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The Herald Scotland
20-07-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
US researcher praises Scotland's LGBT-inclusive education
The Herald on Sunday's education writer speaks to Darek Ciszek, a Social Science and Comparative Education researcher at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) who has been studying the development and impact of LGBT-inclusive education in Scottish schools. Can you start by telling our readers a bit about your background and how an American academic became interested in Scotland's approach to LGBT inclusive education? I'm in a PhD program at UCLA in the School of Education and as I was thinking about my dissertation topic in 2022, Florida passed its Don't Say Gay law. To say that I was disappointed would be an understatement. I am a former teacher as well, and I taught what would be the equivalent of lower secondary in Scotland – history in particular. When that law passed in Florida, I kind of thought back to my own experience being a teacher in the classroom and bringing up topics around inclusion. I wanted to do something about it, but I didn't quite know what to do without going to Florida and putting up a sign and starting to protest. But I realised that I could potentially do some research around inclusive education from an LGBTQ lens. So that led me to research states around the US that were hopefully going in a different direction in Florida, and I have to admit the search was very sobering. So then I decided to look a little bit wider. I did a Google search, literally, just a Google search of LGBT inclusive education around the world and different countries and things like that. And Scotland came up top of that list. And that is how you learned about Time for Inclusive Education? And at that point, I did not know anything about TIE. I did not know anything about the campaign and the policy around inclusion. I wanted to dig in a little bit more, so clicked on a few more websites which ultimately led me to a CNN or a BBC article or something and TIE was mentioned. I wanted to learn more about what was going on, what they were doing. How did they do this and what does this actually look like on the ground? So I found Liam and Jordan's emails and I contacted them and luckily they responded. We had a Zoom about a month later and I got some funding from UCLA to pursue this research and was out in Scotland that summer. Darek Ciszek (Image: Contributed) What did that first trip over here involve? What did you learn from the visit? By that point I had started to flesh out some research questions, but they were more open-ended because I really did not know what to expect. I knew I wanted to focus on implementation and see how TIE were actually rolling out the policy, and because I'm a former teacher, I wanted to know how they are supporting teachers in this process. So I got to observe some of their CPD sessions around curriculum development and was able to go to a few schools. There were a few teachers that were willing to have me interview them or, if I were back in Scotland, potentially come and observe some of their lessons. I've been out four times in total now. I ended up observing a couple of lessons at a primary school in the Greater Glasgow area. I also went up to another primary school a bit more north and was able to observe TIE's pupil workshops which really have been some of my favourite things that I've observed, not only because of the way that TIE structured it, but also because those workshops really do address some really important issues facing kids in schools around homophobia, language, stereotypes, and thinking about inclusion and diversity in a broader societal context. I went back to that school a couple of months later to observe another lesson that one of the school leaders there had crafted along with the teacher for a P7 class around inclusion. So I got to sort of see how they're implementing TIE's curriculum materials from the website that they have, for example the ready-made lessons, but how they also add a little bit of their own context and school perspective. I've been able to go to a couple of secondary schools as well. Those were more focused around like interviewing staff but I did observe a few lessons that were really interesting. These lessons have now been going on for a few years, but what was it about the learning that really stood out to you? By that point my research lens for the work had shifted more to look at how LGBTQ inclusive education helps facilitate students' social emotional learning. That really became my core question. I'm trying to gauge how the curriculum material - the actual language and the lesson plans and the selection of books - is speaking to social-emotional skills development. So for example, the workshops are fantastic for this because they use these