Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Here is a special report I made up since no one else on the Internet has such a tool. I decided to figure out which states were good for TGs and which ones stink. I put aside my biases (yes it's tempting to put CA at the top) and went through each state as unbiased as a CPA does with someone's taxes (no, not the Arthur Anderson CPAs, I honestly put each and every state to the same test as unbiased as I could). I spent the last month burning off brain cells putting this together so this isn't something I threw together at the last second before posting. Please remember that not everyone may agree with my views on the states. I'm not name calling here but it should be obvious that some states aren't good places for TG people to live. (When I mean TG people, I include CDs too).

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Places to Relocate for the TG/TS individual

I am writing this essay to better help those who are considering a move from their current location due to their transition or simply to find a more accommodating environment. Please note that I have my own biases and not all TG/TS folk may agree with what I say here. My ratings of all the states here is based on my direct experience with the local culture in each state and from what I have hear and seen from other TG/TS folk. For locations outside the USA I cannot give any comparisons for right now due to a lack of information, but I do know that the poorer a country is, the more likely it will be hostile to TG/TS people. Canada and the Scandinavian countries are fairly good for us though.

My experience leads me to believe that you as a TG/TS individual are best off in a state that protects most of it's population from discrimination due to gender identity, and is also a live and let live state, meaning no intrusive or nanny state mentality. Your larger states like CA and NY may slip a bit here due to this, but overall they will fare better than say, MO. Also, some of the things I say here might offend some. I do not make some remarks about states because of bigotry, I am a REALIST. Even in 2007 there are plenty of areas in the USA that can be potentially dangerous to transgender people. I will rate each state according to the following criteria (Please see notes near end of report for further details):

Protection of TG/TS on housing, work, etc. – this is very important to the TG. The higher the percentage of the state population that is protected, the better chances you will have for employment and living arrangements. (Note: I am only considering statuatory laws that protect TG/TS people. Positive case law wasn't sufficient for this report). This will be the most weighted factor, and states that protect 100% of their populations will get an 8. The lower the percentage, the lower the score.

Attitudes towards TG/TS – Simply because a state or city protects TGs doesn't mean those people necessarily like us. States that have a friendly attitude to us get a 4, and those that are hostile can go to 0.

Level of government bureaucracy – I think the less bureaucracy you have to deal with, the better off you will be if you are TG/TS. States with a pro-liberty attitude will get a 4, states that make you jump through all kinds of hoops to get anything done will get a 0. (Simply because a state collects a high or low amount of taxes doesn't make it big government! Your rural states aren't as pro-liberty as you'd like to believe as most of them are heavily dependent on Uncle Fed for cash. Money equals political power, there's no getting around that, and the more inflated a government is in terms of how big it's revenues are compared to the state economy, the more likely that state will be more bureaucratic in it's nature. Do the math yourself.)

Wages – Pretty obvious here. High wages, 4. Bad wages, 0.

Local economy – This is how diversified the local economy is, and also how self sufficient it is, meaning how much cash they get from Uncle Sam. A good local economy gets a 4, your pork-barrel junk economies get a 0.

Cost of living – Again, obviously your cheaper states get a 4, and the expensive ones get a 0.
Infrastructure – This is how well the state infrastructure is designed and how well it can keep up with population growth, traffic, amount of services, etc. States that handle their infrastructure well get a 4, those that don't get a 0.

Crime rate – Crime obviously is something the TG/TS doesn't need in their backyard. Your clean states get a 4, the crime ridden ones a 0.

Now, I will cover each state and DC in more detail:

Alabama
Population – 4,557,000
Protection of TG/TS – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 0
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 1
Local Economy – 1
Cost of living – 3
Infrastructure – 3
Crime Rate – 1
Plusses: Fairly low cost of living, good infrastructure
Minuses: No TG protections, hostile local culture, high crime, weak economy and wages
Overall: 11/36

Alaska
Population – 663,000
Protection of TG/TS – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 0
Wages – 3
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 1
Infrastructure – 1
Crime Rate – 2
Plusses: Very rural state, good for privacy, high wages
Minuses: NO TG protections, geographic isolation, high crime, heavily dependent on Feds and lower states for funds
Overall: 9/36

Arizona
Population – 5939000
Protection of TG/TS – 1
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 3
Wages – 2
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 2
Infrastructure – 0
Crime rate – 1
Plusses: Close proximity to CA yet more libertarian
Minuses: Mostly Hispanic culture is hostile to TG/TS, high crime, overburdened road and water systems, protects a small % of population from discrimination.
Overall: 12/36

Arkansas
Population – 2779000
Protection of TG/TS – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 0
Level of Government bureaucracy – 1
Wages – 1
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 3
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 2
Plusses: Cheap to live here, fairly good roads and public services
Minuses: Local culture is hostile to TG, local economy functions poorly and is subsidy dependent, low wages
Overall: 11/36

California
Population – 36,132,147
Protection of TG/TS – 8
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 3
Level of Government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 3
Local economy – 4
Cost of living – 0
Infrastructure – 2
Crime rate – 1
Plusses: Great climate, very TG friendly especially in the northern half of the state, strong economy.
Minuses: intrusive and incompetent state government, very high cost of living, high crime, larger cities have major traffic and overcrowding problems
Overall: 23/36

Colorado
Population – 4665000
Protection of TG/TS – 2
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 2
Level of Government bureaucracy – 3
Wages – 3
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 2
Infrastructure – 1
Crime rate – 2
Plusses: Pro-liberty state, good wages, very accommodating college town in Boulder, CO
Minuses: Colorado's economy isn't very diversified, Denver has mostly telecoms and real estate. Somewhat expensive to live here, and crime rate is borderline.
Overall: 17/36

Connecticut
Population – 3510000
Protection of TG/TS – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 2
Level of government Bureaucracy – 4
Wages – 4
Local economy – 4
Cost of living – 0
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 2
Plusses: Very strong local economy, highest wages in country
Minuses: NO TG protections, somewhat intrusive state government, somewhat iffy on attitudes towards TGs
Overall: 19/36

Delaware
Population – 843000
Protection of TG/TS – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 2
Level of government bureaucracy – 1
Wages – 3
Local economy – 3
Cost of living – 1
Infrastructure – 2
Crime rate – 2
Plusses: Somewhat libertarian by Northeast standards. Good wages.
Minuses: NO TG protections. State economy is mostly corporate offices. Local culture is ambivalent towards TGs
Overall: 14/36

District of Columbia
Population – 550000
Protection of TG/TS – 8
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 2
Level of Government bureaucracy – 0
Wages – 3
Local economy – 3
Cost of living – 0
Infrastructure – 1
Crime rate – 0
Plusses: Full protections for TG/TS people.
Minuses: Huge intrusive government, super-high cost of living, super high crime, overcrowded outdated city infrastructure, borderline culture acceptance of TGs.
Overall: 17/36

Florida
Population – 17789000
Protections for TG/TS – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 3
Wages – 2
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 1
Infrastructure – 1
Crime rate – 1
Plusses: Only tropical climate in CONUS, Miami Beach is a GLBT mecca
Minuses: Tiny % of population is protected from discrimination, political corruption is rampant, high cost of living, overburdened roads and public services, transient economy, tolerance for TG/TS is limited to small areas in Miami and in Orlando, high crime
Overall: 11/36

Georgia
Population – 9072000
Protections for TG/TS – 2
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 4
Wages – 3
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 2
Infrastructure – 2
Crime rate – 1
Plusses: Atlanta is fairly TG friendly, good wages for Southern state
Minuses: Overcrowding and bad traffic, rest of state is usually hostile to TGs, expensive to live here (but not as bad as you think), high crime
Overall: 17/36

Hawaii
Population – 1275000
Protections for TG/TS – 4*
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 2
Level of government bureaucracy – 1
Wages – 3
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 1
Infrastructure – 1
Crime rate – 3
Plusses: relatively low crime, great climate, good wages
Minuses: *Hawaii's anti-discrimination law covers ONLY housing, high cost of living, heavily subsidy dependent local economy, overcrowding, Native Hawaiians may not approve of non-Asians
Overall: 19/36

Idaho
Population: 1429000
Protections for TG/TS – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 2
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 2
Infrastructure – 2
Crime rate – 3
Plusses: Fairly pro-liberty state, fairly low crime
Minuses: No TG protections, pork-barrel economy, somewhat pricey, locals are usually hostile to TG people, threat from militia groups in NW panhandle
Overall: 14/36

Illinois
Population – 12763000
Protections for TG/TS – 8
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 3
Level of Government bureaucracy – 3
Wages – 3
Local Economy – 4
Cost of living – 3
Infrastructure – 2
Crime rate – 2
Plusses: Northern IL is very pro-TG, strong economy and surprisingly cheap, state protections for TG/TS
Minuses: Higher crime in Chicagoland and St. Louis areas, corruption is well known in IL, heavy traffic in most of the bigger cities
Overall: 28/36

Indiana
Population – 6271000
Protections for TG/TS – 2
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 1
Level of Government bureaucracy – 3
Wages – 2
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 4
Infrastructure – 2
Crime rate – 2
Plusses: Houses are VERY cheap in Indiana. In some parts you can pay the same price for a house as it was 40 years ago. Relatively pro-liberty for Midwestern state.
Minuses: Most areas in IN aren't friendly to TG/TS people. High crime in Indianapolis and the CHicagoland area, economy is weak from auto industry collapse.
Overall: 18/36

Iowa
Population – 2966000
Protections for TG/TS – 8
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 2
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 4
Infrastructure – 3
Crime – 4
Plusses: Low crime rate, very easy to get around in IA, cheap state, state protections enacted in 2007
Minuses: Pork-barrel economy dependent on Uncle Fed for cash, especially western IA. Local population usually is hostile to TG/TS in western IA.
Overall: 25/36

Kansas
Population – 2744000
Protection for TG/TS – 0
Attitudes toward TG/TS – 0
Level of government bureaucracy – 3
Wages – 1
Local Economy – 1
Cost of living – 4
Infrastructure – 3
Crime – 2
Plusses: Low cost of living outside of the KC/Wichita areas. Easy to get around.
Minuses: Population is very hostile to TG/TS people, Topeka/western KS areas especially. Low wages and transient economy are heavily dependent on government aid. High crime in the Kansas City area, no protections for TG/TS people.
Overall: 14/36

Kentucky
Population – 4173000
Protection for TG/TS – 4
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 2
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 2
Local economy – 2
Cost of Living – 3
Infrastructure – 3
Crime – 2
Plusses: Protects a good chunk of population from discrimination, larger cities are friendly to TG/TS, reasonable COL here.
Minuses: High crime in some areas, most of economy centers around distribution and transient industries, dependent on government pork, rural areas do not approve of TG/TS
Overall: 20/36

Louisiana
Population – 4523000
Protections for TG/TS people – 1
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 1
Wages – 1
Local economy – 0
Cost of living – 3
Infrastructure – 1
Crime rate – 0
Plusses: New Orleans area is somewhat tolerant of TG/TS people, low cost of living in many areas
Minuses: LA is in poor shape even 2 years after Hurricane Katrina, local economy which was dependent on oil drilling is in a shambles, very high crime in LA, wages are very low, LA outside of New Orleans is hostile to TG people
Overall: 8/36

Maine
Population – 1321000
Protections for TG/TS people – 8
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 3
Level of government bureaucracy – 0
Wages – 2
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 2
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 4
Plusses: Very low crime, State protections for TG/TS people, overall tolerant culture, no major cities to generate congestion
Minuses: Borderline economy and wages, dependent on government aid/pork, Somewhat big government for a small state (strict recycling laws and liquor laws)
Overall: 24/36

Maryland
Population – 5600000
Protections for TG/TS people – 1
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 2
Level of government bureaucracy – 4
Wages – 4
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 1
Infrastructure – 2
Crime rate – 1
Plusses: Baltimore area is very TG friendly, high wages, rural parts of state are breathtaking
Minuses: High crime, local economy is pork-barrel-spending dependent (defense industries are predominant in MD), high cost of living, only Baltimore protects TG people. Bizzare politicians (Roscoe Bartlett anyone?)
Overall: 17/36

