Grayson and his partners
MELISSA WHITLER | NBCU Fellow
Melissa@DallasVoice.com
With the continued legislative attacks against LGBTQ rights, many queer people in Texas are looking to relocate out of the state.
Families are concerned about being investigated by CPS for supporting their child’s identity.
For transgender youth, especially, schools are becoming an increasingly hostile place, as trans students are barred from using the bathroom and joining a sports team that aligns with their identity.
Health care providers are afraid to offer gender affirming care as they can face repercussions from the government.
Texas legislators have also been pushing so-called “bounty laws” that encourage citizens to report on their trans neighbors for using a public bathroom or teachers using inclusive curriculum. This vigilante mindset is dangerous and puts LGBTQ people at risk anywhere in public, advocates warn.
While federal policies also seek to restrict the rights of LGBTQ people, there are certain states with more protections in place. Colorado is one such place, as the Centennial State has nondiscrimination protections, a statewide ban on conversion therapy and shield laws protecting access to transgender health care. The Trans Continental Pipeline is one organization offering support for LGBTQ individuals looking to escape unsafe environments and relocate to Colorado.
Rainbow Railroad is another organization that helps LGBTQ people relocate across the world. Director of Protection Initiatives Swathi Sekhar reported that they saw a huge increase in requests for help from individuals in the United States after Trump’s re-election. It can be difficult to seek asylum in another country, and such a move can require a large financial investment. So for many, such a move is not possible.
One way to show communal support during this time is through donating. Brian Hill, the communications manager at GoFundMe focuses on amplifying fundraisers supporting the LGBTQ+ community. He said, “A number of LGBTQ+ individuals and families in Texas are urgently seeking support to escape what they describe as an increasingly hostile environment due to political and social hostility.”
Below are some specific GoFundMe campaigns supporting queer people looking to leave Texas that have not yet reached their goal.
- Support Our Move to a Safer Future in Albuquerque (Lubbock): Grayson is a queer man looking to leave the state with his partners. He says that “due to increasing political hostility and negative social attitudes towards LGBTQ+ individuals in our area, we no longer feel safe here and are hoping to relocate to Albuquerque by July.” They have chosen this destination as Albuquerque offers more protections for LGBTQ people.
- Help a Queer Couple Escape Texas (Houston): Natalia is looking to leave Texas with their partner because of the increase in anti-trans legislation. They share that they “live my life in fear” and feel that they “cannot remain in Texas safely.”
- Help Aster Safely Leave Texas (Austin): Aster is a 24-year-old trans woman who has lived in Texas her whole life. But she now feels that “Texas is no longer safe for me to live in long term. My interactions with people out in public have gotten increasingly scarier, and it feels almost impossible to live my life as myself here.” Aster does not have the support of her family and is looking to move out of Texas with her best friend.
- Help a Trans Woman Move Out of Texas for Her Own Safety (Austin): Stephanie, in addition to being a trans woman living in a red state, lost her job in 2024 after facing some health issues. She’s looking to leave Texas and stay with some out of state friends, but “I’ve used up all my savings in those months I’ve been job hunting and hence have nothing left to pay for continued health insurance and the act of moving itself.”
- Support Valerie’s Journey to LGBT Safety (Lake Jackson): Valerie has lived in Texas for the past seven years and began HRT two years ago. She is looking to move to Ohio so that she can live safely and near an existing support system. She comments that “As someone who is openly trans in a very rural area, it has become unsafe for me to live here any longer. I’m in dire need of help to get to a safer space to simply exist and live.”
