The Cost of Being Trans No One Talks About with Ash Perez

You might think you know the financial cost of transitioning, but what you’ll hear in this episode will completely reframe how you think about money, identity, and survival. In this episode, I spoke with Ash Perez: a Cuban-Korean-Filipino writer, director, producer, and openly trans man (who you may recognize from ‪@tryguys‬!) who shares what it really takes to live authentically in a world that often doesn’t make room for that authenticity. From top surgery and hormone therapy to lost job opportunities and acne treatments during a second puberty, Ash gets incredibly honest about the hidden, ongoing expenses of transitioning—and why we need to start thinking about them as necessary, not excessive. This is one of the most candid and enlightening conversations we’ve ever had on the show. Ash walks us through not only his journey through gender discovery, divorce, grief, and systemic hoops, but also what cisgender allies often get wrong when trying to support trans folks. If you care about queer communities, want to be a better ally, or are just ready to expand your perspective on what financial security and self-acceptance really look like, join us. In this video: 00:00 Meet Ash Perez 04:21 Discovering and Embracing Trans Identity 07:09 Navigating Relationships and Transition Challenges 11:07 Healthcare and Insurance Hurdles for Trans People 14:54 Financial and Emotional Costs of Transition 23:28 Living as a Trans Man 27:54 The Hidden Costs and Benefits of Transition 40:35 Dealing with Financial Shame 50:46 Supporting Trans and Queer Friends 54:45 Navigating Misgendering and Deadnaming 58:00 Joining ‪@tryguys‬ 01:08:47 Finding Trans Joy 01:10:49 Advice for Those Questioning Their Gender Identity 💸 Join our exclusive community, The $100K Club: https://www.herfirst100k.com/100k-pod 🤔 Not sure where to start? Take our FREE money personality quiz: https://www.herfirst100k.com/quiz 🔨My favorite money tools: https://www.herfirst100k.com/tools 🍏Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 🎧Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0b5qzMi... Follow us on Instagram:   / herfirst100k   Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@herfirst100k?...