As trans rights come under increasing attack across the United States, many trans people are making plans to leave the country altogether, fearing what lies ahead under Donald Trump’s second term. The Supreme Court’s recent decision in US v. Skrmetti, which upheld state bans on transition healthcare for minors, has pushed some to accelerate their departure plans.
Isabella remembers the turning point. In March 2023, conservative commentator Michael Knowles gave a speech at CPAC, declaring that “transgenderism must be eradicated from public life entirely.” To Isabella, a trans woman, the message was chilling — and it signaled a political shift she saw as a warning of future violence. This spring, she left the U.S. and moved to Chile.
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She isn’t alone. Following the Skrmetti ruling, four trans individuals told The Independent the decision solidified their choice to leave the country. All agreed to speak only under pseudonyms, citing fears of retaliation from extremists or government officials.
Though the ruling addressed only youth care, many fear it could pave the way for broader bans on adult trans healthcare — a direction Republican lawmakers are already pursuing. Wayne, a trans man in his late 40s from Washington state, said he previously planned to leave the U.S. within five to ten years. Now, he’s aiming to move by the end of the summer.
“I don’t want to leave my country,” he said. “But things have been moving in the wrong direction for trans rights for years. We’ve transitioned from a democracy to an electoral autocracy. No one is coming to save us.”
‘I won’t accept second class status’
In the past few years, 25 U.S. states have passed laws banning or restricting transition-related healthcare for minors — impacting around 37% of trans youth, according to the Movempro-LGBT+ Movement Advancement Project. Some states have also begun limiting adult access, while Republican lawmakers at the federal level have pushed to defund or ban transition care nationwide.
Conservative rhetoric around trans people has also grown more hostile. Knowles described trans people as “demons,” and one Republican candidate called for the execution of pro-trans teachers. Others have falsely linked mass shooting suspects to the trans community. Donald Trump Jr. even claimed, without evidence, that trans people are “the most violent domestic terror threat” in America.
Trump’s second term began with efforts to consolidate presidential power, leaving many in the trans community questioning whether even blue states can offer refuge. Stacy Davis, a Nashville realtor and mother of a trans child, said her family will stay in Tennessee as long as possible, even if it means traveling long distances for care. But if they’re forced to move, they’ll likely leave the U.S. entirely.
“I think it would’ve been easier to move to a blue state if Kamala Harris had won,” she said. “At least then we’d have had some reassurance that federal protections would remain. But now it almost feels like even blue states can’t save us.”
Quiet Exodus and Community Support
Some groups have stepped in to help trans people relocate, either within the U.S. or abroad. One such nonprofit, Denver-based Trans Continental Pipeline, helps coordinate moves for those escaping hostile environments. “At heart, we’re glorified movers,” said founder Keira Richards. “We’re just trying to get people out of traumatic situations.”
Other groups operate more quietly, worried about backlash from anti-trans extremists. A member of one such group told The Independent they’ve seen a spike in emigration interest since the ruling. Many are stockpiling hormones, renewing passports, and exploring immigration options. Top destinations include Canada, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Thailand, and the Netherlands.
One trans woman, Rachel, said she has seen hostility grow firsthand in Tennessee, where she once felt safe enough to begin her transition. But that changed after The Daily Wire moved its headquarters to Nashville and state lawmakers began cracking down on trans healthcare. She received threats, found Nazi flyers in her mailbox, and experienced repeated housing discrimination despite stable income.
Rachel even had a personal run-in with Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, who requested detailed patient records from Vanderbilt University’s gender clinic in 2022 — sparking fears of a government list of trans individuals.
“Skrmetti seems like a ghost that will haunt me forever,” Rachel said. “Tennessee was the testing ground, and I was there to see it happen.”
Now, Rachel is working on obtaining citizenship in the country where one of her parents was born. She keeps her belongings in storage and avoids hobbies that require too much equipment, ready to leave at a moment’s notice.
“We’ve read our history books. We know where this goes,” she said. “It’s naive to believe it couldn’t happen here.”
(Knowles has defended his CPAC remarks, saying they weren’t genocidal because trans people aren’t a group with shared genetics and are “not a legitimate category of being.”)
Life Abroad: Relief with Lingering Fear
In Chile, Isabella is still adjusting to her new life — figuring out medical care, learning Spanish, and building community. “Winter and summer are flipped, which is so weird to me,” she said with a laugh.
She acknowledges her privilege in making the move. She had the resources, a remote job, and connections that helped her get started. Still, living without constant fear has brought relief. “You feel like you can breathe better,” she said. “You’re not always worried about being the next target.”
But she stays cautious. “Transphobia is global,” she said. “You never know if it will come to Chile. That’s always a fear. So I’m keeping my eyes open.”
