A Performance Artist Turns to Crowdfunding to Finance Gender Reassignment Surgery

There is a first time for everything.

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Complex Original

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Shakina Nayfack of Washington Heights in New York City is using a site called YouCaring.com to support her art and her life. The transgendered performance artist told the daily news that she needs to raise $52,500 to "kickstart her vagina" with gender reassignment surgery. Nayfack is supposedly the first artist to raise money online for a procedure like this. According to Gothamist, YouCaring.com spokesman Brock Ketcher called Nayfack's use of the site "disturbing," even though the resource clearly states that is is "a free fundraising website created for individuals wanting to raise funds for medical expenses, memorials and funerals, education and tuition assistance, adoption fundraising, funding for mission trips, pet expenses or animal rescue and helping another in need."

Nayfack has 286 days to raise the money for her "KickStartHer" campaign and will be promoting it with a performance on December 7 at Joe's Pub on Lafayette Street in Manhattan.

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[via Gothamist

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