GoFundMe set up for East Lothian transwoman's breast augmentation raises over £700 in 24 hours

The 21 year old make up artist has been overwhelmed by the massive response

A GoFundMe page set up on Thursday has raised more than £700 towards breast augmentation surgery for a transwoman.

Jamie Scott, a makeup artist from Prestonpans, was shocked when she found out that her two bosses had set up the page to help her through her transition.

The total amount being raised has a £6000 target towards the life changing surgery.

Joleen Clark, the organiser wrote: “Our beautiful Jamie is the very talented MUA at our salon, Beyond the Mirror hair and beauty in the lovely coastal town of Musselburgh.

“Jamie has struggled with her gender identity from when she was old enough to remember, and has had to face many challenges and hurdles on her journey.

“Three years ago, Jamie started her transitioning from male to female with the love and support of her family and friends, however this has never been an easy process.”

At the moment NHS Scotland require people living with gender dysphoria to have a lived experience of their gender for at least 12 months before hormone replacement therapy is given, but in many cases it can take longer.

For Jamie, it took over two years for the hormones to be approved and released to her by her doctor.

The post continued: “Due to the tragic passing of a beautiful young transgender lady in our community we - Amy and Joleen, Jamie’s bosses - decided we wanted to help Jamie on her journey.

“We want to see this most beautiful person feel like the amazing woman she is. Jamie is the most loving, generous, funny, witty lady with the biggest heart so we are asking you, our local community to help make a difference in this lovely ladies life by helping her have breasts which we know would mean the absolute world to her.”

21-year-old Jamie said: “I’m from a tiny little coastal town called Prestonpans and I started transitioning when I was 19.

“There has always been judgement, where I’m from there’s barely anyone like me, it’s been hard. I’m unhappy with my body and I don’t feel like myself, my body isn’t what it should be.

“I expressed it to my bosses and they contacted my family first before they created the fundraiser, I am completely overwhelmed by it.”

However, the GoFundMe page has not come without controversy and backlash, she has been subjected to messages stating that she does not deserve the money being donated and it should go to other causes.

“It’s been horrible,” Jamie said, “Prestonpans isn’t a place for people like me and it is hard.”

She described her condition as seeing a stranger when she looks in the mirror and feeling trapped in the wrong body.

“There’s a lot of judgement,” Jamie continued, “A lot of people in the area stare, even people I’ve known for years who knew me before I began transitioning and knew I was going through this still look, but I feel dishonest being in my own body. I wake up and I don’t feel like myself, going through with the survery will change my life, it will be like a sense of being set free.”

The fundraiser has a £6000 target, and her bosses have told her they will help as much as they can, with donations and tips to go towards the end goal.

Jamie said: “People can’t judge the journey i’m on unless they’ve experienced it themselves, everyone battles their own thing and I’ve always fought this by myself.

“The number of trans people has tripled and it is making it harder for people to get help, it is just a waiting game.

“What I would tell young people who felt like me today is that they need to fight to be themselves but it is a worthwhile fight.”

To help other transwomen in the community, Jamie along with her salon now run a trans night, which encourages trans people, who may not be confident enough to visit a salon during the day to come along to the evening free of judgement to the safe space.

Those wishing to donate can do so on the GoFundMe page.