vignettes or like scenario-based learning examples with fictional student characters. They have different scenarios with kids that are being made fun of for a variety of reasons in the school context. READ MORE Maybe it's a girl that wants to play football, and that doesn't fall within the sort of the gender stereotype for a female. Or it's a boy who's playing football and is concerned about coming out because he's gay, and how his friends and peers and teammates will react to that. When you present that material to a classroom of students you're asking them to engage in perspective-taking, to engage in emotional recognition, to develop empathy skills through those situational contexts. The wonderful thing about upper primary is that in every classroom I went into kids were just like raising their hands all the time. They just wanted to engage, they wanted to ask questions. So from what you've seen through your research, it's not as if these children, even fairly young ones, are being thrown into a topic that they're not ready for? They have quite a bit of knowledge going into that classroom to begin with from things that pick up from family and friends and social media et cetera. So it's not a blank slate in terms of information. But at least in this context, in these workshops, they had a safe, age-appropriate environment in which to engage in that conversation and have some of their questions answered with an adult, right? With an educator present. One theme that kind of bubbled up in my interviews was the secondary school staff telling me that this really has to happen at the primary level because by the time they move up it's twice as difficult – by then some of these habits and behavioural expectations, for example around what boys versus girls should be doing et cetera, are much more ingrained. With the primary school teachers that I observed, whenever they introduced a lesson that was LGBTQ inclusive, it was always in the context of a broader theme. So for example, it could be a week where they talked about different cultures. It could be building on something they talked about earlier in the year around like human rights, for example, or information about the United Nations or the Convention on the Rights of the Child. But the information wasn't so left field, so out of the blue, that the kids were like, wait, how did we get here? I could tell based on how they were asking questions, and the kinds of conversation happening at the classroom level, that this wasn't the first time that they were talking about inclusion in this context - it was just another opportunity to do it and get some more information or learn through a different book or a different kind of lesson. So is it really accurate to say that Scotland has established, and is implementing, a world-first LGBT-inclusive curriculum? Based on what I've seen, I would say it's accurate. I will caveat that a little bit though and say that I think in most cases the individuals leading the charge around this at those schools also happen to be a part of the LGBTQ community. On the one hand it makes sense to me because if I were a teacher in that context I would probably pick this up for my school and sort of be the main facilitator and coordinator, helping other teachers think about implementation, getting TIE to come out to our school, doing the CPD et cetera. But not every school in Scotland might have that individual to sort of lead the charge. And so there's an element of how do you make this more scalable and sustainable for individuals that are not a part of the community, and really do care about these issues, but for whatever reason may feel reluctant or concerned about taking that stuff on. One key thing is framing: what is the justification for LGBT inclusive education? And this is something I'm dealing with in my dissertation. There's a lot of literature out there around the justification being that it's about equality and about rights and those sorts of aspects. I totally agree, and have heard and adopted that argument for quite a long time. But I think where I'm not seeing as much focus is the social-emotional, skills development perspective. That really benefits not just LGBTQ kids who might be struggling emotionally and mentally, but also heterosexual students in terms of their own ability to engage with a diverse society. Based on your experiences, does Scotland's approach to this issue seem like something that is worth celebrating? Oh yeah, absolutely. I was just in Barcelona for an LGBTQ education conference, and it was a consortium of a whole bunch of different NGOs and non-profits, the Council of Europe, European Parliament, World Bank. What Scotland is doing is being eclipsed by the UK as a whole, and the UK as a whole is being represented by England. Not enough people around the world know what Scotland is doing. And they need to know.
