I’ve been running through all the stages of grief over the past six months that we might avoid a complete fascist takeover. I never thought it would get this bad, and I see nothing but a black hole when I think about my future in America. I have spent the last few years working on a plan to leave the country, and have decided to act.
I've been tuning out the news for my mental health, unfortunately they still keep attacking us even if I bury my head in the sand. I guess I'll kick up preparations for leaving the country, though even then may have to flee again. It's not like anti-trans policies haven't forced an estimated 250,000 internal refugees in the U.S., I hope there is safety somewhere.
Let's not shy away from the political fight until it is definitely lost. I think there are good rational reasons for hope, along with the obligatory emotion. But if one has to flee (and I do believe our health will be in danger if he wins - due to his retinue, not so much DJ himself), there are countries in Europe which are not dangerous and which are accessible. Portugal and Germany are definitely among them, as well as Spain. If you are in the IT world and working, Norway has options. I would also not rule France out; despite Le Pen, their potential for avoiding fascist domination *vastly* exceeds the U.S. at this point.
And there's Costa Rica, which is a little out of the way but is a very friendly country which is (remarkably, given the Catholic prominence) trans friendly.
Good to know. I have a trans daughter and bi daughter still at home and we are starting the process of fleeing our red state to a blue state, but just in case we have to go further, options are welcome. My husband works in IT, but how would one apply for asylum? I have friends in Italy, but not the other places. Spain would be great for our family
I just figured out how to use Substack to post something! 😏 This conversation is getting more serious, and I guess it makes sense for me to put what I know over there; I'll try to write this up tomorrow, or "soon". A short answer: you don't want to think about asylum; that puts you in a very long line with immigrants with few resources, and you're subject to many restrictions about mobility and reporting. But the "preferred" countries in that list will give you temporary residence visas as long as you have the funds to be self-sufficient. In Portugal that's a little under $1000/mo. right now; in Germany I think it was ~$1300. Spain is a little more: ~$2200.
There are a lot of details for each, and my "filter" has been for a retiree (since I'm supposed to be, though I keep working...), also I'm fluent in German. Some countries just won't work; Canada is one. And while I haven't looked at Italy, I would be concerned about their government. Okay, you've got me going; I will write this up!
The RNC in a nutshell: "We have no actual policy to offer, so we're just going to shit on immigrants and trans people instead and hope you dumbasses won't notice while we keep on picking your pockets."
I feel the same. I've already had my little meltdown of the day from the dread. But it helps me to be able to see hope. So I'm trying my damnedest to find it or create some. Also believing we'll need to give each other strength and hold each other up to get through this.
Quote from one of the organizers of the anti-war protest held in Tel Aviv a few weeks ago: ""On my journey, I learned that hope isn't something you lose, or something you find, or something that you wait for until it finds you. Hope is something you make."
Or, there's Prince Aragorn's version: "There's always hope."
It's not puzzling at all when you know your history and understand that fascists ALWAYS need an external enemy to demonize and rally their kind around. For the Nazis it was Jewish and Roma people. For Republicans it's trans people.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
It is mind-numbingly pathetic how they go after a highly vulnerable 0.5% or less of the population. Sometimes it seems surreal, almost like this cannot be, it’s just a bad dream. For the Republican Party of decades ago, this behavior would’ve been unthinkable. The party back then was mainly focused on foreign policy, tax cuts, and fiscal stuff. They never would have trafficked in fascism.
I fear you misunderstand the Republican party and are inadvertently regurgitating their old talking points.
The Republican party has always been filled with and run by bigots in the modern era.
They are fucking awful when it comes to tax policy and have always helped the rich and no one else.
They used black "welfare queens" do scare suburban whites into voting against their own good.
They let the aids epidemic run rampant.
Foreign policy: just see the corruption and bullshit around the iraq/afghan wars and grifting by halliburton and blank check contracts under Bush/Cheney.
They have deep ties going back to the Business Plot of 1933, where business leaders tried to overthrow the US government.
Republicans are fucking awful all around and are only good for making the rich richer and dividing the working class with culture wars.
One little thing Erin missed which I think is revealing: Vance's Senate bill goes out of its way to specify that it is still possible to buy insurance that covers "gender-affirming care" so long as it's totally paid for by the individual and doesn't cover any care the law bans.
