Dream Wife’s Bella Podpadec launches merch crowdfunder to fund top surgery

Dream Wife bassist Bella Podpadec has launched exclusive limited edition merch to help crowdfund their top surgery.

• READ MORE: Dream Wife – ‘Social Lubrication’ review: the most fun they’ve ever had

They took to the band’s official Instagram today (January 26) to share that they have created a very limited edition blue t-shirt which features a pink unicorn playing the bass and the words “Not my body, I am somebody” (a line from Dream Wife’s 2018 song ‘Somebody’) on it as a way to raise money for their top surgery.

The tee is priced at £25 and exclusively available on the band’s Bandcamp page. They are also 100 per cent certified organic cotton, oeko approved and vegan.

According to Mayoclinic.org, top surgery is also “called gender-affirming surgery or gender-confirmation surgery” and “involves procedures that help better align the body with a person’s gender identity”, typically the surgical addition or removal of breast tissue.

Podpadec also announced that a portion of the sales will be donated to the charity Mermaids, which supports trans, non-binary and gender diverse children and young people as well as families and professionals involved in their care.

“Life update: Bella here I’m going to get top surgery! & to help cover costs I have designed a very limited edition unicorn tee only available on our bandcamp page with the proceeds being split between my surgery and the charity Mermaids! I want to bring my mind & body into closer connection and would be eternally grateful for your support on this journey,” began the post.

They continued: “My relationship with gender and the band have been inextricably entwined. It was through this project that I was able to begin unraveling my relationship with compulsory gender norms & getting comfortable with my truth as a nonbinary person.

“We’re going to split the profits 80/20 with the charity Mermaids who do amazing work to support transgender, nonbinary & gender diverse young people.

“It felt important to support a charity like Mermaids as this band is a gift to our teenage selves – modeling in the world what we couldn’t see back then. Growing up under section 28 there is a part of me that deeply grieves for my teenage self & the lack of access I had to language and resources. With the current consultation for schools surrounding gender questioning students it is a troubling time for trans, NB and gender nonconforming young people & it is vitally important to support these kids!

“When we went on our first ever tour I brought this transgender unicorn patch from some queer punx at a warehouse show in Vancouver. I wanted to design a shirt in homage to this sweet unicorn guiding the way on my gender journey.”

The concluded with: “Everyone deserves to feel comfortable & at home in their bodies Trans people deserve access to adequate support, medical care & body autonomy If you are able to support – thank you from the whole of my heart. Peace love & trans liberation friends xxx”

Dream Wife’s latest release was 2023’s ‘Social Lubrication‘. In a four-star review of the LP, NME shared: “‘Social Lubrication’, their third album, finds them picking up where they left off – and then ramping things up several notches. Across its 10 tracks, the three-piece deliver pointed and poignant messages about the world we’re living in, but do so in a way that never gets too serious or heavy-handed. Instead, Dream Wife sound like they’re having the most fun they’ve ever had – and we’re all invited to join in the merriment.”

The band are also set to play this year’s edition of Rockaway Beach festival alongside The Selecter, Bob Vylan, Dream Wife and Hinds.