Which southern state is T.G. friendly

[andy6432668]

I would like to know which southern state in the U.S. that is T.G. friendly since I'm no fan of cold weather that leaves the northern states out.  Thanks  andy6432668

[BeverlyAnn]

Andy, I wouldn't say ANY southern state is actually TG friendly but there are some cities that are more progressive.  Atlanta, Orlando, Tampa-St. Petersburg area and Fort Lauderdale are probably the best choices.  The City of Atlanta does have gender identity in it's anti-discrimination policy and any company doing business with the city must adhere to those anti-discrimination guidelines.

Bev

[tinkerbell]

Hi Andy; these are the:

U.S. jurisdictions with laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of gender identity or expression.



and these are the:

Non-Discrimination Laws: State by State.   Hope it helps.





tink

[Brianna]

I graduated in Mississippi last year. I was one of two transsexuals in town. I was amazed by the violence and vitriol leveled at the one that wasn't me. They chose not to do electro, to dress like a 18 year old despite being 50 and in general not to pass. I was with them one time where they got a death threat, and it terrified me.

I pass, so I feel comfortable anywhere in Mississppi, despite the propenderance of Christian racist homophobes and transphobes there.

So - that's my main point. You can live anywhere, even in the hate-filled South if you pass.

Bri

[Reana]

I noticed the post that expressed the thought that probably no southern states were TG friendly.  I can't dispute this but would add that it might be difficult to find any state, as a whole, that fits that description.  There are TG friendly areas in most all large cities but there will be persons everywhere that are apalled by the desire of a male to dress in femme attire.  My personal experience has been that, when not in the specifically TG friendly areas, the best we might expect is to be ignored/tolerated.     

[Danielle_oc_ca]

I know people don't consider it the "south" but California is a suthern state. Out here, in the LA area, its almost candyland for trans people. Even the police are cool with it. Once when I wore a skirt when I went out into the back lane to look for something in my car after dark, the police on patrol stopped me to check things out. I had not yet done anything else and was still in male lookotherwise. Before they even asked I just told them I am a transitioning transexual and showed them my driver's license which, because I just started my transition, is still in my other idendity, they were totally cool with it and never acted the slightest bit diferent.

I have not had the slightest threat here nor been made to feel uncomfortable by anyone. We even have trans specific shops in the LA area though I never get the slightest trouble shopping anywhere.

My experience is that Southern California is great and I hear Las Vegas is great too if the Southern California housing prices are too steep for you.

Danielle

[BeverlyAnn]

The City of Atlanta does have gender identity in it's anti-discrimination policy and any company doing business with the city must adhere to those anti-discrimination guidelines.

Tee He - that's good to know Bev and how exactly have we come to know about that? 

Because Monica from TransAction was on the Mayor's committee that drafted it.  Even though he's serving time at some Club Fed prison, that was one of the best things Bill did as mayor.

Did you know there's a yankee . . er, union drive on right now, again?

Again?  Damn Darn Yankee troublemakers are back at it huh?  Who is it this time?  Transportation workers?  Teamsters?

Bev

[andy6432668]

I love southern CA. the only thing bad about it is you got to be Rockafeller to live there because the cost of living is so high but I do love the weather there.

[seldom]

New Mexico or California are your best options, otherwise you will have to brave the cold.

Non-discrimination laws are your friends.   Especially regarding work. 

[LostInTime]

I will take any chance I can get to warn people away from North Carolina.  Very intolerant and backwards.

[Nicky-Nicole]

Does anyone know about Florida? Just wondering cause I'm thinking of moving there next year?

[purpleamy]

Does anyone know about Florida? Just wondering cause I'm thinking of moving there next year?

Florida generally lacks any GLBT legal protections state-wide. That said, the legal climate is also not especially hostile. Socially, it varies greatly with which part of the state you're in. The Tampa/Clearwater/St Pete area is not too bad, not too great. I gather Miami is full of CD/TG/TS people, though I don't know about  the safety of being such a person in that area. You'd do well to avoid the areas more than an hour away from a major city, as a greater fraction of the people are rather backwards rednecks, and you'd be in more danger as a result. St Pete does have a lot of activism in the GLBT community, I believe they have some GLB legal protections in place but have had no luck thus far getting any Transgender protections passed.

I went through my transistion in Florida. I spent most of my time between Ft Myers (southern west coast of FL) and Tampa, with some trips further north. The areas north of Hernando county along the coast get pretty thick with people who probably would have made my life more difficult. I wasn't at all fond of the cops in Sarasota - they seemed eager to detain me on account of having my car break down. That could have been a crazy one though. The orlando area seems to vary a lot with which part of it you're in. With the high proportion of entertainers, and oddness isn't as out of the ordinary. On the other hand, in the times I was there, I got the feeling that the city was somewhat divided into shiny tourist areas and somewhat downtrodden resident areas.

I've spent little time on the east coast of FL, but I gather the smaller communities are more friendly than the corrisponding west coast ones.

[seldom]

Seriously.  Avoid Florida. avoid Georgia, avoid any state that voted for Bush.  If you want to move somewhere warm that is TG friendly move to California.  Southern states are NOT our friends.  And if you live in a Southern State MOVE as soon as you are capable of.  You are putting your own life at risk.  There is a reason why most homosexuals get the HELL out of the south as soon as they are 18, if not sooner. They move to Chicago, NYC, Boston, San Fransisco, DC or LA. It seems that many trans people lack this same degree of common sense, even though we are more at risk.    The south is STILL not a safe place if your queer.

We are even more at risk for hate crimes than homosexuals, or anybody else for that matter.  It is dangerous enough for us as it is, it is even more dangerous if you live in the south.

Also those folks who think its safe just because you pass.  It's not.  It just takes ONE person to know in these states. 

I hate to sound like a paranoid Yankee, but I am also not stupid.  There are places safe and then there are places where you put your life at risk.  Look at the 2004 election map.  Move to one of the blue states.  I hate to say this, but there is a direct correspondence with how safe it is for trans people and political affiliation, but there is.  If you need warm weather New Mexico or California should suffice. 

I know kind of odd from somebody who lives in Virginia, but I live inside the DC beltway, not exactly southern.  I also work in DC for a progressive organization down the block from HRC.   

Pick a State and City with gender identity protections.  The list is easy enough to find. 

Moving to a southern state is borderline insane if you are trans, use a little common sense.  Warm weather is not worth increasing the risk on your own life.  If you need warm weather, move to California. 

Secondly, your access to health services will be far better if you avoid the south.  I could go on about job discrimination as well, but that does not even need to be said.

I stress this to anybody considering a move to the south, do not do it.   
Move west instead if it is warm weather you desire.