That seems stupid and pointless until you notice that "gender-affirming care" is defined as any top or bottom surgery of any sort, puberty blockers, and HRT. Which means that one form of "care" is cool under the proposed law and can be covered by private insurance: conversion "therapy."
With the authors of the bill having worked so hard to be explicit that the law would not apply to cis or intersex people, I find it hard to credit the idea that this additional exception was not deliberate.
Honestly its reached the point where I want to have a backup escape plan to GTFO of the US if need be. I really wish I could find a guide on how to do this. I am not even sure what other countries will remain safe and take in trans refugees.
Their goal is clear and I fear they won't stop coming after us since Roe was overturned and they need a new hotbutton issue. .
I’m thankful that you write about events like these, and at the same time I’m sorry that you need to in the first place. I hope you can spend some time taking care of yourself, too.
Republicans have definitely not stopped targeting the trans community. I speak from experience: my youngest nephew is a Log Cabin, Republican with political ambitions. Despite being gay and professing to love me, I recently saw a clip of him being interviewed on some MAGA YouTube channel. When the interviewer started spouting anti-trans disinformation my nephew went right along, even upping the ante. I have to admit, it was gut wrenching to watch.
Thanks for paying attention to this convention so I don’t have to. Disappointed that no one apparently from Moms for Liberty took a strong stance in favor of threesomes.
I’m terrified for my daughter who is a trans teen. This is just so scary.
I’m terrified for your daughter too and I almost cry thinking about her
I’ve been running through all the stages of grief over the past six months that we might avoid a complete fascist takeover. I never thought it would get this bad, and I see nothing but a black hole when I think about my future in America. I have spent the last few years working on a plan to leave the country, and have decided to act.
I've been tuning out the news for my mental health, unfortunately they still keep attacking us even if I bury my head in the sand. I guess I'll kick up preparations for leaving the country, though even then may have to flee again. It's not like anti-trans policies haven't forced an estimated 250,000 internal refugees in the U.S., I hope there is safety somewhere.
Let's not shy away from the political fight until it is definitely lost. I think there are good rational reasons for hope, along with the obligatory emotion. But if one has to flee (and I do believe our health will be in danger if he wins - due to his retinue, not so much DJ himself), there are countries in Europe which are not dangerous and which are accessible. Portugal and Germany are definitely among them, as well as Spain. If you are in the IT world and working, Norway has options. I would also not rule France out; despite Le Pen, their potential for avoiding fascist domination *vastly* exceeds the U.S. at this point.
And there's Costa Rica, which is a little out of the way but is a very friendly country which is (remarkably, given the Catholic prominence) trans friendly.
Good to know. I have a trans daughter and bi daughter still at home and we are starting the process of fleeing our red state to a blue state, but just in case we have to go further, options are welcome. My husband works in IT, but how would one apply for asylum? I have friends in Italy, but not the other places. Spain would be great for our family
I just figured out how to use Substack to post something! 😏 This conversation is getting more serious, and I guess it makes sense for me to put what I know over there; I'll try to write this up tomorrow, or "soon". A short answer: you don't want to think about asylum; that puts you in a very long line with immigrants with few resources, and you're subject to many restrictions about mobility and reporting. But the "preferred" countries in that list will give you temporary residence visas as long as you have the funds to be self-sufficient. In Portugal that's a little under $1000/mo. right now; in Germany I think it was ~$1300. Spain is a little more: ~$2200.
There are a lot of details for each, and my "filter" has been for a retiree (since I'm supposed to be, though I keep working...), also I'm fluent in German. Some countries just won't work; Canada is one. And while I haven't looked at Italy, I would be concerned about their government. Okay, you've got me going; I will write this up!
The RNC in a nutshell: "We have no actual policy to offer, so we're just going to shit on immigrants and trans people instead and hope you dumbasses won't notice while we keep on picking your pockets."
And indeed, the dumbasses didn't notice.
👏👏👏
It is BEYOND obvious that Trump WILL be a dictator on Day One, and he WILL go after the trans community first.
Remember Pastor Niemöller's poem: "First they came for".
