48 Comments
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Jennifer Collier's avatar

Thanks for all you do, Erin. It's bad enough they're coming after trans adults. But I'm a grown ass woman and I dare them to try me. But coming after trans kids is unconscionable.

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Doreen Frances's avatar

I hate that New Hampshire is a dark orange stain in the New England area.

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Moriko「森子」Handford's avatar

My father lives in NH and recently sent me a news article saying that NH is one of the top 5 states for the LGBTQIA+ community. I replied, maybe the LGB community.

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Melody Roth's avatar

Hard to believe their state motto is Live Free or Die

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Janette's avatar

Maybe, like red states do, they're concentrating on the or clause for us.

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Kaedi Alexandra Peacecraft's avatar

It's incredible that we now live in a country where some of us simply cannot enter certain states without risking our lives.

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Ella's avatar

Thank you for your courage and dedication, Erin. I don't know how you do it; I can't imagine how painful it must be to read bigoted, willfully ignorant legislation day after day.

Stay strong, sister. You are deeply appreciated by many.

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Beverly Trafton 🏳️‍⚧️'s avatar

It would be super helpful to create a travel map showing places specifically with bathroom bans for those travelling through red states.

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Jesse (They/Them/Theirs)'s avatar

This, I agree with a US Bathroom Travel Map Navigation for the LGBTQIA+ Community that gets updated every other month that would also occur for the Anti LGBTQIA+ Safety US Map from Erin.

In addition and HEAVILY UNRELATED, I would really appreciate in the future, if maybe BIPOC LGBTQIA+ can get some spotlight determining a Safe US State or even have highlights, cuz even if we forget how expensive and tedious the process is for moving (and not everyone can do so for various reasons).

For a lot of BIPOC/POC Individuals, We are literally losing our identities, family's and cultural backgrounds by moving to a Blue US State so that can be isolating in population, Restaurant Selections/Food Options/Groceries, Outing/Community Opportunities, Ethnic Spaces (such as Beauty Supply Store or Specialized Barbers/Locticians/Hair Stylist/etc) and MORE by pritoizing our LGBTQIA+ Identities but letting our Racial Background take a backseat since we are used to being discrimated since Birth, HOWEVER, it's a whole nother level being a Minority on top of Another Minority Group (Intersectionality Identities)

In addition, that some issues BIPOC LGBTQIA+ People face is just gonna be different compared to White LGBTQIA+ Folks Experiences (Not being disrespectful, but it's the truth) HOWEVER, just wanted to highlight this AGAIN since I love Erin's Articles and I'm a Paid Subscriber but it does bothers me that we have NO JOURNALISM in the US or International that I know that actually reports on BIPOC LGBTQIA+ Issues and Community that actually acknowledge the FULL ACRYNOM of the LGBTQIA+ yk (it seriously bothers me on how MUCH People forget what happens after Q, like Intersex, Aromantic and Asexual Communities, including Sub Labels like Demi and Gray/Grey, matters too within the LGBTQIA+ Community).

But overall, to get back on track (cuz I got distracted lol), I desperately need the Bathroom idea since what I do in FL (Which is a DO NOT TRAVEL US State) is either try to use the Family Bathroom (which is dirtier than the Binary Bathrooms, in the US at least) or try to find a Single Private Stall (limited opportunities) if I'm by myself and not at work or with family to use Binary Options.

I'm sure there are others like myself who are Fluid/Flux and Genderqueer that struggle with figuring out which bathroom to go to on top of as we already mentioned, Binary Trans People deal with numerous second guessing/being cautious of using the public restrooms to not deal with any messy situations.

Unfortunately, it truly sucks sometimes with remembering how safe a city, or a US State is, in order to decide if someone should hold it (the urge to go to the bathroom) until they're in a Safer Location (could risk dehydration or UTIs long term) or go, but risk having Dysphoria or issues with Karen's or Cops if it escalate unexpectedly by going to our correct bathroom but still second guessing ourselves in the process.

Regardless, it's another reminder from this article update in how dangerous it is being out true selves and regardless of where everyone is located in the US, please be careful and try to stay safe the best way y'all can do so in this unpredictable time we are facing living and stuck in the US.

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HollowSky's avatar

Please keep in mind that deeply conservative areas within an otherwise "low risk" or "safe" state can still be threatening & violent towards trans people. That is the case where I am stuck living. It is a nightmare.

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Jean Hodge's avatar

This is what's extra-terrifying. Extremism will happen everywhere; just may not get voted into law. As the hate/violence/discrimination becomes more normalized, it will get worse.

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Raine Magnus's avatar

A good summary of why the Republican Party is an anti-transgender hate group. Every time you turn around there is some new piece of nastiness coming from them. I honestly believe a sizeable percentage of them would push to have us all imprisoned or even killed if they thought they could get away with it - and that may well be in the future.