Massachusetts
Population – 6398000
Protections for TG/TS people – 1
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 3
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 3
Local economy – 3
Cost of living – 1
Infrastructure – 2
Crime rate – 2
Plusses: Boston area is very tolerant of TG people, despite MA's reputation as being big government is relatively live and let live, strong economy and wages
Minuses: High housing prices and COL, small % of population is protected from discrimination, crime is high in some Boston suburbs
Overall: 17/36

Michigan
Population – 10120000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 2
Local economy – 0
Cost of living – 3
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 1
Plusses: Low cost of living for large state. Relatively pro-liberty, dirt cheap housing.
Minuses: Auto industry collapse has caused the state economy to lurch back to what it was in the 1920s. High crime, especially in the Detroit area. Population is hostile to TG people in most areas. Miniscule % of population is protected.
Overall: 12/36

Minnesota
Population – 5132000
Protections for TG/TS people – 8
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 3
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 3
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 3
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 3
Plusses: Good economy for the most part. State is very tolerant overall of TG/TS peoples. Government is usually live and let live. Statewide protections for TG/TS people.
Minuses: Smaller towns are economically weak. SW MN is a no go for TG/TS people.
Overall: 27/36

Mississippi
Population – 2921000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 0
Wages – 1
Local Economy – 0
Cost of living – 3
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 1
Plusses: Low cost of living, easy to get around
Minuses: Local culture is hostile to TG people, lowest wages in Union, economy barely functions, high crime
Overall: 9/36

Missouri
Population – 5800000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 0
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 1
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 4
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 1
Plusses: Low cost of living. Government usually has low presence.
Minuses: MO's reputation as meth lab heaven unfortunately holds true. High crime in KC/St Louis areas especially. Local culture is very hostile to TG people. MO's economy is poor at best and most areas don't pay anything in wages.
Overall: 12/36

Montana
Population – 935000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 1
Level of Government bureaucracy – 0
Wages – 1
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 2
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 3
Plusses: Low crime rate, easy to get around. Somewhat libertarian state.
Minuses: Locals have low opinion of LGBT in general. Expensive real estate in many areas. Wages are very low and the state economy is dependent on federal aid.
Overall: 11/36

Nebraska
Population – 1758000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 2
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 4
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 2
Plusses: Cheap state to live in. Easy to get around and low traffic overall.
Minuses: No TG protections. Local culture is hostile to TG people. Omaha is a sewer of crime and traffic. State economy is dependent on pork barrel aid. Wages are low.
Overall: 15/36

Nevada
Population – 2414000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 4
Wages – 2
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 1
Infrastructure – 1
Crime rate – 1
Plusses: No state income tax. Relatively libertarian state (not very libertarian though).
Minuses: High Crime, no TG protections, state is hostile to TG people, mediocre wages even in advanced fields, economy is literally a giant casino, obscene housing prices, high crime, state's infrastructure is buckling under the stress of more people moving to Las Vegas.
Overall: 11/36

New Hampshire
Population – 1309000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 2
Level of government bureaucracy – 4
Wages – 4
Local economy – 3
Cost of living – 3
Infrastructure – 2
Crime rate – 4
Plusses: Libertarian state, low crime, strong economy for a small state
Minuses: Expensive state to live in, some areas are not tolerant of TG people, New Hampshire people can come across as being stuffy
Overall: 22/36

New Jersey
Population – 8717000
Protections for TG/TS people – 8
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 3
Level of government bureaucracy – 3
Wages – 4
Local economy – 4
Cost of living – 1
Infrastructure – 2
Crime rate – 1
Plusses: Very tolerant of TG/TS people. Statewide protections enacted in 2007. Strong economy.
Minuses: Intrusive government, high cost of living, traffic and congestion is a nightmare. Crime is bad in the urban areas.
Overall: 26/36

New Mexico
Population – 1928000
Protections for TG/TS people – 8
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 2
Level of government bureaucracy – 0
Wages – 1
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 3
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 1
Plusses: Easy to get around this state. Congestion is limited to Albuquerque. Statewide protections of TG/TS people.
Minuses: Weak economy heavily dependent on Uncle Sam for cash and subsidies. High crime, somewhat incompetent state government. Illegals are usually hostile to TG/TS people. Some rural areas are hostile to TG/TS people.
Overall: 19/36

New York
Population – 19254000
Protections for TG/TS people – 5
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 3
Level of government bureaucracy – 1
Wages – 4
Local economy – 4
Cost of living – 1
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 2
Plusses: Strongest economy in Union, protects much of state's population against discrimination, good infrastructure for a large coastal state
Minuses: High crime in some areas, Super high cost of living in NYC area, intrusive state government that makes TGs jump through a LOT of hoops in transition, upstate NY is not approving of TG/TS people
Overall: 23/36

North Carolina
Population – 8683000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 2
Local economy – 3
Cost of living – 3
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 1
Plusses: Good economy considering the low wages. Cost of living is low and public services are good.
Minuses: Population is hostile to TG/TS people. High crime rate. Wages are so-so.
Overall: 15/36

North Dakota
Population – 636000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 0
Wages – 2
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 4
Infrastructure – 4
Crime rate – 4
Plusses: Cheapest state to live in. Very low crime, very good state public services and very user friendly.
Minuses: Population is hostile to TG/TS people but not incredibly. Weak state economy depends on Feds for subsidies. State government is intrusive in some areas. Wages are mediocre at best.
Overall: 16/36

Ohio
Population – 11464000
Protections for TG/TS people – 1
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 0
Wages – 2
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 4
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 2
Plusses: Probably one of the cheapest states to live in. Fairly easy to get around.
Minuses: State does not accommodate TG/TS people well at all in legal affairs (along with ID and TN, will NOT change gender markers on a birth certificate as of 2007). Mediocre wages and stagnating cities. Locals are usually hostile to TG people.
Overall: 15/36

Oklahoma
Population – 3547000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 0
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 2
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 4
Infrastructure – 2
Crime rate – 1
Plusses – Low cost of living overall. Somewhat libertarian.
Minuses – Very hostile towards TG population and most people in general (criminalizes urinating yourself as a sex crime!). Backwards economy is heavily dependent on federal pork. High crime in major cities. Congestion is a major problem in Oklahoma City and Tulsa.
Overall: 12/36

Oregon
Population – 3591000
Protections for TG/TS people – 8
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 3
Level of government bureaucracy – 0
Wages – 2
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 2
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 3
Plusses: State protects from discrimination. Tolerant towards TG people, especially in the Willamette valley area. State government is not as intrusive as it's neighbor in CA.
Minuses: Weak state economy still reeling from dot com implosion. Portland and other cities are expensive. High state income and some local income taxes.
Overall: 23/36

Pennsylvania
Population – 12394000
Protections of TG/TS people – 2
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 3
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 3
Local economy – 3
Cost of living – 2
Infrastructure – 2
Crime – 1
Plusses: State tends to be balanced in it's economy. Philidelphia/Pittsburgh metro areas are TG friendly. Wages are good for state's economy.
Minuses: Congestion is bad in the bigger cities. Central PA is hostile to TG people and crime is a big problem.
Overall: 18/36

Rhode Island
Population – 1079000
Protections of TG/TS people – 8
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 3
Level of government bureaucracy – 1
Wages – 2
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 2
Infrastructure – 2
Crime – 3
Plusses: Statewide protections for TG people. Tolerant culture overall. Low crime
Minuses: Weird state economy (basically a hub of Boston) makes wages somewhat low. Decaying roads and bridges.
Overall: 23/36

South Carolina
Population – 4197000
Protections of TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 0
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 2
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 3
Infrastructure – 2
Crime – 1
Plusses: Somewhat libertarian government. Somewhat cheap to live here (but not very cheap)
Minuses: Christian separatist group (Christian Exodus) has tremendous pull in SC and reflects population's hostility towards TG/TS people. Weak local economy is dependent on government pork spending. High crime and increasing congestion from NC and GA.
Overall – 11/36

South Dakota
Population – 775000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 2
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 4
Infrastructure – 3
Crime – 3
Plusses: Relatively cheap state, low crime, fairly easy to get around in some areas
Minuses: Most of SD is hostile to TG people. State economy is mostly banking/finance/weak agriculture, also dependent on government pork. Wages are so-so. Crime is bad on Native American reservations.
Overall: 16/36

Tennessee
Population – 5893000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 0
Level of government bureaucracy – 3
Wages – 1
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 3
Infrastructure – 2
Crime – 1
Plusses: Lax gun laws. Low cost of living
Minuses: Very hostile towards TG/TS people. Piss poor wages and subsidy dependent state economy. Crime is rampant. Congestion and overcrowding are bad in the major cities and rural areas are sometimes in a mess.
Overall: 11/36

Texas
Population – 22471000
Protections for TG/TS people – 1
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 3
Wages – 2
Local economy – 3
Cost of living – 4
Infrastructure – 1
Crime – 1
Plusses: Libertarian for a large state. Very affordable even in the larger cities. Strong local economy.
Minuses: State is known to be hostile towards TG peoples at times. Crime is rampant in the major cities and even in rural areas. Wages are mediocre. Traffic and pollution are a nightmare in the larger cities.
Overall: 16/36

Utah
Population – 2420000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 0
Level of government bureaucracy – 1
Wages – 2
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 2
Infrastructure – 2
Crime – 3
Plusses: Low crime?
Minuses: In my opinion Utah is one of the worst places for TG/TS people to be in. The Mormon church, which basically runs the state government, is hostile to anyone outside of their religious beliefs. Population is also hostile to TG/TS people, and wages are mediocre at best. State economy is ridden with fraud.
Overall: 11/36

Vermont
Population – 621000
Protections for TG/TS people – 8
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 2
Level of government bureaucracy – 0
Wages – 3
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 2
Infrastructure – 4
Crime – 4
Plusses: Very low crime and almost no large cities to climb through.
Minuses: Mostly an agricultural economy. Cost of living is medium-high. State government can be somewhat intrusive at times. Population has an ambivalent attitude towards TG people.
Overall: 25/36

Virginia
Population – 7481000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 0
Level of government bureaucracy – 3
Wages – 3
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 1
Infrastructure – 2
Crime rate – 2
Plusses: Somewhat high wages
Minuses: State criminalized TG/TS people for being who they are. Intrusive state government, high cost of living with exception to the mountainous west, crime is bad in bigger cities, state economy is pork-barrel/military spending junk economy.
Overall – 13/36

Washington
Population – 6207000
Protections for TG/TS people – 8
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 3
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 3
Local economy – 3
Cost of living – 1
Infrastructure – 1
Crime rate – 2
Plusses: Very TG friendly state overall with exception to Eastern WA. Strong Wages and a strong state economy.
Minuses: Big Government in some areas. High cost of living and backwards infrastructure. Crime is bad in some cities.
Overall: 23/36

West Virginia
Population – 1812000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 2
Level of government bureaucracy – 0
Wages – 1
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 3
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 3
Plusses: Pretty tame state. Mountaineers have a live and let live attitude overall. Low crime and no huge areas of congestion or smog.
Minuses: Weak state economy. Low wages and barely makes it even in good times. No TG protections.
Overall: 13/36

Wisconsin
Population – 5503000
Protections for TG/TS people – 1
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 1
Wages – 3
Local economy – 3
Cost of living – 2
Infrastructure – 2
Crime rate – 3
Plusses: Crime is fairly low. Good wages and a strong economy for a state that has deindustrialized in the last few years.
Minuses: Northern WI is a no-go for TG/TS people. Congestion in larger cities is bad and cost of living is high.
Overall: 16/36

