the joy of saving
how top surgery changed my relationship with money
Hello, hotties!
I took an unprecedented break from writing this newsletter while I was traveling, but I’m back! Thank you for your patience.
Today marks the one-year anniversary of my top chop! I honestly didn’t know that I could be this happy. Some days I literally wake up laughing! I feel like the lead character in a sweet romcom who gets everything they want, with an upbeat soundtrack to match.
In addition to celebrating one year of my Hot Boi Chest, I am also celebrating one year of working as a personal finance reporter at Insider. Somehow, the two are magically intertwined.
I started my job two weeks before The Great Teet Yeet — fresh from crowdfunding $1,500 and saving $5,800 for my surgery. I was approved for the surgery by LA Care in April 2021, but I intentionally booked a surgery date 7 months away so that I could save up for aftercare costs, and to give me time to move into a new apartment without a roommate.
For the first time in my life, during those 7 months, I felt the joy of saving money. I saved my earnings from writing articles about making your own porn. I dog-sat a shaky chihuahua. I sent a thank-you note to the asshole who tipped me $1 on Instacart after I delivered 5 pounds of oranges and 2 cases of water to their second floor apartment. (Who the fuck orders 5 pounds of oranges!?) I meal-prepped boring ass food. I took a copywriting job that I hated. I sublet my dream apartment one week after moving in. I made nerdy spreadsheets with gleeful abandon.
Before 2021, I made every possible money mistake in the book. I ran up credit card debt, ignored my student loans, let a deadbeat boyfriend drain my wallet. You name it, I’ve probably done it.
In the 20+ years I spent cosplaying as a woman, I was passively suicidal — and my relationship with money reflected that. I spent money like there was no tomorrow because I didn’t think I would make it past 30.
And I know I’m not alone in this. According to The Trevor Project, 45% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the last year, and LGBTQ youth are four times more likely to commit suicide than their peers.
When it comes to money, 62% of LGBTQ+ respondents said they experienced financial problems as a direct result of their gender identity or sexual orientation.
This is exactly why I started this newsletter, and why I started making financial literacy content specifically for queer & trans people. Saving for my top surgery was the first time I held onto money with the belief that I deserve to live a long, happy, and peaceful life.
And as a personal finance reporter, I have the privilege of deepening my relationship with money, aligned with our radical visions for queer & trans futures.
Stay tuned for more,
Leo
If you want to support my work, buy me a coffee: my Venmo handle is @leo_aquino81. I’m caffeine-free, so I’ll probably use it to buy a smoothie ;)
If you’re a film or TV industry professional, come see a stage reading of my pilot! I’ve had the honor of working with an incredibly talented group of BIPOC screenwriters these last few months, and I’d love for you to see what I’ve been working on.
I wrote a show called Kasama BBQ about a quasi-lesbian Filipino family raising a trans boy in St. Louis. It’s on Thursday 11/17 and Friday 11/18 at 7pm PST, hosted by The Disruptors Fellowship. It’s an invite-only moment for industry professionals, so please email me if you’re interested in watching.