I am probably not the only person considering relocation due to politics. While there are safe places in 'red' states, and unsafe places in 'blue' states, the laws governing individual states may be a good indicator of how safe an area may be. In this case, 'safety' includes our right to access health care, protections against discrimination, and our right simply to be ourselves. Here are a few resources which may help.

Movement Advancement Project - Snapshot: LGBTQ Equality by State
https://www.lgbtmap.org/equality-maps

Mapping Attacks on LGBTQ Rights in U.S. State Legislatures in 2025
https://www.aclu.org/legislative-attacks-on-lgbtq-rights-2025

2025 anti-trans bills tracker
https://translegislation.com/

Love always -- Jessica Rose

It seems like more of these laws are being proposed this year in democratic states than in the past. Hugs
Mariah

It is too bad we have to think of safe and not so safe states.
It is bad enough you have to think of crime or rats when thinking unsafe, now we have this to cope with.

Quote from: Mariah on January 18, 2025, 11:21:38 AMIt seems like more of these laws are being proposed this year in democratic states than in the past.

Here in Mass the proposed laws are by Republicans so I think they are not very likely pass.

- Karen

Same with Washington State too. Although Washington's new governor seems to be a DINO (Democrat in name only). Hugs
Mariah

Quote from: Karen_A on January 18, 2025, 02:39:29 PMHere in Mass the proposed laws are by Republicans so I think they are not very likely pass.

- Karen

Quote from: Mariah on January 18, 2025, 02:42:44 PMSame with Washington State too. Although Washington's new governor seems to be a DINO (Democrat in name only). Hugs
Mariah

Washington seems to be quite progressive and LGBTQ++ friendly.

In my opinion there are no safe states, only safer states. Each state is as safe as its own respective residents choose to fight to make it safe. My point is not to discourage anyone from seeking a safer place to live. Just make sure you have realistic expectations.

If anyone is considering a move to greater Boston lmk. I can set aside time to speak, tour, etc. Have patience, I don't check my DMs here often.

~Jenn

Quote from: Jenn104 on January 18, 2025, 04:31:38 PMIn my opinion there are no safe states, only safer states. Each state is as safe as its own respective residents choose to fight to make it safe. My point is not to discourage anyone from seeking a safer place to live. Just make sure you have realistic expectations.

I agree no state is 100% safe no area is completely safe... though here in Mass I've only been scared once many years ago (1998 I think) when I stoped to eat an early supper (to avoid traffic) at a chain restaurant with a bar off of 495 on my way home from an off site work assignment. I was not at the bar but in the meal section at a table by myself minding my own business ... Luckily the bartender intervened with what obviously was regular.

I have been read a good number of times since then, but never did it cause a situation that made me fear for my safety.

Granted in Mass I only lived in the greater Boston area, inside of 128 since transition. BTW that was mostly true before transition. ( came to Boston for college and stayed in the area, except for a couple of years in Worcester. I did stay out of "bad"neighborhoods, but once out of college I did that "before" as well.

That said, when I traveled for work to New Orleans, Orlando and Chicago I know I have gotten read by a few comments in restrooms at least once or twice over the years, but again no issues.

 - Karen

I feel grateful to be a long time Oregon resident. I have a wee bit of faith that our lesbian governor will be a bulwark against the worst impulses of our new federal regime. Tina Kotek will be our governor for 2 more years, until 2027.

Even so, I never leave the house without my can of POM pepper spray hanging from a cord around my neck.

I recently passed a study course that qualifies me to carry a concealed firearm. Unfortunately, when I started to fill out the application with the county sheriff's office, I got nervous about the extremely personal and invasive questions. I realized that I was going to have to out myself on the record in a public document. I had to stop and ask myself if I have faith in the county sheriff to keep my personal information secure. I have a doubt.

I fear that there might not be a safe place for trans people for the foreseeable future. 😢

🥀
Miharu

Quote from: Miharu Barbie on January 19, 2025, 01:26:57 PMI realized that I was going to have to out myself on the record in a public document. I had to stop and ask myself if I have faith in the county sheriff to keep my personal information secure. I have a doubt.

I fear that there might not be a safe place for trans people for the foreseeable future.

I refuse to do any of that paperwork or even go through their training for that very reason. After fourteen years in the military, not only teaching firearms classes but supervising other trainers, and running the live fire ranges, I could teach those classes possibly better than they can.

The 2nd Amendment does not require paperwork, or training, of any kind. I have a list of ten Supreme Court cases that clearly state that it is unnecessary and that I can choose to ignore any laws or regulations that say I must. I have openly challenged anyone to demonstrate how my logic is flawed. No one has taken the bait, so I do what I want with my guns. 

What are examples of questions that are asked that are invasive or troublesome for obtaining concealed firearms permits?

Are the questions asked to satisfy a really justified need for that information?

Is this state specific or nationwide a potential problem for transfolk?  Or is it a potential problem for anyone?