Wyoming
Population – 505000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 0
Wages – 3
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 2
Infrastructure – 2
Crime rate – 4
Plusses: Low crime. Somewhat Libertarian state government. Good wages
Minuses: TG/TS people are usually shunned. Local economy is only coal mining and oil extraction. Cost of living is high for small state. Roads and highways are hard to navigate sometimes and winters are hard on everything.
Overall: 14/36




In order overall of TG friendliness:
1. Illinois 28
2. Minnesota 27
3. New Jersey 26
4. Vermont 25
5. Maine 24
6. Washington, Rhode Island, New York, Iowa, Oregon, California 23
12. New Hampshire 22
13. Kentucky 20
14. Connecticut, Hawaii, New Mexico 19
17. Pennsylvania, Indiana 18
19. Colorado, DC, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts 17
24. North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin 16
28. Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio 15
31. Delaware, Idaho, Kansas, Wyoming 14
35. Virginia, West Virginia 13
37. Arizona, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma 12
41. Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Montana, Nevada, South Carolina, Utah, Tennessee 11
49. Alaska, Mississippi 9
51. Louisiana 8

For TG/TS people who don't care how big the state government is, here is an alternative list (scores out of a total of 32):

1. Minnesota, Illinois, Vermont 25
4. Maine 24
5. Oregon, Iowa, New Jersey 23
8. New York, Rhode Island 22
10. California, Washington 21
12. New Mexico 19
13. Kentucky, New Hampshire, Hawaii18
16. DC 17
17. North Dakota, Pennsylvania 16
19. Ohio, Massachuttsetts, Wisconsin, Indiana, Connecticut 15
24. South Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming 14
27. Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland, West Virginia, Nebraska, Delaware 13
34. Idaho 12
35. Kansas, Montana 11
37. Michigan, Virginia, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Utah 10
43. Alabama, Mississippi, Alaska, Arizona, South Carolina 9
48. Florida, Tennessee 8
50. Louisiana, Nevada 7

Just for kicks, let's pretend that no area within the US offered any form of protection. This will give you an idea of what the states are like without anti-discrimination laws for TG/TS people. This is out of a score of 26 (try not to use this list to make decisions as once a state or city passes such a law, it's usually difficult to overturn it in most cases):

1. New Hampshire 22
2. Illinois 20
3. Minnesota, Connecticut 19
5. New York, New Jersey 18
7. Vermont 17
8. Massachutsetts, North Dakota, South Dakota, Maryland, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Maine, 16
16. Washington, Rhode Island, California, Iowa, Oregon, Hawaii, Colorado, Georgia, Wisconsin, Texas, Nebraska, North Carolina 15
28. Ohio, Delaware, Idaho, Kansas, Wyoming 14
33. Virginia, West Virginia 13
35. Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma 12
38. Arizona, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Montana, Nevada, South Carolina, Utah, Tennessee, New Mexico 11
48. Alaska, Mississippi, DC 9
51. Louisiana 8

In essence, your pork-barrel backwards states generally aren't good places for TGs, not just because of the local economies but also because your weaker economies attract individuals who usually don't approve of TG/TS folk. I personally don't think that any state with a score of below 16 from the first list (or a 14 in the second list) is a state I'd want to be in if I were you.
Notes on criteria for evaluation of the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Population: While this isn't a criteria per se, it is always wise to know how many people you are living with.

TG protections: As I stated before, only statuatory law was considered in this report. While some states like NY and CT have common law cases in favor of TG people (i.e. the court ruled that, while the state discrimination laws do not include TG people as a protected class, it interpreted the state law as covering TG people), statutory law is the only criteria viable for this report. For states that do not cover TG people statewide, their scores are based on the percentage of population that is covered by some form of statutory law. Small percentages ( x < 8%) translate into 0.

TG attitudes: You may have noticed that no state received a 4 in this area. This is because most of the USA is still hostile to TG people. The best area to move to in order to lessen your chances of a nasty encounter is to stay away from the poorer and rougher parts of the state you live in, or leave the state altogether if it is too rough overall. I will not go into detail here as to why you must leave the poorer areas, but the rule is that your poor and many middle class areas are usually hostile to TG people.

Government bureaucracy: This number is based on how much the state government's spending and finances take up the state economy. While some states with a high number in this area have quite intrusive laws, most states that have a greater percentage of their economy taken up by the state usually have more stupid laws and crap. They'll find a way to stick it to you believe me. In South Dakota, for example, you have some localities that will pass all kinds of BS laws regarding what you can do with your house, your cars, etc..and these aren't big cities either. Don't assume that rural states are live and let live.

Another pointer: don't assume that because a state votes Blue or Red that it is necessarily more pro-TG. Michigan is a good example; much of Michigan votes Blue but is very hostile to TG people. Another example is in some parts of New England.

Wages: This is pretty straight forward. Don't let the fancy McMansions and hummer yuppies fool you; if a state or region has a low per capita income, it's probably a can to live in. Of course, some areas of the country that have high average incomes are dives but that is an exception to the rule.

Local economy: If your local economy is nothing but strip malls and McMansions, you might have a problem here. Also, consider that most of the pork barrel states (those with pissy scores in this area) are usually heavily subsidized by Uncle Sam. If the cash from Washington runs out, then what do you do? These states will take a huge dive if that happens irregardless of what industries they have. Most of your western states are heavily subsidized, and that is NOT good. Those cornfields and cattle farms and crap won't work without Washington's cash. Also, the areas around Washington DC are heavily subsidized thanks to your friends at the DOD and NORAD. Might we have a problem here if all what the locals do is build missile guidance systems?

Cost of living: Again, this should be obvious to most people. Your big cities are much more expensive than everywhere else, and your taxes will likely be higher. Some states have low taxes, some states will tax the air you breathe. The most expensive areas are in the NYC/Boston/Philidelphia/Baltimore/DC area and the West Coast; your cheapest areas are in Ohio and parts of the Confederate South. Don't assume that cheaper is better; houses are going for under $10000 in many parts of Kansas and Nebraska but those states are pigpens (literally) to live in.

Infrastructure: This is how well the state's roads and public services are put together, and how well they are taken care of. Most of the Western US and South are heavily car dependent, and a shortage in petroleum will be a pain in the ass. In essence, your big cities are usually put together like crap; they were thrown together in a time where we didn't care about the sprawl and smog and stupid stuff being put up. I have yet to be in a big city where you can get around without taking an hour to do so. You'll want to stay out of any area where you have to drive a half hour or more just to get anything. Also, if your state government fixes it's roads with duct tape or model glue, or goes by the cheap, get out. Rough roads will tear up your car if you use it a lot.

Crime: Most of the US has bad crime. Don't let the official statistics fool you; much of the crime goes unreported or the cops don't write it down right. Your poorer areas usually are crime ridden cesspools; stay out of them. Also, consider that certain industries attract your human garbage more. The industries that attract the most crime and screwy individuals are listed here:

Check cashing Centers
Pawnshops/Dollar Loan Center type places
Casinos
Sports Bars (basically thugs in sports cars and SUVs)
Liquor Stores
Smoke Shops
Businesses in serious stages of disrepair or outdated businesses
Labor Ready type places (->-bleeped-<--box employment centers)
Walmart (sometimes)
Welfare oriented businesses
Some low end schools

The Southeastern US has the highest amount of crime: most of the Confederate states are not too far away from the crime and crap you find in your Third World countries. Next is the Southwest; California and the mountain states have fairly bad crime. The best place to be is in rural New England; a general rule of thumb is to move to the Northern States. I am not a racist or a bigot here, I am a REALIST; the border with Mexico is ridden with crime and your Southern cultures are hostile to TG people for the most part. Take a good look at Mexico; if you are TG there the people will likely try to hang you. In the northern USA and Canada the people are much less likely to react with violence against TG people. Not all Southerners and people in the Heartland are bad, but their communities often react aggressively towards TG people.

Keep in mind, this list of TG friendly states can change as I receive more information. I assume no responsibility for what you do with this information; it's up to you to act upon it.

Thanks Aeyra, this list is very helpful I think as I thought most "blue" states were liberal and tolerant of TG/TS.  Guess I was wrong.  ;)

I also have to thank you, Aeyra, for this magnificent post.  :)

tink :icon_chick:

P.S.  California should always be at the top!  ;) ;D

Quote from: Tink on July 13, 2007, 06:45:51 PMP.S.  California should always be at the top!  ;) ;D

I like California too because of the culture there, but it's way too crowded for me...I mean, 36 million people???  :o

I have a friend who recently moved to San Diego and it is really, really expensive to live there.  Like, OMG!

Hmm, I didn't think New Hampshire was going to be that high up :)  Funny is I am actually considering a move to New York City.  We shall see.

Charlotte

wow, awesome post. at least the state I live in isn't below 16  :-\

Quote from: Kat on July 13, 2007, 06:52:20 PM
wow, awesome post. at least the state I live in isn't below 16  :-\

Yeah, same here...I'll avoid the south like the plague, I hear they still act like it's the 1800s there.  So backwards.  :P

although I am not entirely sure if I will end up living in the US, it really depends on the job I get. the career field I'm pursuing doesn't have too many hotspots

Quote from: Kat on July 13, 2007, 07:07:14 PM
although I am not entirely sure if I will end up living in the US, it really depends on the job I get. the career field I'm pursuing doesn't have too many hotspots

There isn't too much here Kat, and wherever you are I'm sure it's better than the states IMO.  When I say our president is about as intelligent as a trained monkey I am not kidding, and he has ruined this country so you're probably better off not coming here.

~Fae

I live in Indiana, so I would be leaving  :P

Quote from: Kat on July 13, 2007, 07:38:39 PM
I live in Indiana, so I would be leaving  :P

Ah, well ok then...so you know he's a trained monkey?  :laugh:

I want out too, but if not I will try to find the most accepting state. 

Hurray! I like this post. From my experience, Philadelphia is very TG friendly. I can't really speak for the rest of the state but we have a ton of resources here in the city for TG people.

Well Lets see I use to live in the kansas city area then florida two states at the bottom of the TS friendly list.  Now in california (Northern) which is very TS friendly or at least tollerant. 

Great list and very cool work, 

Beni

Great list,  I have a sister in alabama,  haven't told her I'm TG yet.  Should prove very interesting.  I live in oregon and the city I live in is very proactive in the GLBT.

QuoteMichigan
Population – 10120000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 2
Local economy – 0
Cost of living – 3
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 1
Plusses: Low cost of living for large state. Relatively pro-liberty, dirt cheap housing.
Minuses: Auto industry collapse has caused the state economy to lurch back to what it was in the 1920s. High crime, especially in the Detroit area. Population is hostile to TG people in most areas. Miniscule % of population is protected.
Overall: 12/36

Crime?

I never noticed [as she cleans her single-action .45 automatic and her combat knife]...

This list is impressive, I hope you don't mind if I upload it. I too have traveled all over the U.S. and have noticed that attitudes change from state to state but they also change from city to city. I once heard of this country referred to as a sea of intolerance with little islands (cities) of acceptance like San Francisco Ca., Minneapolis, Mn. and Madison, Wi. I have found this to be true and would be eager to see this post expanded to cover our major cities too.
Something else I've noticed and I might be wrong about this but if you go just outside a tolerant city it seems to be surrounded by an extra measure of resistance, being more intolerant than might be found at random as if it's an effort by some to compensate for the liberal attitudes next door. Inside a Trans friendly city it sometimes appears that there are  people who feel they need to "fight the good fight" in their eyes and cause problems for transsexuals as best they can. They are also better at spotting Trans people so your efforts to blend in with the population can be undone, while in a more neutral region people tend to be more blinded to Tran sexuality in general. I would be very interested to hear your thoughts on this.

I live in Illinois, and all in all, I do think it is a very good state in general for trans people, just so long as you don't live in small downstate communities, which tend to be a lot more rural and conservative.

Aside from legal protections, I feel like most people are fairly tolerant of differences, including trans. Chicago has a sizable GLBT population, and it's pretty easy to find treatment options and care providers in the Chicagoland area, including clinics that focus on LGBT issues. And as a whole, the area is trending more liberal politically, even a bit in the fairly affluent suburbs. While education can vary a bit from place to place, and there definitely are some stinkers in the city and around, but there are a lot of very good schools in the suburbs, if that's a concern.