Gizmodo
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
Report: ‘Elio' Was Pixar's Latest Victim of Cuts to Erase a Queer Storyline
A new report from The Hollywood Reporter alleges that Elio, Pixar's latest movie, has become the latest in a growing line at the studio to face radical cuts and changes from senior management—including, yet again, the erasure of a queer narrative. The report revealed that Elio had a fraught behind-the-scenes production, that saw much of original director Adrian Molina's (Coco) vision undergo significant restructuring to become the film that is in theaters now. The disappointing alterations of the final product were major; insiders who saw original cuts shared that it distanced itself from representing Elio 'as a queer-coded character, reflecting original director Adrian Molina's identity as an openly gay filmmaker.' Molina didn't intend the film to be about Elio coming out, purportedly, but the framing of the character as being queer was slowly cut back in the production process, after feedback from Pixar leadership pushed the Elio team to present the character in a more masculine manner. The erasure went as far as taking away 'direct examples of his passion for environmentalism and fashion,' according to THR, cutting whole sequences in the process—including imagery in Elio's bedroom that would've implied that he harbored male crushes. The topics of environmentalism and LGBTQIA+ representation have been downplayed in media due to the conservative political climate of the Trump administration, where perceived affiliations within these communities and social-change groups have been met with emboldened bigotry and dangerous rhetoric. But this wouldn't be the first time Pixar and Disney have pushed to remove queer elements from the studio's work. During the broad backlash to Disney's initial stance on the 'Don't Say Gay' Florida legislative bill in 2022, Pixar employees lambasted Disney, alleging in a statement that 'Nearly every moment of overtly gay affection is cut at Disney's behest, regardless of when there is protest from both the creative teams and executive leadership at Pixar.' A same-sex kiss in the then-upcoming Toy Story spinoff Lightyear was restored to the film after being initially cut as part of the backlash. Last year, it was confirmed that Disney asked Pixar to edit a storyline in its Disney+ animated series Win or Lose that would've revolved around a transgender youth participating on the co-ed softball team at the heart of the series. The character remained in the final show, but with all mentions of their gender identity erased. Disney and Pixar bowing to avoid stirring the pot is making things worse for marginalized communities seeking to be represented authentically, and has already caused internal strife at Disney, as the studio openly made moves to comply with the Trump administration's executive orders targeting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives earlier this year. To make matters more disheartening in Elio's case, the Hollywood Reporter cited a test screening in Arizona, as what could have prompted Molina's initial exit from the film. A source with knowledge about this test screening told the trade that the studio received feedback from the audience that while they had enjoyed what they had seen, they would not be inclined to go out and see the movie in theaters, raising concerns about the film's direction (and not out of line with Pixar's broader struggles to launch new franchises in a post-pandemic and streaming world). Domee Shi and Madeline Sharafian were ultimately enlisted to rework the film. Initially Molina stayed on as co-director with Sharafian, but eventually Turning Red's Shi stepped in to replace Molina, entirely, who's stepping back from the project was publicly framed as being related to his commitment to Coco 2 alongside Lee Unkrich. With Molina's departure, America Ferrera, who was set to voice Elio's mother Olga, too, with sources speaking to THR claiming that a combination of frustration at Molina's exit leaving a lack of Latinx representation in the film's creative management, and frequent re-recording of dialogue to accommodate cuts and changes to the film, led to her decision. In the final film, Olga became Elio's aunt rather than his mother, now played by Zoe Saldana. Pixar, once known for approaching deeply moving and often challenging aspects of life with artistic nuance—take, for instance, loss in Up or environmentalism in Wall-E—has seemingly begun to cull its stories of thought-provoking tools that make the medium of animation and its audiences better and more inclusive. Another insider source shared that even the topics of environmentalism and divorce in the upcoming feature Hoppers were points of contention, suggesting that a broader move to conservative appeasement was simply an inevitable aspect of the studio's future. 'A lot of people like to blame Disney, but the call is coming from inside the house,' an anonymous Pixar artist told THR. 'A lot of it is obeying-in-advance behavior, coming from the higher execs at Pixar.' Whether or not this trend will continue beyond the current administration remains to be seen–but it's still a shame that such an ugly course is being taken by Pixar and Disney at all, in a moment in history that will not be forgotten by those most affected or their allies. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