That Texas database certainly sounds like they're planning something particularly awful in the future.

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Andrea Monticue's avatar

Erin, I planing a Transgender Day of Visibility event in Salem, Oregon on March 31st. May I use this map as a graphic on a protest sign?

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Susan Tuzzolino's avatar

there is really not much "united" about these states is there. my heart is breaking.

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Sandra's avatar

Thank you for the map Erin. Within the “worst states” category, Iowa recently passed legislation specifically to strip civil rights protections away from trans people, an appalling step that I believe is a first.

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Stevation's avatar

Question for all of you: is it safe to take my transgender daughter to Canada for a graduation trip? Will she get hassled by border agents when coming back into the US in Washington state? She has her chosen name on her passport, but they wouldn’t change the gender. We live in California, and our intention is to drive to BC for the trip. Appreciate any experience or advice you can share!

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Erin Reed's avatar

Canada should be relatively safe to travel to right now. I haven’t seen people who have passports and are traveling to safe countries get held up. You’ll probably feel more at ease in Canada tbh.

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Stevation's avatar

Yeah, Canada feels safer for sure. Another daughter and her wife live there and don’t feel comfortable coming to the US right now. But it’s the crossing back into America that concerns us.

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Jean Hodge's avatar

Great question!

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Brenna's avatar

We canceled a family trip to Canada to visit my brother, because we're worried about our trans daughter's safety, from airports to public restrooms. I'm so sorry y'all are in the same boat; it's ridiculous to have to think this way in the U.S. in the 21st century.

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Jesse (They/Them/Theirs)'s avatar

I would not risk traveling UNLESS absolutely necessary due to the fact that TSA no longer has LGBTQIA+ Protection that Biden Administration had done in allowing Trans and Non Binary Folks able to choose who pats them down from the scanners as well as the Government Officials are more likely to question, detain or be more ruthless way more than usual.

But it's up to you, just got to prioritize how safe is traveling cuz it's life or death until 2029 in hoping things may change after this so called presidency ends

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Raine Magnus's avatar

Please don't take the risk. Too many of the people in border security are thugs. When my wife was still alive, we used to travel to Quebec from time to time and we had multiple uncomfortable experiences when reentering the U.S. This was back when I thought I was a cis male (whoops!), so I think it came down to my spouse having a foreign accent. Law enforcement and the military by their very nature are attractive careers for bullies, authoritarians, psychopaths, and just general assholes. With Republicans holding nearly absolute power on the federal level, these awful people would be feeling empowered and emboldened even WITHOUT all the morally bankrupt executive orders coming out of what is the most openly and vehemently anti-human rights administration in DECADES.

Personally, I wouldn't consider travelling outside the U.S. right now unless there was either some true emergency that necessitated it or I wasn't planning on coming back. You might and your daughter might be fine returning from Canada, but you might not be. Only you and your family can decide what you think an acceptable risk is, but honestly I can't see how any pleasure trip could be worth rolling the dice.

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Anne's avatar

Great summary of our world. Thank you.

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MissNumbersNinja's avatar

Thank you Erin! This map is extremely helpful and I really appreciate the effort you put into it and quantitative methodology.

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Jesse (They/Them/Theirs)'s avatar

At this point, I would wish ideally that the USA would be apart of countries that folks can claim asylum too but it's unlikely and being a Asylum person rather than someone who is PR (Permanent Resident), Dual Citizen or on a Visa towards PR isn't the best way to immigrant or leave the country and it's not a clear pathway of staying safe cuz it's expensive, and tedious process but it's really sad on how for Youths, Adults and Elders how scary things are being apart of the LGBTQIA+ Community and even more so for those who are BIPOC LGBTQIA+ as well.

Just wish we can stay safe and figure out how to survive in a society that blames us for everything no matter what we do, like that's heartbreaking but please try to take care of yourselves and your loved ones who are LGBTQIA+ cuz we gonna need our support system in order to get thru the madness that is the US

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Joan the Dork's avatar

Bleak... but unsurprising. The horror stories we've been hearing about the ways 𝘤𝘪𝘴 travelers from abroad are being treated here are bad enough already; I don't even want to think about what these assholes would do- or what they already might be doing- with trans visitors, especially if they're traveling alone. Better that 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 steer clear until saner- and more empathetic- heads prevail. Stay at home; stay safe. There's nothing worth visiting in this shithole worth your life or your liberty. Or, for that matter, your dignity.

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DrDel's avatar

Let's use this data to spread awareness about our realities - I don't think many people realize that, for example, I can't visit my parents or meet my new nephew.

https://bsky.app/profile/brandnewhuman.bsky.social/post/3llamjykbsk2k

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