I’m horrified at this moment because of how the lgbt community is in danger when Trump is elected again
Not nit-picking, but I hope you mean IF trump is elected. I'm trying to hold on to hope. Take my hand and I'll share❤️
It’s hard to feel optimistic now
I feel the same. I've already had my little meltdown of the day from the dread. But it helps me to be able to see hope. So I'm trying my damnedest to find it or create some. Also believing we'll need to give each other strength and hold each other up to get through this.
Not trying to preach. I'm not religious.
Quote from one of the organizers of the anti-war protest held in Tel Aviv a few weeks ago: ""On my journey, I learned that hope isn't something you lose, or something you find, or something that you wait for until it finds you. Hope is something you make."
Or, there's Prince Aragorn's version: "There's always hope."
Until one is dead, that holds.
So how is your teen daughter?
She's good. It's my son i worry about more. He's trans. In the early stages of transitioning.
Who do you worry for in the LGBTQ world?
I agree, but you shouldn’t act like Trump is definitely going to win. It’s not guaranteed especially since there’s still 4 months until the election
"The willingness to lean into anti-LGBTQ+ policies on the first day of the Republican National Convention may seem puzzling."
Bigots gonna bigot.
And fear mongering works on their base and a disturbing portion of the populace.
It's not puzzling at all when you know your history and understand that fascists ALWAYS need an external enemy to demonize and rally their kind around. For the Nazis it was Jewish and Roma people. For Republicans it's trans people.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
It is mind-numbingly pathetic how they go after a highly vulnerable 0.5% or less of the population. Sometimes it seems surreal, almost like this cannot be, it’s just a bad dream. For the Republican Party of decades ago, this behavior would’ve been unthinkable. The party back then was mainly focused on foreign policy, tax cuts, and fiscal stuff. They never would have trafficked in fascism.
I fear you misunderstand the Republican party and are inadvertently regurgitating their old talking points.
The Republican party has always been filled with and run by bigots in the modern era.
They are fucking awful when it comes to tax policy and have always helped the rich and no one else.
They used black "welfare queens" do scare suburban whites into voting against their own good.
They let the aids epidemic run rampant.
Foreign policy: just see the corruption and bullshit around the iraq/afghan wars and grifting by halliburton and blank check contracts under Bush/Cheney.
They have deep ties going back to the Business Plot of 1933, where business leaders tried to overthrow the US government.
Republicans are fucking awful all around and are only good for making the rich richer and dividing the working class with culture wars.
One little thing Erin missed which I think is revealing: Vance's Senate bill goes out of its way to specify that it is still possible to buy insurance that covers "gender-affirming care" so long as it's totally paid for by the individual and doesn't cover any care the law bans.
That seems stupid and pointless until you notice that "gender-affirming care" is defined as any top or bottom surgery of any sort, puberty blockers, and HRT. Which means that one form of "care" is cool under the proposed law and can be covered by private insurance: conversion "therapy."
With the authors of the bill having worked so hard to be explicit that the law would not apply to cis or intersex people, I find it hard to credit the idea that this additional exception was not deliberate.
Honestly its reached the point where I want to have a backup escape plan to GTFO of the US if need be. I really wish I could find a guide on how to do this. I am not even sure what other countries will remain safe and take in trans refugees.
Their goal is clear and I fear they won't stop coming after us since Roe was overturned and they need a new hotbutton issue. .
Canada & Ireland (as far as English speaking countries)
Bigots gonna bigot.
If fascist would get a life, then the cringe would be over 😆
I’m thankful that you write about events like these, and at the same time I’m sorry that you need to in the first place. I hope you can spend some time taking care of yourself, too.
Republicans have definitely not stopped targeting the trans community. I speak from experience: my youngest nephew is a Log Cabin, Republican with political ambitions. Despite being gay and professing to love me, I recently saw a clip of him being interviewed on some MAGA YouTube channel. When the interviewer started spouting anti-trans disinformation my nephew went right along, even upping the ante. I have to admit, it was gut wrenching to watch.
I'm against Vance and a lot of what is going on with the Republican platform and related plans.
Thanks for paying attention to this convention so I don’t have to. Disappointed that no one apparently from Moms for Liberty took a strong stance in favor of threesomes.