If there's anything that detracts from Illinois, it's probably that the climate is quite variable. It's quite cold in the winter, and hot and humid during the summer. Usually, it's better (more moderate) the closer you get to the lake (Lake Michigan), but only to an extent. Anyway, that's my biggest complaint. Hot, then cold, sometimes in a matter of days =p. You'll definitely need a good wardrobe for all four seasons if you live here~.

The list is a good start, but HIGHLY flawed.  You should not use the government bureaucracies in those states as a criteria.  I would also knock Illinois down a notch because of their birth certificate rules force you to go to a US licensed practitioner if you want SRS.  Also while COOK COUNTY and Chicago is a tolerant place, I would hardly consider the collar counties a good place for TS.  Also for a city Chicago is rather safe, if you know the city. 

I would also say there is TWO Virginia's, Northern Virginia and Southern Virginia.  Trust me living in Arlington, VA is not backwater in any ways. Legal protections are not in place, but nobody really bothers you about anything. 

Also with regards to jobs.  DC is a 4.  It is the easiest place in the country to find a GOOD job, I cannot say that about NY or Chicago. 

Also you think the crime rate is bad in DC, the reality is its highly isolated to the SE and NE in DC.  Its closer to a 2 in terms of crime than a 0. The public transport is ultra safe.   Its also probably the best city in terms of trans-services because of the WWC and the best place to seek a job because of the proliferation of progressive organizations and universities.  It does have a low trans population (the metro area has the lowest in the country, despite being the fourth largest metro area, only 1200 trans people live in the DC metro area.)

In general it was a good attempt, but there are some generalizations there that should not exist.  Like for example, you know it is easiest in DC to change the gender on the drivers license and that "other" is an option.

For example for trans people this
Level of Government bureaucracy – 0
Should be a 4.  There is alot of government in DC, but it is highly beneficial to trans people, if only because of the DL issue and the extensive protections.


As much as your attempt is valiant, it does lack a specific understanding of some of the areas you are citing.  Also some of the criteria are bit suspicious.

Sorry, but I had to point out the critiques of the list, because they are valid.  Quite a bit comes from generalizations and lack of specific understanding of an area.  This is crystal clear with the DC area, because your evaluation is highly flawed. 

"The list is a good start, but HIGHLY flawed.  You should not use the government bureaucracies in those states as a criteria.  I would also knock Illinois down a notch because of their birth certificate rules force you to go to a US licensed practitioner if you want SRS.  Also while COOK COUNTY and Chicago is a tolerant place, I would hardly consider the collar counties a good place for TS.  Also for a city Chicago is rather safe, if you know the city.  "

Yes it's true that IL requires you to use a US doctor for SRS, but then again I wouldn't head outside the USA for SRS. I don't buy that the doctors in Thailand or Vietnam or wherever are very high quality, and they might not be safe countries to go to if anyone finds out you are TG. Also, given what is going on in this country, I'm beginning to wonder if the letter on your birth certificate will even be relavent in the future. I won't go into detail here as to why but I'm doubtful that BCs will even be useful irregardless of your gender identity in the near future.

As for legal protections, you'll have better luck if you do have them, and not just in employment. Don't assume that just because someone doesn't fire you for being TG, don't assume that your landlord (or county tax office if you own real estate) necessarily thinks the same. They might try to can you, and given the way most of the country is set up, it's very difficult to get back up on your feet if they throw you out the door. Having no legal protections is a nightmare, believe me.

I won't doubt that DC and cities similar to it have some good jobs, but keep in mind that DC is a very heavily subsidized city. DC gets back around $6.60 for every dollar sent to the US Treasury/IRS, and that spells potential trouble if you ask me. Yes, I have been out East and out West and I have dealt with and spoken with people all over the Union and your more heavily subsidized states aren't usually good places for TG people. Maryland and Virginia are heavily subsidized states as well (even though Maryland is a Blue State and much of NOVA votes "blue"), and an economy based on missile defense and Homeland Security may not be viable in the future. I think it's obvious that the cowboy states (the nickname I give for the Rocky Mountain/Great Plains states) aren't good places at all for TG people, they're probably just as bad as the COnfederate south except they live in the mountains. Another thing too, the only really "pro-liberty" state in the US is New Hampshire, and even that state has all kinds of wacky laws and such.

-----FYI, I wrote this report with the anticipation of hard times in this country. I considered a bunch of factors I didn't write in this report (geopolitical factors, cultural and historical behaviors of the 50 states, energy politics, economic patterns, etc) and I honestly believe that states that can sustain themselves will be much better for not only LGBT people but everyone in general. Sure, you might live in an area of Virginia or Arizona or any one of the heavily subsidized states that is fairly pro-TG, but they may be pro-TG simply because the dollars keep flowing in from DC. What should happen if the dollars stop? People change dramatically if they are broke or desperate for work, and I strongly feel that DC might not be sending anymore $$$$ to the states like they do now.

Virginia - gets back about $1.66 for every dollar paid to Feds
Maryland - about $1.44 for every dollar going to the Feds
North Dakota - about $1.75 for every dollar to Feds
Idaho - $1.28 for every dollar sent to Feds

If DC stops sending money, then what are these states and others in their boat going to do about the shortfalls? In North Dakota, you'd be looking at taxes going up about $3900 per capita to make up for the shortfall assuming that you wanted to keep the same level of services in the state. I don't mean to be rude but please do not tell me that any state that is heavily subsidized (more than $1.10 recieved for every dollar sent to the Feds) is going to be a good place for TGs or for a lot of people in general. Much of society today is very unstable even in good times. How will people react to transgender folk if hard times come upon them?

I also admit that I wrote this report with the intent of providing some guidance for a good place to 'hole up' during the years ahead, kind of like survival prep. I know that it's something that we don't want to talk about but I feel that someone must say something (send this report to anyone you like, I'm not selling anything here). I saw dark storm clouds forming over the USA over a year ago, and they are getting worse with every month that passes, and this storm is going to be bad. I won't go into much detail here as to why but I can say that the incivility and unrest in this country is getting really bad; at ground zero here in Sioux Falls it feels like the whole city will break down into a fist fight, and this is just the calm before the storm. Don't believe me? Watch when the housing bubble blows up later this year. I can't see how this will be good....

Thank you for the information, Aeyra. I'm going to go over it and make copies to give out to other TG's. Keep us posted.

Gennee   

:)

Okay... there are exceptions to everything. My wife and I live an hour south of San Francisco, on the California coast, and have endured far more discrimination here than either of us did in Arkansas, Indiana, or Colorado... I don't quite know what this means, but for some reason, we thought it'd be more tolerant here. Guess you never know.

Dino

Quote from: Kaitlyn on July 15, 2007, 02:52:34 AM
I live in Illinois, and all in all, I do think it is a very good state in general for trans people, just so long as you don't live in small downstate communities, which tend to be a lot more rural and conservative.

Aside from legal protections, I feel like most people are fairly tolerant of differences, including trans. Chicago has a sizable GLBT population, and it's pretty easy to find treatment options and care providers in the Chicagoland area, including clinics that focus on LGBT issues. And as a whole, the area is trending more liberal politically, even a bit in the fairly affluent suburbs. While education can vary a bit from place to place, and there definitely are some stinkers in the city and around, but there are a lot of very good schools in the suburbs, if that's a concern.

If there's anything that detracts from Illinois, it's probably that the climate is quite variable. It's quite cold in the winter, and hot and humid during the summer. Usually, it's better (more moderate) the closer you get to the lake (Lake Michigan), but only to an extent. Anyway, that's my biggest complaint. Hot, then cold, sometimes in a matter of days =p. You'll definitely need a good wardrobe for all four seasons if you live here~.

Northwest Illinois here.  Good attitude towards transgender people as far as I can tell.  I was just unlucky and grew up with Evangelical parents.  And the climate... gaaah!  The weather channel is useless in this part of the country.  And tornadoes.   :-X

I'll be going to school in Savannah, Georgia in a few months.  I hope I don't have problems while I'm there.  I hear Savannah has a high crime rate. 

Quote from: Aeyra on July 16, 2007, 12:34:19 AM
"The list is a good start, but HIGHLY flawed.  You should not use the government bureaucracies in those states as a criteria.  I would also knock Illinois down a notch because of their birth certificate rules force you to go to a US licensed practitioner if you want SRS.  Also while COOK COUNTY and Chicago is a tolerant place, I would hardly consider the collar counties a good place for TS.  Also for a city Chicago is rather safe, if you know the city.  "

Yes it's true that IL requires you to use a US doctor for SRS, but then again I wouldn't head outside the USA for SRS. I don't buy that the doctors in Thailand or Vietnam or wherever are very high quality, and they might not be safe countries to go to if anyone finds out you are TG. Also, given what is going on in this country, I'm beginning to wonder if the letter on your birth certificate will even be relavent in the future. I won't go into detail here as to why but I'm doubtful that BCs will even be useful irregardless of your gender identity in the near future.

As for legal protections, you'll have better luck if you do have them, and not just in employment. Don't assume that just because someone doesn't fire you for being TG, don't assume that your landlord (or county tax office if you own real estate) necessarily thinks the same. They might try to can you, and given the way most of the country is set up, it's very difficult to get back up on your feet if they throw you out the door. Having no legal protections is a nightmare, believe me.

I won't doubt that DC and cities similar to it have some good jobs, but keep in mind that DC is a very heavily subsidized city. DC gets back around $6.60 for every dollar sent to the US Treasury/IRS, and that spells potential trouble if you ask me. Yes, I have been out East and out West and I have dealt with and spoken with people all over the Union and your more heavily subsidized states aren't usually good places for TG people. Maryland and Virginia are heavily subsidized states as well (even though Maryland is a Blue State and much of NOVA votes "blue"), and an economy based on missile defense and Homeland Security may not be viable in the future. I think it's obvious that the cowboy states (the nickname I give for the Rocky Mountain/Great Plains states) aren't good places at all for TG people, they're probably just as bad as the COnfederate south except they live in the mountains. Another thing too, the only really "pro-liberty" state in the US is New Hampshire, and even that state has all kinds of wacky laws and such.

-----FYI, I wrote this report with the anticipation of hard times in this country. I considered a bunch of factors I didn't write in this report (geopolitical factors, cultural and historical behaviors of the 50 states, energy politics, economic patterns, etc) and I honestly believe that states that can sustain themselves will be much better for not only LGBT people but everyone in general. Sure, you might live in an area of Virginia or Arizona or any one of the heavily subsidized states that is fairly pro-TG, but they may be pro-TG simply because the dollars keep flowing in from DC. What should happen if the dollars stop? People change dramatically if they are broke or desperate for work, and I strongly feel that DC might not be sending anymore $$$$ to the states like they do now.

Virginia - gets back about $1.66 for every dollar paid to Feds
Maryland - about $1.44 for every dollar going to the Feds
North Dakota - about $1.75 for every dollar to Feds
Idaho - $1.28 for every dollar sent to Feds

If DC stops sending money, then what are these states and others in their boat going to do about the shortfalls? In North Dakota, you'd be looking at taxes going up about $3900 per capita to make up for the shortfall assuming that you wanted to keep the same level of services in the state. I don't mean to be rude but please do not tell me that any state that is heavily subsidized (more than $1.10 recieved for every dollar sent to the Feds) is going to be a good place for TGs or for a lot of people in general. Much of society today is very unstable even in good times. How will people react to transgender folk if hard times come upon them?

I also admit that I wrote this report with the intent of providing some guidance for a good place to 'hole up' during the years ahead, kind of like survival prep. I know that it's something that we don't want to talk about but I feel that someone must say something (send this report to anyone you like, I'm not selling anything here). I saw dark storm clouds forming over the USA over a year ago, and they are getting worse with every month that passes, and this storm is going to be bad. I won't go into much detail here as to why but I can say that the incivility and unrest in this country is getting really bad; at ground zero here in Sioux Falls it feels like the whole city will break down into a fist fight, and this is just the calm before the storm. Don't believe me? Watch when the housing bubble blows up later this year. I can't see how this will be good....