Forbes
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
Supreme Court Lets Parents Opt Kids Out Of LGBTQ Books In Schools
The Supreme Court cleared the way Friday for parents to broadly object to content in schools that they find objectionable on religious grounds, a ruling that centers on books with LGBTQ themes—but critics warned could "radically change" what public schools teach. Protesters in support of LGBTQ+ rights and against book bans demonstrate outside of the Supreme ... More Court Building on April 22 in Washington, DC. Getty Images The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 along party lines in Mahmoud v. Taylor, a dispute over the school district in Montgomery County, Maryland, and its decision not to let parents opt their children out of being exposed to children's books with LGBTQ themes, on the basis of it conflicting with their religion. The court granted an injunction that allows the parents to opt their children out of the books as the case moves forward, ruling the parents are likely to ultimately prevail in the case. The school district added several books with LGBTQ themes—like about a child attending their uncle's same-sex wedding, and a dog getting lost at a Pride parade—as part of a broader mission to diversify their instructional materials, and while the district initially let parents opt their children out of reading the materials, it later changed the policy after the slew of children opting out became 'unworkable.' Parents—who are Muslim, Roman Catholic and Ukrainian Orthodox—sued the district, claiming the inability to opt their kids out of being exposed to the books violated their First Amendment right to freedom of religious expression and forced them to 'surrender their right to direct the religious upbringing of their children.' The dispute over Montgomery County's policies comes as a number of states have already passed laws regarding children's instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity, and parents' rights to object to it. Florida's Parental Rights in Education law—known as 'Don't Say Gay'—was the most controversial when it was enacted in 2022, but similar laws restricting such instruction or giving parents the right to opt out of it have also been enacted in Arkansas, Montana and New Hampshire. Texas also allows parents to opt children out of any 'objectionable' content, while Arizona, Tennessee and Wyoming require parents to instead 'opt-in' to any instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity. Key Background The parents suing Montgomery County went to the Supreme Court after both lower district and appeals court judges sided with the school district, shutting down the plaintiffs' efforts to opt their children out of the LGBTQ-themed books. The dispute over the district's policies comes as recent culture wars have caused upheaval when it comes to public education, as objections by parents and GOP lawmakers to instruction on topics like LGBTQ issues have sparked book bans and laws like Florida's 'Don't Say Gay.' Advocacy group PEN America has tallied nearly 16,000 book bans since 2021, a number the group says is higher than any period since McCarthyism in the 1950s. More than 10,000 book bans took place during the 2023-2024 school year alone, the highest year on record. The Trump administration, which filed a brief in the Montgomery County case urging justices to side with the parents, has also sought broad changes, seeking to dismantle the Department of Education as President Donald Trump has more broadly taken aim at LGBTQ rights and diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Some Democratic-led states have also passed measures in response to the new attacks on books and public school instruction, with states including California and Illinois passing laws that outlaw book bans. Supreme Court considers parents' efforts to exempt children from books with LGBTQ themes (SCOTUSblog) Supreme Court's conservatives are poised to strike down elementary school policy denying opt-outs for LGBTQ+ books (CNN) Authors in Supreme Court LGBTQ books case detail 'surreal' fight (The Hill) This story is breaking and will be updated.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Florida ranks at the bottom of LGBTQ+ safety list. What report says makes the state unsafe
