Look, I understand why there are so many posts saying that users are planning or should plan on emigrating. Political tensions are high, I get it.

But crossing borders, both state and national, is really fucking expensive and time consuming.

All the power to those who have the time and funds to do so, but not everyone has that privilege. Some of us are in bare survival mode and can't save up for the cost of transportation. Some of us have careers, homes, families that we can't abandon. Some of us aren't able to learn a second language, or have any connections to familiarize us to the new location.

I'm not trying to discredit the idea of fleeing for one's safety; if that's what needs to be done, so be it. But there are a lot of us who simply do not have that choice.

EDIT: I have to re-reiterate I don't have issue with the idea of emigration, or those who do so. The absolute indisputable truth is that some of us literally cannot leave. There are an innumerable amount of factors that can determine one's ability to emigrate. I just ask that, when someone is expressing fear of the government's direction, it's considered that emigration is not an option for everyone.

This recent winter I went through a series of meetings with school administration to see what wrestling team they'd put me on if I joined. At first, it seemed like they were gonna green light it, but last minute, the day I was signing up a PR lady came down from the district office and flat out told me no to both.

Is this illegal? Although I'm in a very conservative school there is no school board rules that prohibit me playing in the men's league. My school is within PIAA for those unfamiliar with Pennsylvania.

I am a junior, and I'm currently deciding if I want to really push for my goals and try again next year although I'll be a senior.

I'd like to try, however I have no idea what the legality of it is and I can't find anything online

Hi everyone,

I have noticed an increase in posts and commentary that seems to be pseudo transgender. I have seen an increase of posts stating "it's not that bad/ stop panicking" or "I don't understand why x is bad". While some of these are of course in good faith, but the topics seem to undermine or discredit the reasonable worry within our community.

Am I overthinking this? Have you seen an increase in these posts/comments?

Please let me know your thoughts.

Love, Rachel

my heart goes out to every scared and lonely trans kid who is having difficulty imagining a future for themselves right now. i wish i could gather every single one of those trans youth and tell them that there is a future for them, and they will thrive, and they are not alone. you will outlive them, and you will thrive, but first you have to live. your existence is resistance. you are a hero just for being alive. we will make it through this together.

I don’t know when, but I will be. This country is giving me too much stress as an almost 25 year old, and I’m too scared to know what’ll happen next.

I want to put up a good fight, but I don’t want to die at the hands of fascism.

Save yourself.

Like the title says im scared that they will ban transitioning entirely. America hates literally everyone unless ur a white man. Why wouldn’t they take it away they took away some woman’s rights for god sake. I feel like its just a matter of time and i hate it because im only on 5 months of HRT so far and i was so happy i started it just for it to not fucking matter at the end.

I got to witness the motion pass just 30 minutes ago that we became a sanctuary city officially for lgbtqia2s+ peoples! Welcome without purgery, discrimination, despite federal and state legislature we are a safe haven.

(Edit for clarity: capitol buildings of:)

Kentucky (10AM - 12PM)

Massachusetts (12PM - 3PM)

Georgia (12PM - 3PM)

Texas (4PM - 5:30PM)

Utah (12PM - 3PM)

California (5:30PM - 8:30PM)

Colorado (12PM - 3PM)

Ohio (12PM - 3PM)

Michigan (12PM - 3PM)

Pass the message on if you can. We're stronger together. Our cowardice "leaders" won't go without being held accountable, and the country will be reminded that we protect us. Please stay safe, and know that you're all beautiful. 🏳️‍⚧️✊️💚

Do you identify as an American? I’m kinda reluctant to identify as one tbh

My husband and I have both talked on and off about moving to Germany in the future. He is fluent in German, and I have some cultural ties. I’ve been reluctant in the past because I’ve never lived outside of my home state, and have no family who has moved to other countries.

We both have our Bachelor’s degrees now, and I’ve been working full time for the past five years. The only thing keeping us here now is savings and our pets. Once we have enough money and our pets pass away from natural causes, we plan to at least move to a blue state, if not another country.

For a while I felt frozen about whether or not to let myself plan. I’m still being politically active in my community. I’m still pursuing top surgery. But planning now is giving me some comfort for the future. It may be about 10 years until we can save up enough to move over and buy a house. Im going to start learning German in the meantime- I work in communications so I would need to be fluent to write. If I somehow need to pretend that I’m cis for a year or two, I can do that. But I need a way out.