No offense your reasoning is still heavily flawed.  You know why there is alot of Federal Spending in DC: ALL OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS BASED HERE.  Its the base of power.  That is why there is plenty of Jobs in DC and one of the strongest economies in the country.  In fact I LIVED in Chicago, you want to know where its easier to find a good paying Job: DC.  My Roommate lived in NYC, you want to know which place its easier to find a good paying job: DC. 

Like I said, your reasoning is heavily flawed.  Federal subsidies should not be used as a criteria at all for moving to an area. 

Also if you want to base it on oil prices New England, is not walkable at all and public transportation is crap.  I can walk, bike, a bus or train easily in the beltway. 

I could go on, but your entire federal subsidy standard is incredibly flawed and should not be used as a standard for a TG person moving anywhere, that is the flaw.  The ease of finding a job and legal protections should be.  Guess what...DC ranks a solid 4 both areas.  I would rank Chicago and NYC, highly competitive job markets which its very tough to get a good job...a 2 in that area.  Yeah there is legal protections, but when you are competing with 50-100 people for one job, well its pretty easy to get discrimination that is unactionable.  DC on the other hand...jobs are easy to get because of people are moving in and out to work on campaigns.  Also the high tech industry in the area is huge.  I could go on, but from LIVING HERE, the job boom is not going away anytimes soon in DC, the constant flow of people in and out makes it an easy place to find a good job.  In Chicago and NYC you may get a job, but it will not be as good as the one you will get in DC in terms of pay.

Quote from: Fae on July 13, 2007, 07:41:37 PM

Quote from: Kat on July 13, 2007, 07:38:39 PM
I live in Indiana, so I would be leaving  :P

Ah, well ok then...so you know he's a trained monkey?  :laugh:

I want out too, but if not I will try to find the most accepting state. 

Please stop referring to monkeyboy as being a well trained monkey. He will never be trained well enough to roam about without a diaper.

signed

The Department of Homeland Security

Posted on: July 16, 2007, 10:57:52 PM

---

Quote from: Aeyra on July 16, 2007, 12:34:19 AM
I also admit that I wrote this report with the intent of providing some guidance for a good place to 'hole up' during the years ahead, kind of like survival prep. I know that it's something that we don't want to talk about but I feel that someone must say something (send this report to anyone you like, I'm not selling anything here). I saw dark storm clouds forming over the USA over a year ago, and they are getting worse with every month that passes, and this storm is going to be bad. I won't go into much detail here as to why but I can say that the incivility and unrest in this country is getting really bad; at ground zero here in Sioux Falls it feels like the whole city will break down into a fist fight, and this is just the calm before the storm. Don't believe me? Watch when the housing bubble blows up later this year. I can't see how this will be good....

Hi Aeyra,

   I am the kind of person who doesn't understand anything. Can you start a post that explains more about what you mean by the statements above?   I'm usually pretty mellow, but you're freaking me out.  I live in Massachusetts in case you have any foresight into what is going to happen here.

  Also, can you explain what you meant about birth certificates not mattering anymore?


Thank you,

Rebis

Quote from: Rebis on July 16, 2007, 11:16:49 PM

Quote from: Fae on July 13, 2007, 07:41:37 PM

Quote from: Kat on July 13, 2007, 07:38:39 PM
I live in Indiana, so I would be leaving  :P

Ah, well ok then...so you know he's a trained monkey?  :laugh:

I want out too, but if not I will try to find the most accepting state. 

Please stop referring to monkeyboy as being a well trained monkey. He will never be trained well enough to roam about without a diaper.

signed

The Department of Homeland Security

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

oh, Rebis...THAT'S funny!

"  I am the kind of person who doesn't understand anything. Can you start a post that explains more about what you mean by the statements above?   I'm usually pretty mellow, but you're freaking me out.  I live in Massachusetts in case you have any foresight into what is going to happen here.

  Also, can you explain what you meant about birth certificates not mattering anymore?"

Simply put, I don't think that birth certificates will be of much use in the future. I don't foresee the feds or perhaps even the state governments playing much of a role in our lives 5 - 10 years down the road. Why? To make a long story short, this housing bubble collapse and eventual massive drop in housing prices is going to mess over this country big time, and I can see it happening right now. If that happens, I think that politics and the general attitude of society will get nasty, and I think you'll be lucky if anyone even bothers to check your BC. Who knows what could happen in the next few years. What I do know is that this 2008 election year will be a firestorm, and I don't get a very good feeling about that.

If your house dropped back to 1999-2000 price levels, would you be able to handle that, for those of you who own? That is a very likely scenario; if housing goes back to 99/00 pricing, that's a 60 -70% in some areas, and I don't think that the general population would like that at all. The reason I focus on housing is because that is basically what has driven the US economy in the past 7 years or so, and without the real estate bubble this country is in deep trouble. The political tension in this country is already heavily strained by the stupid Congress and Bush's antics since 2000; does anyone really think that having the economy lurch back a decade in size is going to help?

Where you are at in Massachutsetts, Rebis, you'll be fine, but if you live in the larger cities you'll want to be careful since the level of crime will go up considerably. Some areas of the country aren't as lucky; I hate to break it to everyone but most of the Western US will fare worse than the New England states. I can't see how Phoenix or Los Angeles will be able to pick themselves back up from a housing collapse. San Francisco will fare better but like Massachutsetts, you'll want to be careful. Seattle and Portland, same thing there. As for the rest of the West, it's best if you leave. I know a lot of people won't agree with me here but most of the western US doesn't function well without funds from DC. I'm trying my best to get out of South Dakota since this state functions poorly even in good times. I think the best places to go are the Pacific Northwest (or Northern CA), the Great Lakes states (at least in MN and IL), and the Northeastern US. If you are in Canada, stay in eastern Canada all the way out to the end of Ontario, or you can go into the British Columbian coastline. Try to move to a smaller city if it works for you (below 140K).

Found some articles to verify Aeyra's research.  Amy, you may not agree with Aeyra's findings, but the situation in this country has been getting worse, not better, since 9/11.  I believe she is using "federal subsidies" as a standard of her research because there may come a time when individuals will not be able to depend on the government for assistance, and if the housing bubble does collapse, then the economy may soon follow and we'll fall into another depression.  DC may be a good place to get a job, but most of those jobs are based within the government, either with politics, defense construction, etc.  What happens when those jobs are no longer available if the economy collapses? 

The government has slowly been stripping away civil liberties and the rights of the people in the name of "Homeland Security".  Areas in the south are still suffering because of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and the government won't help them.  Crime is becoming more widespread everywhere.  Thanks to Mr. Bush's mess in Iraq, this country is no safer than it was before 9/11, and what is happening over there may not affect us now, but it may in the near future.  Other countries are already distancing themselves from us because of our militaristic foreign policy.  Political corruption is horrendous and is already affecting the average individual, because the government is catering to special interest groups, the rich, and succumbing to party politics - and not representing the people as it's suppose to do under the constitution.  There is a trillion-dollar-deficit that our children and our children's children will be paying off for centuries.

What does all this mean for us in the TG/TS community?  It means that when the hard times do come, we will have to be extra careful and become self-sufficient.  Aeyra is using federal subsidies as a standard so we can live somewhere where we can be self-sufficient. 

At least take Aeyra's advice under consideration, and do some research of your own if you don't agree with her.  Can it hurt to be prepared?

http://www.tompaine.com/articles/trouble_at_home_the_housing_bubble.php

http://www.larouchepub.com/other/2002/2924fannie_mae.html

http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/may2005/nf20050531_6480_db042.htm

~Fae

You should have also included access to  trans health services such as low-priced GLBT clinics and other resources.  This is a MUCH more relevant criteria than some that you listed.

As much as I hate to say this, Federal Jobs and Jobs related to government spending are often the only jobs that are safe during economic collapse.  It is often the areas of the country that are heavily reliant on private industry (such as the midwest) and real estate (California) that are often much harder hit by things such as the housing bubble.  Federal and political jobs are actually more secure and her predicting the collapse of the US government is a bit far fetched.  Even with the federal deficit, DC jobs are as safe as you get.  It is the jobs outside of government and politics, which are often the softest targets.  Thus the flawed reasoning.  My reasoning comes from a better understanding of the actual economy.  The private sector and jobs related to it are slaves to business cycles, the federal government and DC is not. 

Even during the great depression federal jobs were safe, in fact the federal government was the only one hiring.

I could go on, it why what she is putting forth is highly flawed reasoning.  But in times of economic collapse...my job in DC is safe, your job anywhere else...good luck.  The housing bubble is going to effect construction workers, private sector workers, and state government workers, not DC analyst and federal bureaucrats. 

Quote from: Amy T. on July 17, 2007, 11:19:54 AM
You should have also included access to  trans health services such as low-priced GLBT clinics and other resources.  This is a MUCH more relevant criteria than some that you listed.

That may be, but I think this list is more practical in terms of planning for the future.  Transition is only one part of our lives, and some TG/TS individuals do not go to clinics and are able to find helpful doctors in most places.  After transition, you need to plan to move on with your life, and this list helps in some regard to that goal.

Quote from: Amy T. on July 17, 2007, 11:19:54 AMFederal and political jobs are actually more secure and her predicting the collapse of the US government is a bit far fetched.

Far fetched, maybe, but not completely impossible given the current situation in this country, as I see it.  Huge deficit, foreign countries distancing themselves from us, the failure to make America safer, an unending war in Iraq.  Do you really think this is so far fetched?  I view this list as a rough idea for people to form the basis of a plan if things get worse than they are now and depending on the government is not possible.  It is not flawed - it's an idea for the future.

Quote from: Amy T. on July 17, 2007, 11:19:54 AMMy reasoning comes from a better understanding of the actual economy.  The private sector and jobs related to it are slaves to business cycles, the federal government and DC is not.

How do you have a better understanding of the economy compared to anyone else?  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to follow the news and do independent research to find out how the economy is doing.  Please refrain from saying "better" because you're coming across somewhat rude IMHO. 

Quote from: Amy T. on July 17, 2007, 11:19:54 AMI could go on, it why what she is putting forth is highly flawed reasoning.  But in times of economic collapse...my job in DC is safe, your job anywhere else...good luck.  The housing bubble is going to effect construction workers, private sector workers, and state government workers, not DC analyst and federal bureaucrats.

So basically the rich and those in power (i.e. DC analysts and bureaucrats) are going to be fine while the rest of us, the average citizens (i.e. construction workers, private sector workers, and state government workers) are more or less screwed if the economy collapses. 

Wow, that's just great.  I feel so much better.  Thank you Big Government!  ;D

~Fae

I am one of those DC experts.  My pay is middle class, but I have a JD.  I am part of the expert economy as a research analyst.  I would barely call us rich.  Just well educated.  Most of DC is well educated, its an expert economy, Boston is the same way, just different fields (less politics, more university and research centered).  Expert economies hold up the best during economic downturns, or are not effected at all.  The entire economy in these regions are often stable. 

DC is one of the most stable regions economically because the metro area has an education level that only Boston really comes close too.    Unlike what you are suggesting (I can tell already you know VERY LITTLE about DC), the economy is based on its expertise in a number of diverse areas, not just defense.  Also the federal jobs here are the last to get cut if there are federal cuts.  DC is not very reliant on construction for jobs, and less reliant on defense contractors than you realize, you want to know where the housing bubble will be bad, look to the Chicago exurbs. 

Also the war...will be over in two years.  It ends with Bush.  Also there is a very high likelihood the Republican party will collapse.  They own this war and they will pay the political price for continuing to support the war of choice.

I know I am cynical.  But expert economies like DC and Boston are usually the safest from economic collapse.  It is the benefit of living in one and having an education.

