seeing curves from things that don’t even belong on my body. I want to be able to love my body.”

    Hicks has highlighted in an interview that he finds strength in poetry as a tool to educate cisgender people when in situations facing ignorance.

   “I use my words to allow people to see that being transgender does not define me, it is only a part of who I am. A quote from one of my most popular poems, ‘My Dicks’ goes as followed, ‘I’m just like any other guy, I’m just self-made.’”

    Hicks also wishes to give hope to other trans people at UNCG that they are not alone in their struggles through raising awareness of his GoFundMe campaign. “Every day I have to struggle between being myself and putting on a charade in order for my gender to be respected. I just want people to hear my story and know that every single person deserves to feel like themselves in their own skin.”

     For those interested in supporting Hicks’ efforts to raise money for gender reassignment surgery but are unable to donate much or through GoFundMe, Hicks sells his books of poetry on a suggested donation basis (whatever one wants to give). Hicks’ stressed that he always has one of his books on hand when he is on campus and that he is available to talk to anyone interested in his poetry.