Which countries are "Safe" for (trans) women?

[Tills]

I love these detailed reports and pieces of information. Thank you so much @Moonflower and @KathyLauren: you are helping to build an awareness resource for others. That is inspiring.

I'm at the airport to fly up to Scotland. Flying just because with 2 big bags and a carry-on it made life a heap easier than crossing London followed by a long train journey.

I'll keep you posted with how I find attitudes in Scotland. I would say though that there's no doubt that the UK has deteriorated as a place for trans people to live. Attitudes are so different from even a few years back. I was very shaken at the beginning of this week when I sat next to a mother and her daughter opposite on a train (limited seating) and they exchanged glances, rolled eyes, and began smirking to each other. I moved seats.

A few years ago I would have felt sufficiently protected to have said something, had I wanted to, but no more.

I found Ireland to be very trans friendly.

I hope my move to Scotland will not be a chimera. An illusion of sanctuary.

These other countries mentioned above by others may prove much safer prospects for some of you.

xx

[Charlotte Kitty ✅]

I wonder if it's certain areas in the UK that are worse? Since presenting fully as a woman I've had no problems at all from people. No weird looks, comments or such. Yet when I was a gay man holding my partners hand, I got loads of hassle and kids filming me whilst laughing.

Would be nice if it didn't happen anywhere though. I think the political climate has everything to do with it.

Charlotte

[Stottie Girl]

I love these detailed reports and pieces of information. Thank you so much @Moonflower and @KathyLauren: you are helping to build an awareness resource for others. That is inspiring.

I'm at the airport to fly up to Scotland. Flying just because with 2 big bags and a carry-on it made life a heap easier than crossing London followed by a long train journey.

I'll keep you posted with how I find attitudes in Scotland. I would say though that there's no doubt that the UK has deteriorated as a place for trans people to live. Attitudes are so different from even a few years back. I was very shaken at the beginning of this week when I sat next to a mother and her daughter opposite on a train (limited seating) and they exchanged glances, rolled eyes, and began smirking to each other. I moved seats.

A few years ago I would have felt sufficiently protected to have said something, had I wanted to, but no more.

I found Ireland to be very trans friendly.

I hope my move to Scotland will not be a chimera. An illusion of sanctuary.

These other countries mentioned above by others may prove much safer prospects for some of you.

xx

Exciting times Tills! Have a safe flight. Does the train take you near or is it taxi from the airport? Bit of a trek from Glasgow with 2 big bags and carry on isn't it?

You'll have to let us know how the locals are. Have you met neighbours yet or is that all happening today?

[Dawn Kellie]

Despite what the media may lead you to believe, Florida is very accepting. There is a wonderful LGBT+ area called the gayberhood.

[Lori Dee ✅]

Despite what the media may lead you to believe, Florida is very accepting. There is a wonderful LGBT+ area called the gayberhood.

It is rarely the people who are the problem. Oppression comes from government policies and laws that no one voted for.

[Tills]

I think that what's happened is that agitators, mostly on the right, have stirred the pot. Not just on this issue but also migrants and other matters e.g. those on benefits. Newspapers like the Daily Mail are appalling for this. They have a huge influence on the politicians and unfortunately in the UK we now have a Government without a moral compass, in my opinion. They go with what they think appeals to these agitators rather than what is correct.

@Stottie Girl my favourite hotel at Glasgow Central station is still closed because of the fire. So this time I'm staying near the airport and then it's a train or bus to the ferry. There are two ferries to the Cowal Peninsula. The best one by far for me is Western Ferries, a car, lorry, and passenger, ferry, which docks close to where my place is. They also tend to plough on through all but the worst weather.  But today I need to take the other Caledonian Macyintre ferry which is passenger only and tends to cancel at a moderate breeze.

In haste. A bit tired.

xx

[Tills]

Property purchase 'settled' as they call it in bonnie Scotland and I picked up the keys. It's a beautiful place with such stunning views. Just needs a wee bit of work.

People were so friendly around the area yesterday, chatting happily and without any sign of judgement. Quite the reverse: open-hearted acceptance.