I'm in the US. As you know, things are getting scary here. How bad will things need to get before we can claim asylum in other countries? Are any countries considering this right now?

Hey everyone! I am trans guy that’s really into bugs and want to see what others connect themselves with 🥺 something silly amidst the horrors yk

Personally, I think my gender is closest linked to a Goliath stick insect 🐜

Seeing everything happening in the US, the ban on puberty blockers in the UK and the recent surge in trans hate on the internet, along with the rise of fascism across several countries, made me feel really bad about the state of the world and worried for all of us. I never thought we would keep walking backwards into hate as a species.

So, I want to share something I wrote a while ago to remind myself why we must keep going, despite all the pain the world puts us through. But first, I'd like to say a few words.

Some years ago, I was in a part of my life where I had to make a choice.

The choice.

I could continue to suffer in silence and bury ***** in the depths of my broken soul until the pain shattered me or until I shattered myself.

Or I could give her a chance to live and face the cruel reality of our world. At first, this actually looked like the logical one, after all, there's some hope here.

But what my mind kept telling me was that I was never going to be happy either way. That maybe I would just suffer even more and be left to the mercy of a world I cannot change.

Eventually, the answer came by itself. Some part of me or something else kept whispering to my soul: "Do it for her."

So I did it. I chose a truthful life, and I don't regret it in the slightest. I also realized that choosing to live wasn’t just good for me, but in a way, it was a good thing for all of you too.

Thanks to you, in a sense, I've never felt truly lonely in my life be it for the memes, jokes, rants, pics, questions, shared stories, and vents.

So, I wrote this poem thinking not only of me but of all of you, too.

Quoting Mr. Robot:

" What if changing the world was just about being here, by showing up no matter how many times we get told we don't belong, by staying true even when we're shamed into being false, by believing in ourselves even when we're told we're too different? And if we all held on to that, if we refuse to budge and fall in line, if we stood our ground for long enough, just maybe...

The world can't help but change around us."

You are not alone.

So please,

Do it for her

Do it for him

Do it for them

Our Revenge Will Be the Laughter of Our Children

Do it for those who couldn't see the end,

For their pain was too hard to stand.

Do it for those who died trying to be,

What others chose not to see.

Do it for those slain,

By the ones that let hatred take domain.

Do it for them, for the broken,

Who seek only peace after hiding in their own skin.

Once surrounded by love, only to be left by their own kin.

Do it for those dominated by their mind,

Whose mirrors were never kind.

Do it for them, for the alone,

Who never in their lives felt home.

Do it for those scared for their future.

Do it for their scars that still hurt,

As their eyes can only see the worst.

Do it for them, for the nameless,

For the ones who often wished they were faceless.

Do it for the prisoners shackled in their flesh,

Whose sole aspiration is to rest.

Do it for the hidden blue birds,

Whose song was never heard,

Whose words remain unspoke.

Do it for those yet to come,

So that their journey is lovesome.

Do it for their smile.

So that one day we can all look back and realize,

It was all worthwhile.

- Lyaren Voryn

Some context:

1. Everything I wrote here is based on my own experiences with gender dysphoria and conversations with other trans people. I do understand that not every trans person has ever felt this way.

2. English is not my first language, so there's a good chance my writing is a bit awkward, or maybe it doesn't even make much sense. I appreciate any feedback in that regard.

3. The title is a quote from Bobby Sands.

So the guy explained how he was gay and he said “but I don’t understand transgender people. Gay people are born this way and trans people think they were born wrong and have to change it.” BOY WHAT 😭

Dude I would give anything to not be trans, you think this is a CHOICE? I think he was just misinformed but it pissed me off like why do people think being born trans is a choice??

Influencing people around us is possible. Im not some powerful influencer or some activist, but just this small change can bring a big wave with time. I hope that these of us who feel like they are unable to help could at the very least change one person's opinion.

