Today, Donald Trump will be inaugurated for his second term as President of the United States. We all know what kind of president he will be, and what this is likely to mean for trans Americans. Our advice remains as it has been for the past few years; for trans Americans to plan their exit from the country. We’ve already helped a large number of you to leave, some of whom we’re pleased to have welcomed in Europe, but we know there remain a huge number of you still in the USA. Many people will offer you sympathy, but you don’t just need sympathy, you need to survive.
First of all, don’t panic.
As MAGA soundbites fly around and repressive executive orders are signed, we understand how easy it must be to despair. But there’s still hope, and there is still time. We believe that there are few trans Americans who can not leave their country by some means, and thus we implore you to make a plan, and follow it through. What plan you make is up to your circumstances and perception of risk, and to help you we have produced plenty of resources.
Don’t wait to find out
It’s likely that tomorrow, or next week, or next month, will begin without the mob coming to round up all American trans people. The predicted disaster will not come immediately, and many people will start to relax a little. It’s not that bad, they’ll say, we’ll be OK, we’ll get through it. Our advice would be to not succumb to this, because we expect the coming disaster to be more akin to a gradual closing of the jaws than an immediate crackdown. If you take a moment to read some Holocaust history you will find plenty of heart-wrenching stories of people whose chance of escape was missed, and we do not want you to find yourselves in that position. Never lose sight of the MAGA agenda towards trans people, and make sure you are gone before those jaws close too far for you to make it.
Find your networks.
Reach out to your friends and loved ones. Support each other. When Trump was elected we posted the following:
We have faith that many of our fellow Americans will, in the end, help us in our time of need. You will find among your fellow citizens those who will respect and protect you, but think about your day-to-day security, and act accordingly.
We still stand by this, and we believe that those many Americans who did not want Trump’s oligarchy will support you.
Make your plan, and good luck!
We firmly believe that escaping is within the grasp of the majority of trans Americans. We think you can do it, and we have spent the past few years working to ensure that not just those individuals with wealth can make it. Whether you arrive in another country in a Gulfstream or in a Greyhound, you will have escaped the reach of Trump, and you will survive. We’ve brought together as many resources and as much advice as we can elsewhere to help you plan your exit. Good luck.