Where do you live is it trans friendly?

[amber roskamp]

ok, so this question because I remember trying to find t friendly areas to live before I moved out.

Anyways I decided to choose Lansing, MI USA. I chose it because it was a good distance away(2 hours) from where I used to live, meaning I could start over with a blank state and  still come back to visit my family if my relationship with them worked out.

Lansing is trans- friendly legally meaning lansing protects you from discrimination in the work place. People seem pretty liberal, so that is good. there are a lot of queer groups associated with Michigan state university which is in east lansing ( different city actually but 4 miles from my house). There are also multiple support groups....

I don't pass in person so if I go out dressed up I always get stares, but I have never been called a ->-bleeped-<- or a freak or neither have I been miss treated. There is a pretty strong queer community here, but no community center unfortunately....

so overall I think Lansing is a decent place for trans people, but if you were planning on moving to Michigan. I would recommend Ferndale. it is very trans friendly.

I think this is an important topic, because many people are not comfortable transitioning in there hometown

[Nicole]

I live in Melbourne Australia and never hear of any real issues for trans people, that doesn't mean there is or isn't issues.

I see trans people out on the streets living and going about their daily lives, never hear really bad comments, but do see some laughing, never hear of any retail stores stopping or asking trans people to leave.

I never had an issue, but I'm very stealth, some of the dumb laws do need changing, but they are I think.

[amber roskamp]

thanks for sharing!

[wolfduality]

I live in Oklahoma. The city I live in has a touch of rustic to its overall modern feel. It was more of a ranch town that boomed with industrialization so it's got that quaint feeling without being too much of a "boondocks". Anyway, we have a very large "out" population of gay/lesbian people (we even have a "gay district") but the trans community is nonexistent or very underground. We mostly get tacked onto gay/lesbian groups when being talked about. At one point, there were a couple support groups but they seem to be defunct now. I will probably have to really search to find other trans* people which sucks and is really unappealling to have to "out " myself just to find other trans* people.

DW and I wish to move to a more trans-friendly place in the future.

[Amy The Bookworm]

I live in Manhattan Kansas, United States, about 45 minutes from Topeka.

I'm not even out publicly yet, just to family, friends, and a hand full of acquaintances. I've started HRT and been on it for about a month. I've been growing my hair for about a year and a half to two years now, and while I need more laser hair removal, I've had 4 rounds of it and that has considerably lessened my facial hair. I don't dress as a woman, nor do I use my voice or wear any makeup (not even clear nail polish) in public. I wear male clothing (...I currently only own one dress). Those acquaintances who are unaware of my in progress transition have said absolutely nothing to me, noticing no changes what so ever. For the moment I still present as masculine.

I walk to school, which is about 2 blocks away, every day and get insulted by random passing motorists on average 4 times a day. Many people (Shop keepers, waitresses, etc) switch pronouns back and forth while talking to me, or express (usually politely) confusion about my gender. Others are as rude as they can be without crossing the line since they're at work. Some people stare quite openly, but usually the reactions I get up close are from people I'm interacting with directly. No one has reacted violently yet, though I try to make sure no one is following me home and I triple check that the door is locked every night. I'm honestly becoming more and more uneasy about going out in public, and only do so when necessary.

... I would not recommend it here. I intend to leave as soon as I graduate college for either Portland Oregon, or Orlando Florida. Both cities have equal rights laws for employment and housing, and I know that Oregon is very liberal politically.

[Edge]

I live in New Brunswick, Canada. It's friendly towards trans people in the sense that I haven't encountered much of a problem aside from people not thinking I'm a "real man" and the fact that NB is one of the last two provinces that don't offer coverage for trans health care. On the other hand, I've heard stories from a trans woman about being assaulted and I have a non-binary friend who had trouble getting on hormones because they're not "feminine enough."

[ImagineKate]

I live just outside of the NYC metro area in NJ. So pretty much yes the entire area is trans friendly however where I live may not be.

[Destiny Marie]

I live in Virginia Beach, Virginia and no it is not friendly. I'll have to travel to Richmond to get HRT, there is one LGBOT center int he area but not a lot of trans people that I've seen there. Have seen a few in stores and local shops and no one seem to pay much attention to them as far as I can tell.