By the way.  I know about these conditions because I work on economic issues and analysis as part of my daily job.
I fought against many of the problems of this economy for years.  I know where they are sourced and have been fighting and warning people about them for years.  Idiots thought that housing development = good for the economy.  The downside was there was to much speculation and investment into housing.  It was a collapse in the making and I knew about it four years ago.

I am not a fan of the economy in the US either.  I have been trying to educate people about these issues.  I kind of have a told you so attitude sometimes as a result.  Outsourcing to china, low taxes on the rich, a war, a loss of the social safety net, and sprawl and over development has lead to a volatile economy. 

Like I said.  It does suck.  I don't like it either.  But I wanted to point out your flawed reasoning.  DC will be the last place to suffer from an economic downturn.  DC has yet to really suffer from one because of the nature of the town.  Politics is always a booming economy and DC federal jobs are always stable.  Plus the tech industry here is very strong and the legal field here will always be stable.  Other than that...its military jobs, which are married to the pentagon. Then its the universities and medical field which are not hurting. 

What I am saying is if you are a trans person with a college education and want to work for a progressive employer, seriously look into DC. 

PS.  DCs crime rate has also been falling.  It is no longer the worst place in the US to live.  The city is safe as long as you stay to the west.  It is expensive, but the pay makes up for the high cost of living, and there are reasonably priced places to live. 

Yeah, but besides the richest old areas of DC and the mall area, the architecture truly sucks (my opinion obviously), which much concretre used in all the wrong way. Its like they concentrated on government (not hulking souless buildings, the other ones) and the old areas and everything else got shafted.

Keira,
The aesthetics like any place depends where you are.  DC has been undergoing a revitalization in recent years, so much of it looks different than it did even 5 years ago and there has been a great deal of modernization.
Even the NE is starting to improve somewhat. 
Most of the city though is old and historic.

Arlington, Alexandria, Silver Springs, Takoma Park and the other urban suburbs are were most of the growth has been.  DC has limits just because of the height requirements.  That is why once you hit these areas, especially Arlington, there are tall buildings everywhere.  Its really bizarre. 

I live in southern Ontario Canada and love it here. I think that Toronto is one of the most Liberal citys in North America.
They have a large Pride day Parade here which attracts alot of publicity. I believe that it's very TG/TS freindly.
Then again, that's just my opinion.  ::)

What is it that you exactly do in DC, anyways? I know just as much about the economy as anyone else, and the numbers don't lie. We have $46 trillion USD in debt in this country and I don't see how we'll pay that back, especially given that our national assets are maybe $44 trillion USD. Basically we're upside down on the whole deal. Washington DC, granted, won't be the hardest hit, but I don't think it will be a good place in the future. The only reason DC does well right now is simply because the rest of the country is paying for it. It should be obvious to most people that we're going to have a SHTF moment really soon. When that happens, duck.

I will agree that BOston will make it through, but they'll run into some bumpy turbulence too. I didn't base my report on just who's paying whose bills, I considered a whole bunch of factors and the local economy is just one aspect of what makes a place good to live in or not.

Quote from: Aeyra on July 18, 2007, 11:14:05 AM
What is it that you exactly do in DC, anyways? I know just as much about the economy as anyone else, and the numbers don't lie. We have $46 trillion USD in debt in this country and I don't see how we'll pay that back, especially given that our national assets are maybe $44 trillion USD. Basically we're upside down on the whole deal. Washington DC, granted, won't be the hardest hit, but I don't think it will be a good place in the future. The only reason DC does well right now is simply because the rest of the country is paying for it. It should be obvious to most people that we're going to have a SHTF moment really soon. When that happens, duck.

I will agree that BOston will make it through, but they'll run into some bumpy turbulence too. I didn't base my report on just who's paying whose bills, I considered a whole bunch of factors and the local economy is just one aspect of what makes a place good to live in or not.

   Wasn't everything a horrible mess before Bill Clinton was in office?  By the time he left office things were much better, I think.  I can't swear to that. I have no clue.  My point is that if we are fortunate enough to get a good team in place, maybe things can be turned around some. Not as much as before, though, due to the damage caused by the winged diaper boy-in-chief.

   Please keep making upbeat projections about Boston.  :)   Between this thread and Thundra's prediction of outright civil war, I am having some anxiety.


Thank you,

Rebis

Quote from: Amy T. on July 18, 2007, 02:40:43 AM
I am one of those DC experts.  My pay is middle class, but I have a JD.  I am part of the expert economy as a research analyst.  I would barely call us rich.  Just well educated.  Most of DC is well educated, its an expert economy, Boston is the same way, just different fields (less politics, more university and research centered).  Expert economies hold up the best during economic downturns, or are not effected at all.  The entire economy in these regions are often stable. 

DC is one of the most stable regions economically because the metro area has an education level that only Boston really comes close too.    Unlike what you are suggesting (I can tell already you know VERY LITTLE about DC), the economy is based on its expertise in a number of diverse areas, not just defense.  Also the federal jobs here are the last to get cut if there are federal cuts.  DC is not very reliant on construction for jobs, and less reliant on defense contractors than you realize, you want to know where the housing bubble will be bad, look to the Chicago exurbs. 

Also the war...will be over in two years.  It ends with Bush.  Also there is a very high likelihood the Republican party will collapse.  They own this war and they will pay the political price for continuing to support the war of choice.

I know I am cynical.  But expert economies like DC and Boston are usually the safest from economic collapse.  It is the benefit of living in one and having an education.

By the way.  I know about these conditions because I work on economic issues and analysis as part of my daily job.
I fought against many of the problems of this economy for years.  I know where they are sourced and have been fighting and warning people about them for years.  Idiots thought that housing development = good for the economy.  The downside was there was to much speculation and investment into housing.  It was a collapse in the making and I knew about it four years ago.

I am not a fan of the economy in the US either.  I have been trying to educate people about these issues.  I kind of have a told you so attitude sometimes as a result.  Outsourcing to china, low taxes on the rich, a war, a loss of the social safety net, and sprawl and over development has lead to a volatile economy. 

Like I said.  It does suck.  I don't like it either.  But I wanted to point out your flawed reasoning.  DC will be the last place to suffer from an economic downturn.  DC has yet to really suffer from one because of the nature of the town.  Politics is always a booming economy and DC federal jobs are always stable.  Plus the tech industry here is very strong and the legal field here will always be stable.  Other than that...its military jobs, which are married to the pentagon. Then its the universities and medical field which are not hurting. 

What I am saying is if you are a trans person with a college education and want to work for a progressive employer, seriously look into DC. 

PS.  DCs crime rate has also been falling.  It is no longer the worst place in the US to live.  The city is safe as long as you stay to the west.  It is expensive, but the pay makes up for the high cost of living, and there are reasonably priced places to live. 

Thank you, that's better than just saying "I have a better understanding of the economy" and not explaining it before now because it sounded very elitist.  And no, I know very little about DC but I can tell you I would not want to live there because (a) I'm not very fond of big cities, (b) I can't picture myself living where the center of the government is based, and (c) No matter how easy it is to get a job there, it's DC!!  It's like the biggest target for a possible attack against this country.  No matter how low the crime rate is, I wouldn't feel safe there because of that, so I'll stick to New England.

Quote from: Rebis on July 18, 2007, 01:03:08 PM
   Wasn't everything a horrible mess before Bill Clinton was in office?  By the time he left office things were much better, I think.  I can't swear to that. I have no clue.  My point is that if we are fortunate enough to get a good team in place, maybe things can be turned around some. Not as much as before, though, due to the damage caused by the winged diaper boy-in-chief.

   Please keep making upbeat projections about Boston.  :)   Between this thread and Thundra's prediction of outright civil war, I am having some anxiety.


Thank you,

Rebis

I don't know about when Bill came into office, but when he left office this country was doing really good.  We had a $4 million surplus, the environment was protected, and the middle east was on the path towards peace (between Israel and the Palestinians), and the rest of the world thought very highly of us AFAIK.

I don't know if it would come to outright civil war, but it wouldn't surprise me.  Hopefully the next president will fix up Bush's mess and re-unite the country and end this "red" and "blue" state crap, and all the garbage that's developed over the past 8 years.

~Fae

If you just did New Orleans separate from the rest of Louisiana where would it rank?(New Orleans, not Louisiana).

Quote from: SarahFaceDoom on July 19, 2007, 04:42:28 PM
If you just did New Orleans separate from the rest of Louisiana where would it rank?(New Orleans, not Louisiana).

Probably a bit higher up but I based my report on the states as a whole, not parts of them. I would probably leave LA if you live outside of New Orleans. Even so, New Orleans is still in poor condition even long after Katrina. Granted the city may be TG friendly but I can't see how they will be able to put it back together. It's a shame since I heard that New Orleans was once a beautiful city.

Quote from: Aeyra on July 18, 2007, 11:14:05 AM
What is it that you exactly do in DC, anyways? I know just as much about the economy as anyone else, and the numbers don't lie. We have $46 trillion USD in debt in this country and I don't see how we'll pay that back, especially given that our national assets are maybe $44 trillion USD. Basically we're upside down on the whole deal. Washington DC, granted, won't be the hardest hit, but I don't think it will be a good place in the future. The only reason DC does well right now is simply because the rest of the country is paying for it. It should be obvious to most people that we're going to have a SHTF moment really soon. When that happens, duck.

I will agree that BOston will make it through, but they'll run into some bumpy turbulence too. I didn't base my report on just who's paying whose bills, I considered a whole bunch of factors and the local economy is just one aspect of what makes a place good to live in or not.

Washington DC will be one of the few good places in future.  The rest of the country may be paying for it, but it being the nations capitol and political center will not change whether there is a debt or surplus.  There will always be money and a stable economy here because every national union group, nonprofit, trade organization, etc has to be based here and will continue to operate no matter what the economic conditions.  No matter what the debt, the fact that this is an expert economy based on politics not business cycles or even the federal budget deficit.  Everyone from corporations, to unions, to citizens, to the media pour billions of dollars every year into this economy because of the political importance of DC and the high level access that really only exists here because its the nations capital. Every union and trade group is based here.  Most professional organizations run large offices out of DC. Nearly every national nonprofit is based here.   It guarantees a perpetually stable economy even in economic downturns. The closest thing to private industry here are patent law firms, appeallete law firms, PR firms and lobbying firms, and they are recession proof.  Everybody else works for nonprofits or DC fed jobs. 

In fact this area would probably be the LEAST hurt by any economic downturn compared to ANYWHERE else in the country, this has been true for well over a century and its not going to change.  Boston will actually see more pain than DC ever would.  Why? Because it is far more dependent on private enterprise, so it is more of a slave to the business cycle.  The only thing that keeps Boston more stable is the university and hospital system there, which is another thing DC area has on top of all the other recession proof aspects of the DC economy. 

Yes, I am an elitist.  I am a research analyst for a major corporate watchdog organization in DC.  Like anybody with "research" or "policy" and "analyst" in their title in  DC I am by every right an expert.  So when I see misguided and misinformed information about a location I will tell them, especially areas I am extremely familiar with by living in them, such as rural New England, DC, Chicago, etc.  Economic systems of large cities are complex, and you have proven to me you have very little if any understanding of the economy of DC and how it works.  You feel that the federal debt will effect it...it won't.

Probably the reason there are very few trans people here is because its an expert economy.  You need a college education, and quite frequently a masters degree or higher, and have skills outside of making money or selling things.  Its an idea economy coupled with a political economy.  DC is a knowledge base in this country of policy and research, and the economy here is based on that.  Idea economies...usually are the most recession proof, and DC is the center of the idea of the idea economy in the US, at least with regards to policy.   Its why even when the rest of the US economy often falters...DCs economy frequently grows. 

