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| Emerson College frat raises $16,000 for transgender member's surgery | Emerson College frat raises $16,000 for transgender member's surgery |
| (4 months later) | |
| A fraternity at a Boston college is challenging the toga-and-keg stereotype by helping a transgender member pay for transition surgery. | A fraternity at a Boston college is challenging the toga-and-keg stereotype by helping a transgender member pay for transition surgery. |
| After learning that sophomore Donnie Collins, a 20-year-old who was born female, couldn't get his insurance company to cover a reconstructive surgery, members of the Phi Alpha Tau frat at Emerson College in Boston launched a campaign that has raised more than $16,000. | After learning that sophomore Donnie Collins, a 20-year-old who was born female, couldn't get his insurance company to cover a reconstructive surgery, members of the Phi Alpha Tau frat at Emerson College in Boston launched a campaign that has raised more than $16,000. |
| Collins went from pledge to initiated member 10 days ago and said he was stunned by the support he'd received from the Phi Alpha Tau community. | Collins went from pledge to initiated member 10 days ago and said he was stunned by the support he'd received from the Phi Alpha Tau community. |
| "I feel completely overwhelmed … there is no way to thank them for any of this," Collins told BostonInno. | "I feel completely overwhelmed … there is no way to thank them for any of this," Collins told BostonInno. |
| Phi Alpha Tau started the raising money on the online crowdfunding site IndieGogo to cover Collins "top surgery" – a double mastectomy that removes breast tissue and reshapes the chest. The school-sponsored insurance plan wouldn't cover the surgery because it is considered a "cosmetic procedure". | Phi Alpha Tau started the raising money on the online crowdfunding site IndieGogo to cover Collins "top surgery" – a double mastectomy that removes breast tissue and reshapes the chest. The school-sponsored insurance plan wouldn't cover the surgery because it is considered a "cosmetic procedure". |
| Fraternity member Chuck Bergen-Aragon told BostonInno that the fundraiser is a "prime example of supporting brothers, and that's what frats are about". | Fraternity member Chuck Bergen-Aragon told BostonInno that the fundraiser is a "prime example of supporting brothers, and that's what frats are about". |
| Collins maintained a personal blog while researching payment for the surgery and explained in a video how he binds his chest to appear flat and feel more comfortable about his body. | Collins maintained a personal blog while researching payment for the surgery and explained in a video how he binds his chest to appear flat and feel more comfortable about his body. |
| The fundraiser has drawn praise for confounding the US college fraternity stereotype – although Emerson college specialises in liberal arts and communication and Phi Alpha Tau describes itself as a "communicative arts" frat, so neither college nor fraternity are particularly typical of the US higher education scene. | The fundraiser has drawn praise for confounding the US college fraternity stereotype – although Emerson college specialises in liberal arts and communication and Phi Alpha Tau describes itself as a "communicative arts" frat, so neither college nor fraternity are particularly typical of the US higher education scene. |
| Phi Alpha Tau set out to raise $8,100 to cover the full costs of Collins' top surgery on Indiegogo, and more than 780 people have contributed enough to double the goal. The fraternity has said it will donate excess funds to other people in the transgender community. | Phi Alpha Tau set out to raise $8,100 to cover the full costs of Collins' top surgery on Indiegogo, and more than 780 people have contributed enough to double the goal. The fraternity has said it will donate excess funds to other people in the transgender community. |
| Collins posted a thank you video after the campaign hit the $2,000 mark and he had officially been initiated into the fraternity. Collins said joining the Phi Alpha Tau is "definitely one of the best choices I've made here in college so far, if not the best choice I've made". | Collins posted a thank you video after the campaign hit the $2,000 mark and he had officially been initiated into the fraternity. Collins said joining the Phi Alpha Tau is "definitely one of the best choices I've made here in college so far, if not the best choice I've made". |
| The video was released February 25, the day before Collins completed 14 months of hormone therapy. In the video, he reiterated a theme of the fraternity's fundraising campaign on the importance of storytelling. He and his fraternity brothers hope the campaign encourages people to discuss transgender issues and support the community. | The video was released February 25, the day before Collins completed 14 months of hormone therapy. In the video, he reiterated a theme of the fraternity's fundraising campaign on the importance of storytelling. He and his fraternity brothers hope the campaign encourages people to discuss transgender issues and support the community. |
| Collins said in the video that he wants transgender people to contact him because he understands how important support is while transitioning. "I want to be here for anybody who needs someone to be there, because there are a lot of people there for me right now, and I know how beautiful that is," Collins said. | Collins said in the video that he wants transgender people to contact him because he understands how important support is while transitioning. "I want to be here for anybody who needs someone to be there, because there are a lot of people there for me right now, and I know how beautiful that is," Collins said. |
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