[suzifrommd]

I live in central Maryland. It is an extremely trans friendly place. I know many non-passing trans women who say they pretty much never encounter problems. I teach openly in a public school as my female self after having taught there for 12 years as a male. No parent, student, or member of the community has complained. We have a very strong state anti-discrimination law covering gender identity and gender expression.

[Dierdre Lenore]

Denver, Colorado.
We have a very active LGBT community and several places for groups. I don't attend any like minded functions, but present female almost always when not at work. Always the close minded douche can be found but I've had no real issues.
Pansy

[Clhoe G]

I live in the smallest state,  Hobart Tasmania   (yes Hobart it's a real place ho-bart lol)  it's pretty good unless your in bridgewater, gagebrook or clarintonvale but we do have quite a few bogans in Tasmania everyone else pretty cool, like I've told quite a few people I don't really know that well that I'm trans but no one seems to mind.

Fun fact Tasmania was called van demon's land way back, because the British settlers turned it into a prison island  actually I guess it isn't a fun fact lol

[Jill F]

Los Angeles here.   It depends on the neighborhood.  My neighborhood (Studio City) is pretty affluent and LGBT friendly.  I've had very few problems here.  Same goes for West Hollywood.  They don't bat an eye when they see a transwoman (or even a topless transwoman- I've seen it happen).  When you get to the seedier parts of town, several transwomen are killed or brutally beaten every year.  I mean, some parts of town I would have never gone to at night anyway, some not even in broad daylight.  What really scared the crap out of me was a transwoman last year being beaten within inches of her life by four drunken men at Hollywood and Vine.  I go there all the time.   

[TheQuestion]

In Boston, one of the more liberal cities in the country, maybe world, and I'd say it's probably just OK.  Lots of groups, health services etc., so in that way yeah, but in terms of everyday life being in the public, it probably isn't much better than a lot of major cities.  I mean, of course there are some areas of the US and world at large that are far worse, BUT, I sort of feel like Boston's rep as a super progressive, liberal city is overrated.  Lot of educated, well-to-do people around, but there's also a lot of jock types or wanna-be tough guys too.

[ErinS]

Rural Mississippi. 'Nuff said.

I'm moving to san Francisco though, I'm quite sure it will be much better.

[Ciara]

I live in Ireland and people here have no clue about transgender issues. There are no support services, no gender qualified therapists and if we are mentioned, it is usually part of a comedy sketch. Its not that people are anti transgender but they just are not trans aware. You need to go to the UK to find a therapist.
A few weeks ago a trans lady won a 20 year court battle to have her birth certificated changed. Thats how far behind we are. There are few trans people in my city.

[amber roskamp]

Rural Mississippi. 'Nuff said.

Sorry to hear this.... hope you enjoy san fran when you get there!

[Jill F]

Paddle faster, I hear banjos.

[MugwortPsychonaut]

Philly here. The city and its laws are very progressive and trans-friendly. In fact, it is a goal of our mayor for Philadelphia to be the most transgender-friendly city in the country. The people, however, are another story.

On a nearly daily basis, I get harassed. Sometimes it's a stupid tourist laughing at me. Sometimes it's a group of macho dudes showing off for each other, usually with a, "what the ->-bleeped-<- is that?" I've had a dumb usher at a concert venue announce quite loudly that I was "a man." I've been circled by a group of adolescents, calling me f----t and t----y, and threatening me. Oh, and I've had a dumb employee at the train station try to keep me out of the bathroom.

Philly's trying, but it has a long way to go.

[ErinS]

Sorry to hear this.... hope you enjoy san fran when you get there!

Ha thanks. I've been summering in SF for the past few years and even kept an apartment there for a while, I'm pretty familiar with the area and actually my therapist and endo are there.

I've been fortunate in that my friends and family here in MS has been awesomely supportive(despite being arch conservative) but...yeah. I've never really been at home nor fit in, it's just time to move on. Plus it simplifies  having to deal with casual acquaintances that might not be so open minded.

[amber roskamp]

Plus it simplifies  having to deal with casual acquaintances that might not be so open minded.

thats why i moved from the rural part of michigan...