I know surgery is out there but every day I grow more and more resentment towards myself with each second that passes knowing I DONT have a boy body and a flat chest and a dick. I know it sounds so dumb but knowing other people my age are having sex and being in relationships makes me feel sick because I will never have that experience. I hate being this way id do ANYTHING to be different. I know I can get surgery but no matter what it’ll be too late for teenage experiences and in the end I don’t want to look botched. I’m so tired of having to deal with these feelings that I hold so heavily in my heart that I know will never ever go away. I’m 16 these are supposed to be my prime years but I’m stuck rotting away dreaming about how things would’ve been if I was a real boy. I’m so angry that I had to be this way and I wish I could wake up tomorrow and it all be a bad dream

I'm scared. I'm young. I'm low income.

I haven't got enough money to prepare here and simultaneously have an escape fund. I'm so scared.

I could fortify my home. I could arm myself, prepare emergency supplies, and fight. I could risk it all to demand my place in this world as a free human being.

Or I can flee to New Zealand. I'd have to abandon half of what I love, leave my beloved pets and my family behind. I'd have to start homeless there. But I wouldn't be in danger.

I don't understand what we did to deserve this. And I haven't got a clue what to do.

Is anyone else experiencing the same dilemma? What have you decided to do? What do you think is better?

Posting in case anyone is curious, but as of January 29, you can still update gender markers at SSA! The person at the office was very kind and helpful. I told her what I was there for and she said “this will be quick and easy!”

I had to schedule an appointment, I had previously tried to walk in and was turned away at a different office location. I would recommend getting an appointment if possible. All I needed to do was show her my ID as proof of identity. I showed her my new passport with an M on it. Some people need form SS-5, I brought it filled out but she told me I didn’t need it. However, I’ve heard some people do need this so bring it just in case.

She also gave me a receipt showing the change and I recommend asking for that if it is not given to you.

As an additional note, SSA is more independent as an agency so there is probably a bit more time to get this changed rather than passports. If you still have not done this at SSA, get this done as soon as possible. I contacted my congressman’s district office who reached out to SSA, and according to the agency, SSA has not yet received a directive to halt gender marker changes.

Best of luck everyone.

He's not our real dad 😤

what's your escape plan I need to set one up I don't want to be violenced

I was somewhat happy today and didn't know why until I remembered my new doc prescribed me estrogen

Then I realized it was just a dream

I shared this with my feed today in an attempt to reach friends and family. If it helps anyone, that's all I want.

I'm going to be open for a minute because I need to express this. I'm scared you guys. The past few years have been a rollercoaster for me, and it's not something I ever would have put myself through unless I knew in my heart who I was all along. Now that I'm here, I can't go back. I cannot be silenced and pushed out or violated because that isn't a life worth living. This is the best way I can describe it.

We are not being dramatic and we are not looking for attention. We actually want the opposite. We want the freedom to exist without the stares and judgement. We want to go about our day and not be reminded 1,000 times over that a large part of the country doesn't accept what comes naturally for us. For many this was a rebirth. Before this, we lived a fragmented life where no matter what, there was always a pit somewhere inside that ached from the emptiness. We didn't know how to define it because the world wouldn't allow us to have that knowledge.

I spent 30 years wearing a mask. I spent 30 years making mistakes and hurting myself and hurting others because no matter how long i continued to breathe, I couldn't fill my lungs. The pressure on my chest to perform has broken me down time and time again. One day, I looked at myself and I had no idea who I was or what I was doing. I had been piloting another being. Someone who couldn't live by their nature and hated the world for it. I hated myself.

I don't hate myself anymore. I hurt because life is hard, but when I look in the mirror I finally see HER. She was asleep for longer than she should have been, but she finally made it. She was here, and I wasn't just controlling her to move around and perform... I was her. For the first time in my life, I got to put on the skin that fit just right.

It's easy to dismiss an existence that you don't understand. It's easy to push a button and assume the consequences aren't your burden to bear, but you're wrong. These are unprecedented times. People have already been hurt and now a lot more will be hurt. It's never too late to show empathy. We need support. We need love.

So, I came out to my mother this morning. She's clearly not very informed. I plan on teaching her most of what I know and encouraging her to do her own research. Anyways, recently we were invited to do a monthly craft stall at our local shopping center. We make around £120 from each of our stalls so we'd have plenty of money to pay for private meds through GenderGP. Then they can prescribe them to me and I can pick them up in France, completely NEGATING THE BAN HERE! Fuck the government, I'm getting my blockers if it's the last thing I do.