Also with regards to terrorist attacks.  You know where my train stop is, well one of them, the pentagon.  I do not live in fear of terrorism.  I live within a mile of the pentagon in fact.  I don't buy into fear campaigns regarding terrorism, I am more afraid of real life violence...like being shot, and even that is extremely unlikely.  I lived in urban areas during various points in my life, and I don't give into the concept of fear that many in rural areas and suburban areas have with regards to big cities.  I have seen worse things happen in  areas other than big cities, and more bigotry and explicit trans phobia and homophobia in those areas as well.   

You want to know what I really fear: car accidents and hit and run drivers.

Quote from: Amy T. on July 20, 2007, 12:37:11 PMYes, I am an elitist.

While I have valued your input up until now Amy, because of this statement I can't agree with you, nor accept your advise on the matter.

~Fae

Unfortunately, Amy T I'm going to agree with Fae on whether I can take you seriously anymore now that you are coming across as rubbing your 'expert' status in people's faces. Simply claiming to be an expert doesn't always raise your credibility, I don't care if you have a BA and an MS and a PQ or whatever. I have been to big cities and small towns around America too, and I will agree that there are parts to DC that are TG friendly. But overall I don't buy that DC is a good place for TGs.

For the record, terrorism is nothing new. To most people this is an obvious ploy to distract us from more pressing issues, like our national debt for example.

Quote from: Aeyra on July 20, 2007, 07:42:30 PM
For the record, terrorism is nothing new. To most people this is an obvious ploy to distract us from more pressing issues, like our national debt for example.

I do understand it's a ploy, but nonetheless it's been a different world since 9/11.  Probably one of the biggest reasons I won't live in a big city like DC.  A small, unknown and unimportant city, maybe, but nothing major like NYC, DC, Boston, etc... :P

~Fae

Quote from: Aeyra on July 19, 2007, 08:26:00 PM

Quote from: SarahFaceDoom on July 19, 2007, 04:42:28 PM
If you just did New Orleans separate from the rest of Louisiana where would it rank?(New Orleans, not Louisiana).

Probably a bit higher up but I based my report on the states as a whole, not parts of them. I would probably leave LA if you live outside of New Orleans. Even so, New Orleans is still in poor condition even long after Katrina. Granted the city may be TG friendly but I can't see how they will be able to put it back together. It's a shame since I heard that New Orleans was once a beautiful city.

It's really only the poorer sections of the city that are in bad shape.  The tourist sections are mostly in tact.  I was only asking because I had lived there, and planned to return.  I currently live in Rhode Island though, which is pretty good I guess.  But New Orleans is home.

Quote from: Aeyra on July 20, 2007, 07:42:30 PM
Unfortunately, Amy T I'm going to agree with Fae on whether I can take you seriously anymore now that you are coming across as rubbing your 'expert' status in people's faces. Simply claiming to be an expert doesn't always raise your credibility, I don't care if you have a BA and an MS and a PQ or whatever. I have been to big cities and small towns around America too, and I will agree that there are parts to DC that are TG friendly. But overall I don't buy that DC is a good place for TGs.

For the record, terrorism is nothing new. To most people this is an obvious ploy to distract us from more pressing issues, like our national debt for example.

Like I said.  I live here, you don't.  Generally speaking most people I know who are TG get employment fairly easily and remain in jobs, even when they openly identify.  Save for the republican nutcases, the people in DC are probably the most open minded you will ever meet, and you are less likely to face employment discrimination than anywhere else in the country, because the employers are much more image conscious with regards to discrimination because the amount of civil rights groups based here is enormous.  While I am around a bit of a different crowd, progressive and liberal activist (which describes about 55-70% of the DC area BTW), I have yet to get the impression the area is not transgender friendly.  Again, above all else this is the impression I get FROM LIVING HERE.  And to be honest, that is the best experience you can get from an area.  No offense, you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about with DC and your criteria for evaluation in general is total crap. 

On top of that my access to transgender services is above all excellent.  Which is completely missed in your evaluation. 

The DC area changed quite a bit after the death of the trans person as a result of the idiot paramedics.  Things changed quite a bit since that happened. 

I could go on, but the city by in large is as TG friendly as NYC, if not more so, because unlike NYC, the level of harassment out here is much lower. 

So what if I am an elitist.  I at least know the city I live in well enough to see the flaws in your reasoning, but also I see the flaws in your reasoning largely based on factors that should not be even part of a serious evaluation of city or state for a TS to move into.

When it gets down to this "evaluation" that you did is completely subjective based on your own self created criteria and perceptions that really should not be determinative in how good or bad an area is for anybody who is transgendered.  That is why I am being critical, the entire evaluation is highly flawed because you are throwing in factors that have very little to do with being trans in these cities, and are based on fundamentally flawed economic principles and a complete lack of understanding of the conditions in certain cities and states.   

The truth is the evaluation is kind of silly and unnecessary.  Move were gay and lesbian people are, it is really that simple.  They are more likely to be accepting of queer folks. It is baffling to me how many transgender people do not understand this.   DC has a huge gay and lesbian population, but a very small TG population, it is probably the only city I can think of like this. The other five, Boston, San Fran, Chicago, NYC and LA, all have massive trans populations.    Its not like DC is an unfriendly place for trans folks, its just transfolks don't move out here.  Why?  Who knows.  But its not that the city is not trans friendly.  Any city that passes the most comprehensive gender identity law is anything but unfriendly towards trans people.

I am sorry, but until you get a clue and know how to do a proper evaluation and construction of evaluation I cannot take your entire "transgender friendly states" thing seriously.  There are essential problems with the construct of your evaluation and things that do not belong there in terms of evaluating what is and is not friendly that have nothing to do with being transgender in these areas. 

Another word of advice to trans people.  It may be wise to go into the same careers as lesbians and gays.  For example, the nonprofit world, where I work, there is very little discrimination.  There are probably more women and more queer people working in the nonprofit world than any other economic sector, but very few transgender people.  And its not for lack of acceptance, these people are very accepting and the workplace environment is probably ideal.

I could go on/

Either way, the LGBT clinic here has top notched trans medical services and in general the trans services are great, I have never faced an instance of trans or homophobia (which I saw all the time in Chicago BTW), and it has a massive progressive base.  There are things I don't like in DC, but DC is very trans friendly.  It just has a tiny trans population. 

The only thing out here is a bit of elitism, but its not nearly as bad as the snobbery in Boston.  But that happens when there is a high proportion of people with masters and professional degrees with connections.  I am an elitist, and I am actually an expert, I have the resume and education to prove it.  Get mad at me and not take me seriously if you like, but unlike you I do this type of analysis for a living, so it is very easy for me to see fundamental flaws in what you are presenting and your evaluation method.  Trust me, your evaluation would hold up neither at NTCE or HRC. 


If you are wondering what an evaluation should look like well let me show you:
1. Non-Discrimination Laws
2. Access to TG Health Care and amount Health Care discrimination
3. Access to other TG services
4. Ease of Obtaining Employment/Competitiveness of employment market
5. Cost/Ease of finding housing
6. Size and Presence of a Queer Community
7. Access to higher education

That is how you do evaluation factor.  Short, Simple, and RELEVANT factors.



Thats it.  No using dependancy on federal subsidies and other factors THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH BEING TRANS.  If you did the evaluation like this, I would be far less critical.  Instead you got into absurd factors, and on top of that were generally off base and highly subjective.  I had to debunk your entire evaluation, because the construct of it was crap. 

Quote from: Amy T. on July 21, 2007, 03:00:29 AM

Quote from: Aeyra on July 20, 2007, 07:42:30 PM
Unfortunately, Amy T I'm going to agree with Fae on whether I can take you seriously anymore now that you are coming across as rubbing your 'expert' status in people's faces. Simply claiming to be an expert doesn't always raise your credibility, I don't care if you have a BA and an MS and a PQ or whatever. I have been to big cities and small towns around America too, and I will agree that there are parts to DC that are TG friendly. But overall I don't buy that DC is a good place for TGs.

For the record, terrorism is nothing new. To most people this is an obvious ploy to distract us from more pressing issues, like our national debt for example.

Like I said.  I live here, you don't.  Generally speaking most people I know who are TG get employment fairly easily and remain in jobs, even when they openly identify.  Save for the republican nutcases, the people in DC are probably the most open minded you will ever meet, and you are less likely to face employment discrimination than anywhere else in the country, because the employers are much more image conscious with regards to discrimination because the amount of civil rights groups based here is enormous.  While I am around a bit of a different crowd, progressive and liberal activist (which describes about 55-70% of the DC area BTW), I have yet to get the impression the area is not transgender friendly.  Again, above all else this is the impression I get FROM LIVING HERE.  And to be honest, that is the best experience you can get from an area.  No offense, you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about with DC and your criteria for evaluation in general is total crap. 

On top of that my access to transgender services is above all excellent.  Which is completely missed in your evaluation. 

The DC area changed quite a bit after the death of the trans person as a result of the idiot paramedics.  Things changed quite a bit since that happened. 

I could go on, but the city by in large is as TG friendly as NYC, if not more so, because unlike NYC, the level of harassment out here is much lower. 

So what if I am an elitist.  I at least know the city I live in well enough to see the flaws in your reasoning, but also I see the flaws in your reasoning largely based on factors that should not be even part of a serious evaluation of city or state for a TS to move into.

When it gets down to this "evaluation" that you did is completely subjective based on your own self created criteria and perceptions that really should not be determinative in how good or bad an area is for anybody who is transgendered.  That is why I am being critical, the entire evaluation is highly flawed because you are throwing in factors that have very little to do with being trans in these cities, and are based on fundamentally flawed economic principles and a complete lack of understanding of the conditions in certain cities and states.   

The truth is the evaluation is kind of silly and unnecessary.  Move were gay and lesbian people are, it is really that simple.  They are more likely to be accepting of queer folks. It is baffling to me how many transgender people do not understand this.   DC has a huge gay and lesbian population, but a very small TG population, it is probably the only city I can think of like this. The other five, Boston, San Fran, Chicago, NYC and LA, all have massive trans populations.    Its not like DC is an unfriendly place for trans folks, its just transfolks don't move out here.  Why?  Who knows.  But its not that the city is not trans friendly.  Any city that passes the most comprehensive gender identity law is anything but unfriendly towards trans people.

I am sorry, but until you get a clue and know how to do a proper evaluation and construction of evaluation I cannot take your entire "transgender friendly states" thing seriously.  There are essential problems with the construct of your evaluation and things that do not belong there in terms of evaluating what is and is not friendly that have nothing to do with being transgender in these areas. 

Another word of advice to trans people.  It may be wise to go into the same careers as lesbians and gays.  For example, the nonprofit world, where I work, there is very little discrimination.  There are probably more women and more queer people working in the nonprofit world than any other economic sector, but very few transgender people.  And its not for lack of acceptance, these people are very accepting and the workplace environment is probably ideal.

I could go on/

Either way, the LGBT clinic here has top notched trans medical services and in general the trans services are great, I have never faced an instance of trans or homophobia (which I saw all the time in Chicago BTW), and it has a massive progressive base.  There are things I don't like in DC, but DC is very trans friendly.  It just has a tiny trans population. 

The only thing out here is a bit of elitism, but its not nearly as bad as the snobbery in Boston.  But that happens when there is a high proportion of people with masters and professional degrees with connections.  I am an elitist, and I am actually an expert, I have the resume and education to prove it.  Get mad at me and not take me seriously if you like, but unlike you I do this type of analysis for a living, so it is very easy for me to see fundamental flaws in what you are presenting and your evaluation method.  Trust me, your evaluation would hold up neither at NTCE or HRC. 


If you are wondering what an evaluation should look like well let me show you:
1. Non-Discrimination Laws
2. Access to TG Health Care and amount Health Care discrimination
3. Access to other TG services
4. Ease of Obtaining Employment/Competitiveness of employment market
5. Cost/Ease of finding housing
6. Size and Presence of a Queer Community
7. Access to higher education

That is how you do evaluation factor.  Short, Simple, and RELEVANT factors.