Questions like:

Have you ever used any other names or aliases?
Have you ever been diagnosed with a mental illness?
Have you ever been treated for a mental illness?

etc. etc.

You can see how these might be misinterpreted.

Quote from: Lori Dee on January 19, 2025, 05:12:15 PMQuestions like:

Have you ever used any other names or aliases?
Have you ever been diagnosed with a mental illness?
Have you ever been treated for a mental illness?

etc. etc.


You can see how these might be misinterpreted.

These can be problematic.  I understand.

Quote from: Lori Dee on January 19, 2025, 05:12:15 PMQuestions like:

Have you ever used any other names or aliases?
Have you ever been diagnosed with a mental illness?
Have you ever been treated for a mental illness?

etc. etc.

You can see how these might be misinterpreted.

And questions like what's your race, what's your ethnicity...

And they want to see a copy of military discharge records. The DoD WILL NOT change the name on discharge documents. Plus, for some of us, discharge documents indicate that we were kicked out when we were exposed as closeted trans women/men. (General Discharge)

So if federal storm troopers demand demographic information about local gun owners, will the local sheriff comply? I'm not filling that form out.

🤯
Miharu

I was in Texas for four years. The DPS didn't give me a f for my license so I refused to surrender my Virginia license. I started looking for a place back in Virginia and waiting for my lease to expire and rolled out as soon as it expired.

People there in the Plano and Frisco area were ok to interact with because I pass. However I saw a handful of trans people in the area while out. The people there stared, where rude to them in front of them and talked crap about them when they where gone.

I fear for all of our sisters that aren't blessed to pass. Looking at the map it seems like most of the country is hostile territory. I don't understand why people cannot live and let live.

Instead us that pass are now the buggy men out to "manipulate" and "trick" them. The way they talk it's like they want us to register like a sex offender and then treat us like criminals. No way am I going down like the Jews in Germany during WW2. It's not in me to fight but I'll leave if I can.

Every now and then I have to go to Florida for work because of contracts my employer has but I'm working on setting it up so a junior programmer can go down there for the work instead of me or have me support it remotely. I'd rather not even be in the state.

Quote from: Miharu Barbie on January 19, 2025, 05:58:37 PMAnd questions like what's your race, what's your ethnicity...

And they want to see a copy of military discharge records. The DoD WILL NOT change the name on discharge documents. Plus, for some of us, discharge documents indicate that we were kicked out when we were exposed as closeted trans women/men. (General Discharge)

So if federal storm troopers demand demographic information about local gun owners, will the local sheriff comply? I'm not filling that form out.

🤯
Miharu

Yes, I can see why!

Quote from: NatalieRene on January 19, 2025, 06:06:07 PMI was in Texas for four years. The DPS didn't give me a f for my license so I refused to surrender my Virginia license. I started looking for a place back in Virginia and waiting for my lease to expire and rolled out as soon as it expired.

People there in the Plano and Frisco area were ok to interact with because I pass. However I saw a handful of trans people in the area while out. The people there stared, where rude to them in front of them and talked crap about them when they where gone.

I fear for all of our sisters that aren't blessed to pass. Looking at the map it seems like most of the country is hostile territory. I don't understand why people cannot live and let live.

Instead us that pass are now the buggy men out to "manipulate" and "trick" them. The way they talk it's like they want us to register like a sex offender and then treat us like criminals. No way am I going down like the Jews in Germany during WW2. It's not in me to fight but I'll leave if I can.

Every now and then I have to go to Florida for work because of contracts my employer has but I'm working on setting it up so a junior programmer can go down there for the work instead of me or have me support it remotely. I'd rather not even be in the state.

People can be so unkind.   

Quote from: NatalieRene on January 19, 2025, 06:06:07 PMPeople there in the Plano and Frisco area were ok to interact with because I pass. However I saw a handful of trans people in the area while out. The people there stared, where rude to them in front of them and talked crap about them when they where gone.

I have that happen to me in the greater Boston area... Back in the old days before i transitioned (I will be 70 later this year and started the process at 39 and went full time at 42) I was very much afraid of the consequences of not passing all the time ... both with respect to safety and financial survival, as well as social/quality of live- being seen as "other" rather than female.

I wondered if transition made sense if one was  not and likely would never be completely passable...

But I got to point in my late 30's that I had to start down the path and hoped somehow someway I would become unreadable overtime ...

I was lucky in the by  that time in the 90's, times has changed enough around here that the worst never came to pass...

But I do wonder about what may be to come with age.... with things as the are now, moving to lower cost of living area for retirement would probably not be a good more. If I wind up in a nursing home what that would the mean for how one is treated?

The backlash to "trans" etc from the right these days is scary.

- Karen

I am thinking there may be no or few safe states just some states that are not as unsafe as other states.  Be careful. 

Keep up your spirits.  We are people so some sensibilities should exist and persist.


Hugs,

Chrissy