So, to keep this to thread, I would say that with my travels up this way (I made 10 separate trips to view properties in the Highlands) and now buying here: The Western Highlands of Scotland gets my thumbs up for a trans-friendly area. You have access to NHS Scotland which is separate from England & Wales and has a different policy towards transgender care, based around the patient. I'm minutes from a hospital with 24-hr emergency access that is, according to a GP who chatted to me in the coffee shop, 'better care than anywhere near the cities.'

Attitudes to someone like me seem very relaxed, perhaps because people generally seem very relaxed.

You just need to be prepared for wild and wet weather.

xx

[ChrissyRyan]

Are South Carolina and Georgia "safer states" for us?

[Stottie Girl]

Property purchase 'settled' as they call it in bonnie Scotland and I picked up the keys. It's a beautiful place with such stunning views. Just needs a wee bit of work.

People were so friendly around the area yesterday, chatting happily and without any sign of judgement. Quite the reverse: open-hearted acceptance.

So, to keep this to thread, I would say that with my travels up this way (I made 10 separate trips to view properties in the Highlands) and now buying here: The Western Highlands of Scotland gets my thumbs up for a trans-friendly area. You have access to NHS Scotland which is separate from England & Wales and has a different policy towards transgender care, based around the patient. I'm minutes from a hospital with 24-hr emergency access that is, according to a GP who chatted to me in the coffee shop, 'better care than anywhere near the cities.'

Attitudes to someone like me seem very relaxed, perhaps because people generally seem very relaxed.

You just need to be prepared for wild and wet weather.

xx

Sounds like Utopia to me Tills. I'm so happy for you. What an adventure. One day that will be me I think.

[Jessica_Rose ✅]

Are South Carolina and Georgia "safer states" for us?

Based on the 'Movement Advancement' equality maps, Georgia is marginally better than South Carolina. However, neither of them would be considered 'good'.

https://www.lgbtmap.org/equality-maps 🔗

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[PhilippaRees]

Are South Carolina and Georgia "safer states" for us?

Charleston is certainly very safe. It even has a safe space scheme.

[ChrissyRyan]

Based on the 'Movement Advancement' equality maps, Georgia is marginally better than South Carolina. However, neither of them would be considered 'good'.

https://www.lgbtmap.org/equality-maps 🔗

Love always -- Jessica Rose

Does not sound ideal.

[ChrissyRyan]

Charleston is certainly very safe. It even has a safe space scheme.

What is a safe space scheme?

[PhilippaRees]

What is a safe space scheme?

Charleston Safe Space 🔗 [Link: charleston-sc.gov/1869/Safe-​Place/]

From the web site.

Charleston Police Department (CPD) SAFE PLACE is a signage program being implemented around the city, where local supporting community members, businesses, schools, and organizations, have the opportunity to visibly display their support for the LGBTQIA community and work closely with the Charleston Police Department in an effort to encourage reporting and reducing anti-LGBTQIA crimes.

[Lori Dee ✅]

Charleston Safe Space 🔗 [Link: charleston-sc.gov/1869/Safe-​Place/]

From the web site.

Charleston Police Department (CPD) SAFE PLACE is a signage program being implemented around the city, where local supporting community members, businesses, schools, and organizations, have the opportunity to visibly display their support for the LGBTQIA community and work closely with the Charleston Police Department in an effort to encourage reporting and reducing anti-LGBTQIA crimes.

That is great!

Thanks for sharing that.

[Liz K]

New legislation opens up citizenship to anyone who can document a direct line of descent from a Canadian citizen.  If you can prove that a great-grandparent was a citizen, then your grandparent, parent and yourself are also automatically citizens.  The hard part is collecting the proof, which usually involves birth certificates.

I'm looking into this right now.  My maternal great-grandparents were born in Quebec.  The weird thing about this new law (effective Dec 15 2025) is that the Canadian government already considers me a citizen.  I just have to provide documentation to get a certificate of citizenship.  Birth records, baptism records, marriage/death records, military service records, and so on are all valid.  The government doesn't require certified copies.  Finding the relevant documents can be a challenge.  Knowing a bit about your ancestry is helpful to establish a line of descendancy.