Thats it.  No using dependancy on federal subsidies and other factors THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH BEING TRANS.  If you did the evaluation like this, I would be far less critical.  Instead you got into absurd factors, and on top of that were generally off base and highly subjective.  I had to debunk your entire evaluation, because the construct of it was crap. 

If this is what a 'progressive liberal' considers a civil discussion, then quite honestly maybe that's why the whole country is hostile to them. You get a clue, you've never been out here in MN and this neck of the woods. Also, you claim to be an elitist, well, we and most of the Union doesn't need DC and would be more than happy to dump DC. Hell I didn't do anything to provoke you and this is how you respond...maybe that's why DC has such a low TG population.  >:(

Quote from: Amy T. on July 21, 2007, 03:00:29 AM
Another word of advice to trans people.  It may be wise to go into the same careers as lesbians and gays.  For example, the nonprofit world, where I work, there is very little discrimination.  There are probably more women and more queer people working in the nonprofit world than any other economic sector, but very few transgender people.  And its not for lack of acceptance, these people are very accepting and the workplace environment is probably ideal.

That may be true, and this is good advice.  The rest of your post, however, is blatantly an attack on Aeyra which was neither warranted nor needed for the purpose of this conversation.  You live in DC, good for you, I honestly hope you're happy there.  You're an elitist, that's great too.  But don't try pushing your own views onto Aeyra's evaluation and start cutting it apart and calling it "silly and unnecessary."  I actually like her ideas, and I'm sure other's here do to.  None of us appreciate your hostility Amy.

As I said before, there is more to live that being trans.  The focus of this evaluation was to give people an idea of where to live if they are TG/TS given the current state of affairs in this country (and not just issues concerning TS/TG but on issues concerning everyone), and the evaluation was based on her criteria, not yours.  If Aeyra wanted to write an evaluation based on your criteria, she would have probably made a post and asked others to contribute ideas regarding criteria, but she didn't.  She took a month of her own time and wrote an evaluation on her criteria, so please show a little respect and say "good job,"  instead of saying it is "highly flawed." 

The rest of the world more or less hates us at this point.  There is corruption everywhere across all sectors of the government, both local, state, and federal.  If you like DC Amy, and can find trans-related services there, that's great.  I'm sorry you're not concerned with issues that affect every citizen in this country, both TG/TS and non-TG/TS.  Don't attack this idea because it doesn't include trans services and doesn't conform to your elitist views about DC being so great.  Not all of us want to be in DC.  Worse case scenario, which I believe is what Aeyra was aiming for here, if the country falls apart we will be more concerned with how to survive than finding trans-related services.  You can stay in DC, I hope you have a wonderful time there.

Quote from: Aeyra on July 13, 2007, 11:17:37 AMI am writing this essay to better help those who are considering a move from their current location due to their transition or simply to find a more accommodating environment. Please note that I have my own biases and not all TG/TS folk may agree with what I say here. My ratings of all the states here is based on my direct experience with the local culture in each state and from what I have hear and seen from other TG/TS folk...

...My experience leads me to believe that you as a TG/TS individual are best off in a state that protects most of it's population from discrimination due to gender identity, and is also a live and let live state, meaning no intrusive or nanny state mentality. Your larger states like CA and NY may slip a bit here due to this, but overall they will fare better than say, MO. Also, some of the things I say here might offend some. I do not make some remarks about states because of bigotry, I am a REALIST. Even in 2007 there are plenty of areas in the USA that can be potentially dangerous to transgender people.

In the future Amy, please take note of disclaimers before attacking someone's idea.

~Fae

 Hi,

   I think this is a good topic, however, we should remember that people naturally have differing points of view.  I really believe that this topic works because, although it is inherently important, it is not something many of us tend to just stop and think about.

   It really is best to state our opinions, be appreciative of the efforts and opinions of others, and try to not become frustrated over the differences of opinion.

   If someone offers an opinion that is not accepted by another person, the person who disagrees should maybe stick to this type of response:  "I disagree. This is why ...."     It doesn't work well for everybody when someone takes the approach of "This is what is wrong with you (or your idea)..."
   Also, if you feel that you are responding while being in an emotional state, it may be better to put off responding for a while.


Thank you,

Rebis

Quote from: Jonie on July 14, 2007, 09:48:11 AM
This list is impressive, I hope you don't mind if I upload it. I too have traveled all over the U.S. and have noticed that attitudes change from state to state but they also change from city to city. I once heard of this country referred to as a sea of intolerance with little islands (cities) of acceptance like San Francisco Ca., Minneapolis, Mn. and Madison, Wi. I have found this to be true and would be eager to see this post expanded to cover our major cities too.
Something else I've noticed and I might be wrong about this but if you go just outside a tolerant city it seems to be surrounded by an extra measure of resistance, being more intolerant than might be found at random as if it's an effort by some to compensate for the liberal attitudes next door. Inside a Trans friendly city it sometimes appears that there are  people who feel they need to "fight the good fight" in their eyes and cause problems for transsexuals as best they can. They are also better at spotting Trans people so your efforts to blend in with the population can be undone, while in a more neutral region people tend to be more blinded to Tran sexuality in general. I would be very interested to hear your thoughts on this.

I wanted to respond on this one but I dragged my feet.  :P I can believe that cities like Minneapolis and Madison and such have this polarization. I went to Madison a few months ago on a trip and while overall it does seem to accomodate TG people, much of the population doesn't come across as very friendly to us on a personal basis. From my observations most Americans aren't as tolerant of LGBT people as the media puts it. For the record, I'd say that even your die hard Blue Staters aren't very open minded people at all. Why? The reason is the geopolitics in this country and cultural differences. First, the Democrat and Republican parties (Blue vs. Red) are both nationalist political parties. That's the way they are since the ideologies they follow completely ignore three fundamental rules of human politics:

1. Human nature abhors a repressive environment. Like it or not, the more rules you pile onto society, the more restless and polarized society becomes. Many Americans are upset that the Patriot Act was passed since they feel it infringes upon their civil liberties. My personal opinion is that the Patriot Act is awfully tame compared to some of the other laws we have passed before. The Patriot Act was likely passed to try to slow down or stop the sovereign citizen movement, it has nothing to do with setting up a dictatorship or to fight terrorism. Anyways, restricting people more and more and trying to force everyone to live as dutiful soldiers doesn't work in the long run. Yes, this is part of the reason why California is losing a lot of people to Nevada and the Pacific Northwest. California, I hate to say it, has a lot of goofy laws. What works best for society is if you stop trying to hold everyone's hand and give people a choice. The more freedom you grant someone, they are likely to be willing to grant you freedom. This is why if a state passes non-discriminatory laws for LGBT people, you should either lower taxes or get rid of the drivers license requirement or something to balance it out.

2. Allowing one group of people to make all of the decisions for everyone else doesn't work in the 21st century. Like it or not the USA is a military dictatorship; the president can seize people's properties at whim and do what he wants basically. Voting doesn't always lead to freedom. You can't have 535 or so people in Washington making decisions for over 300 million people on even the most trivial of issues. I don't understand the civil unrest over gay marriage; I don't think the government has any business forcing people to obtain marraige licenses or the like. Did you know that the marriage license was designed to originally prohibit people from having interracial marriages? Or that the drinking laws grew out of custom duties?

3. I know I'll step on some toes here but organized religion in any form usually isn't very good at running a country. Both the Democrat and Republican parties are strongly patriotic parties; patriotism by its nature is a religion. Look at all the pomp and flag worship and aggression that takes place during a 4th of July celebration. Also, many people in the Democrat and Republican parties still advocate for religious and pseudoreligious laws to be enacted. Even for religions like Buddhism and Wicca, while they sometimes are tamer than Judaism/Christianity/Islam/etc, they aren't necessarily live and let live faiths. India is predominately Hindu yet they have a caste system much more oppressive than the US caste system. I'm not convinced that any religion that doesn't view the world with an empirical view (they interpret the world and reality with a scientific approach based on viable cause and effect logic) can run a country very well.

Since the major political parties obviously don't follow these three rules, and since 99% of Americans fall into these two groups, I'd say that most people are nowhere near as tolerant of us as you may think. Fact is, both the Democrats and Republicans are a byproduct of American culture and history. The Republicans are likely the socio-political values of the time period between 1860 - sometime in the 1960s. You can even see it in how they behave and act; a good chunk of them literally live like it's the 1950s. The Democrats and their ilk are the politics and values from the 1960s to around 2000. They probably will work somewhat better than the Republicans simply because the values they embrace seem to work in the real world much better, but they still work very poorly. As for the time period from 1791 - 1860, this is the set of values the Constitution Party represents. The Constituion party isn't BLue or Red at all; they are a theocratic political party that seeks to restore the original US Government back to power (I'm not convinced that the USA was ever a viable country from the get-go and the first US Government from 1791 to 1860 was partially responsable for the Amerindian massacres) and impose an evil Federalist policy over the Earth. They won't even be able to get up off their fat butts in the future.

The only groups of people that I think will advocate for TG freedom are the Libertarians and the Greens. BOth parties are the fledgling politics that are coming out now in 2007. BOth of them advocate for more freedom on both economic and social issues, and they also tend to be regionally oriented. I have the most in common with the Libertarian politics but Greens are not far behind them, BTW. Also, in my opinion these two aren't REd or Blue or Purple, they are not nationalist political parties like the other three major ones are. While the Libertarians and Greens differ considerably on their positions, they overall will work the best in the 21st century.

The reason why many of your TG friendly cities are surrounded by suburbs that are very hostile to TGs is simply because the Democrat and Republican ideologies are mutually incompatible. Also, the Libs and Greens aren't compatible to either the Democrats or Republicans. Granted these are generalizations of people but I would say that there are very few 'centrists' in America. Consider too that ten years ago the only people standing up for TG people were, ironically, the Libs and Greens and similar groups. Instead of inflating the government and big business more and more to make up for the screw ups of the past, simply make politics more state and local oriented. If this happens, you'd see a revival of the countries that make up the USA.  ;D

(quote is clipped down to save space & the full post can be read just before this response anyway)

Quote from: Aeyra on August 08, 2007, 11:35:10 AM

1. Human nature abhors a repressive environment. Like it or not, the more rules you pile onto society, the more restless and polarized society ...

2. Allowing one group of people to make all of the decisions for everyone else doesn't work in the 21st century. Like it or not the USA is a military dictatorship; the president can seize people's properties at ...

3. I know I'll step on some toes here but organized religion in any form usually isn't very good at running a country. Both the Democrat and Republican parties are strongly patriotic parties; patriotism by its ...

Since the major political parties obviously don't follow these three rules, and since 99% of Americans fall into these two groups, I'd say that most people are nowhere near as tolerant of us as you may think. Fact is, both the Democrats and Republicans are a byproduct of American ...

The only groups of people that I think will advocate for TG freedom are the Libertarians and the Greens. BOth parties are the fledgling politics ...

The reason why many of your TG friendly cities are surrounded by suburbs that are very hostile to TGs is simply because the Democrat and Republican ideologies are mutually incompatible. Also, the Libs and Greens aren't ... If this happens, you'd see a revival of the countries that make up the USA.  ;D

   I pretty much agree on this stuff.
   I think that given time, we'll see the lean mean and hungry movements get some traction.  Our government at this time is worse than bloatware, but it is not my desire to be negative, so i will add that bloatware is often replaced by a better product.  :)
   I'd like to see a revival of the countries that make up the USA.

signed,

Rebis,  (apparently kissing up)

I am not even going to go into the posts problems.  Once libertarian and the mountain west state came out, the lack of any real understanding and your previous posts on this thread made perfect sense to me.   There is no point in pulling apart your point by point.  Because honestly, you will never really get it.

Live in a big city for 3 years, go to graduate school, and then read your post.  You will probably disagree with everything you wrote and see it as extremely flawed.  Because that is exactly what it is.     

Being flawed is okay.
I'm flawed.

Please let's not begin picking apart posts.  I believe a simple, "I disagree" or "I disagree because ..." will work really well.


Praying for peace,

Rebis