Writer's note: Lisa Grigaliunas is a transgender college student who prefers people use female or neutral pronouns if they are close to Lisa, or simply neutral pronouns if not. So, Windy City Times will simply use Lisa for this story.
Lisa Grigaliunas is set to graduate in the spring of 2017 from the University of Illinois at Chicago ( UIC ), where Lisa is now studying civil engineeringand Lisa hopes to find a job in Chicago as a structural engineer or a forensic analysis engineer.
But a lot of Lisa's life now is focused on Lisa's personal future much more than the professional side.
Lisa's transition started about a year ago with losing weight and muscle training. "I also started binding about a year ago," Lisa said. "I've always worn masculine clothing and identified more with the masculine side."
Lisa launched a GoFundMe campaign in late 2015 to aide with top surgery.
"I can't use insurance, so I have to pay out of pocket and this procedure is a pretty penny," Lisa said. "I also have to have it out of state due to not being able to use insurance, so that adds to it."
Lisa's goal is to raise $6,000.
"I made it this amount because I don't just want people to think I'm solely relying on donations and not doing anything else. I'm literally doing anything and everything I can to save up. I work extra hours; I've set up an etsy account selling art pieces I've made, and I'm trying to work with my school to get funding from them or a tuition discount," Lisa said. "This surgery means a lot to me. I started training and my goal is to compete in a body building show, but I know I won't feel comfortable until I've had top surgery and finally totally comfortable in my own skin.
"This surgery isn't just about me being able to compete; it's about me finally being comfortable in my own body. Everyone is self-conscious about something and you do whatever it is to make yourself comfortable about it, well for me this surgery is what I have to do."
Lisa is shooting for the surgery by December 2016.
Lisa first came out as a lesbian while a student at Andrew High School in suburban Tinley Park. But then Lisa struggled with gender identity. Lisa came out as trans about a year ago. "I grew up in a very sheltered household where I had no idea what gender and sexuality really meant, so I didn't know the way I felt about myself was actually a thing until the later years of high school. That's when I started questioning and putting things together and that's when I came out as trans," Lisa said.
Life as a college transgender student has "not [been] atrocious," Lisa said. "At UIC, the student body is very accepting. The only real problem I run into is using the locker rooms or bathrooms. There are only a few gender-neutral bathrooms, but no gender-neutral locker rooms. I've never had a problem with other students not accepting me, but I do get mis-gendered often."
Lisa is involved with the Gender and Sexuality Centers at both UIC and Moraine Valley Community College.
"I've overcome many obstacles with coming out and being accepted for who I am," Lisa said. "My father doesn't accept who I am and it's a hard thing to accept, especially since I was a daddy's girl growing up. Losing that relationship was hard. I also have overcome getting upset when people misgender me. I struggled with how I looked and how I was for a while and it made me question a lot about myself and it upset me that people were just so close-minded.
"Every struggle or obstacle I have faced in life has made me a much stronger person and has made me who I am today. Yes, the days were really rough, but I wouldn't take them back because I would be a totally different person."
Lisa added, "If you want something bad enough, you will do what it takes it get it. Any negative energy or words should motivate you more because once you reach your goal you can look back and say you did it and you proved anyone who doubted wrong … [that] will be an amazing reward."
To donate to Lisa's GoFundMe campaign, visit www.gofundme.com/kcapntmc .
THE STATS
- Age: 21
Neighborhood: Tinley Park
- Relationship status: "Dating a gorgeous woman named Loraina. It's a long-distance relationship; she lives in Colorado."
- Hobbies: Weight training, motorcycle riding, reading, golf, making sculptures and spending time with family
-Job title: Self-employed; does building maintenance
- Favorite movie: Star Wars or Lord of the Rings
- Favorite TV show: Game of Thrones
- Favorite pizza toppings: Tomatoes and basil