Estimates are that tens of millions of 'lost' Canadians are living in the US.  There is no limit to how far one can go back.  I've read of people that went back 10+ generations to document their line of descent.  Since the law went into effect, there has been a flood of records inquiries and applications.  It's now taking 10+ months to receive a certificate.  However, there is an expedited process if you qualify.  Being transgender is one of the qualifying reasons.

There is a lot to know about this process.  Search for "Canada Bill C-3 citizenship by descent".  Some of the large blogging sites have detailed guides to help you get started.  DM me if you want to know the one I've found most helpful.

[Tills]

Really interesting about Canada. Please continue to keep us updated as that could be such a helpful signpost for others arriving at this thread.

On a separate note I wanted to post a bit of an update. I've begun the process of redecorating my Scottish place. Funds are limited after outright cash purchasing the property as I do not want any debt or borrowing.

One of the reasons I opted to live in the Western Highlands of Scotland is that I want to continue turning my back on tech invasion, data mining, and authority intrusion. Before I left Facebook and all Meta services my tagline was:

"From that moment on I became a refugee from modern life"

It's a quote from Peter Raine who lives wild with his wife Miriam Lancewood. They're both interesting people and Miriam has authored a number of books: Woman in the Wild, Wild at Heart and, Alone in the World. They featured in two of Ben Fogle's wonderful Channel 5 programmes New Lives in the Wild .
https://miriamlancewood.com/ 🔗
https://www.channel5.com/show/ben-fogle-new-lives-in-the-wild/ 🔗

Although I have to pay Council Tax I have decided to shun all other State intrusion. I have accordingly refused the 'invitation' to register to vote and shall continue to do so, even if they attempt to fine me. I don't, and would not, fill in a census return. I no longer own or drive a vehicle as, again, I have no interest in authorities trying to track me through a driver's licence. I have no television and no internet, so rely on a mobile signal for tethering. I change my phone number from time to time as I believe they try to track you through them. I also refuse to pay a tv licence in order to fund The State Broadcaster: about the only thing I've ever agreed with Elon Musk about. I have turned my back on the so-called News.

In the US I would probably be considered a radical as I am strongly anti-capitalist and anti-colonialist. I believe that the west and modernity are on a path of destruction.

There are some ambiguities: I do fly in aircraft when I need to. And I do use medical science, with the major operation still to come and another cosmetic one possible. And I haven't yet stripped back to a text-only phone.

In some ways this is back to my true roots. I lived off-grid in the African tropical rainforest for six years without electricity, running water, or connection to the outside world. It was wonderful and the happiest, most authentic, and most aligned time of my life, until tragedy struck.

I mention all this because it colours my other posts on this forum, which might otherwise cause confusion e.g. when I launched off about AI.

But going to a relatively 'Safe Space' as a newly born woman is also for me about travelling contra-flow to the world's current trajectory.

xx

[Tills]

p.s. and if all of the above proves impossible with the Authorities, why then I will just sell up and return to being a global nomad.

xx

[Lori Dee ✅]

p.s. and if all of the above proves impossible with the Authorities, why then I will just sell up and return to being a global nomad.

xx

There was a time when I had seriously considered becoming a nomad. I am a survivalist (some would say a Doomsday Prepper), so my goal was not so much to avoid state control as to be very mobile. I was inspired by Bob Wells of CheapRVliving.com and used information from their forums to build the camper on the back of my pickup truck.

One of the reasons I ended up in South Dakota was its residency requirements for a driver's license and plates. You only need to prove you have been living in the state for 30 days, and a hotel or campground receipt is acceptable.

As recently as a couple of years ago, I had planned to buy a fully self-contained RV and spend winters in the Arizona desert, then migrate north into Colorado for the summers. Financing the RV fell through, and I found an affordable apartment.

When I noticed South Dakota starting to pass transphobic laws without announcing them to the public, I realized it was time to vote with my feet and get out.