Pride Month is officially here; however, many might notice fewer festivities, rainbow-colored merchandise and even less sense of security — especially in Florida. Home security and safety blog released their annual report of the best and worst states for LGBTQ+ safety, noting hate crimes have risen for the fourth year in a row and 71% of LGBTQ+ adults have avoided a public space due to fear of discrimination or violence. Experts ranked the 50 states on a composite safety score comprising a law score and a hate crime score. A 'law score' was calculated based on pro- and anti-equality laws in each state. A 'hate crime score' was also calculated based on an analysis of the incidence of hate crimes against any group falling within the LGBTQ+ umbrella. Florida has dominated headlines over the last few years when it comes to the LGBTQ+ community, from controversial legislation to discourse over pride events. In this year's ranking, Florida has fallen to the bottom of the list, despite being in the 35th slot just two years ago. The Sunshine State placed dead last as America's worst state for LGBTQ+ safety with a score of 35.69 out of 100. "Under Governor Ron DeSantis, the Sunshine State has become increasingly cloudy for the LGBTQ+ community. He's signed laws including a 'Don't Say Gay' initiative to restrict scholastic discussion of sexual orientation (then censured Disney for its opposition to the bill), a limit on access to gender-affirming care, and the criminalization of prohibited bathroom use by transgender citizens," the report states. The report further cites that LGBTQ+ advocates and human rights organizations have previously issued a travel advisory for the state due to legislation. Additionally, Florida has the lowest percentage of hate crime reporting in the country with 44% of law enforcement agencies submitting hate crime data to the FBI in 2023. Out of the 588 anti-LGBTQ bills the American Civil Liberties Union was tracking, seven were in Florida, including: H.B. 731/S.B. 1710 - Died in committee in both the Senate and the House; would have prohibited spending on DEI initiatives and applying for federal health care grants that include DEI. H.B. 1495/S.B. 440 - Never moved past the committee phase in the Senate and was never heard in the House; would have prohibited workplaces from requiring employees to use preferred pronouns. H.B. 1307 - Postponed indefinitely; would revise provisions relating to DOE, FCS institutions, state universities, & K-20 education system. S.B. 100/H.B. 75 - Postponed indefinitely; would have banned Pride flags flying on government buildings. In a 2023 survey, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC) found that 80% of transgender or nonbinary Floridians either want to move away or have already made plans to do so. It also highlighted that 1 in 3 LGBTQ+ Floridians share the same sentiments. In their own words, HRC shared quotes from respondents, some writing they felt they were losing their basic rights and ability to exist in public spaces. However, the study also highlighted those who wanted to stay and fight in their home state. It showed that 11.7% LGBTQ+ adults, and 6.5% transgender and non-binary adults, were committed to fighting back against gender affirming care bans, through voting out and speaking out against politicians who enacted these bans. "I spoke on the Capitol steps but this is what we do … we fight, we don't stand down, we stand up because we know the power of staying vigilant," drag queen Latrice Royale told the USA TODAY Florida Network in 2024 when asked in an interview about LGBTQ+ activism in their home state. Florida Louisiana Mississippi Tennesse Utah South Dakota Alabama Kansas Nebraska Georgia For the second year in a row, the tiny New England state earned an A+ for LGBTQ+ safety. "The Ocean State has the nation's most straightforward motto: 'Hope', and supplies that to its LGBTQ+ citizens via various legal protections, progressive healthcare, and vibrant community support," the report detailed. "Rhode Island's score was also boosted by its stellar hate crime reporting participation rate. Ninety-eight percent of law enforcement agencies in the state reported hate crimes to the FBI, more than any other state." It also notes Rhode Island set trends by providing benefits to same-sex partners in 2001, recognizing same-sex civil unions in 2011, and marriages in 2013, two years before the Supreme Court's Obergefell decision. See the top 10 best states for the LGBTQ+ safety: Rhode Island California Delaware Connecticut Nevada New Hampshire Minnesota Virginia Maine Colorado Pride Month 2025 certainly looks different compared to recent years, which is leading some attendees to wonder if it's safe to attend this year. And unfortunately, there's not an exact answer. According to NBC News, severalEuropean countries have issued official cautions for LGBTQ travelers visiting the U.S. and some LGBTQ rights groups have either pulled out of participation or called for a boycott of international Pride events. Despite a slew of anti-legislation across several red states this year alone, several Pride organizers told the Guardian that the show will still go on, especially in light of the political hostility the community is facing. 'It's incredibly rewarding to see tens of thousands of attendees. It's very easy to feel isolated and alone in deep red states like Idaho with people living in relatively isolated areas and incredibly regressive legislatures targeting the LGBTQ community," Donald Williamson, executive director of Idaho's Boise Pride, told the outlet. LGBTQ+ news source Them released a list of safety advice for those heading to Pride events, including: Stay Hydrated And Bring Snacks Have a Group or Buddy to Check In With Practice Drug Safety and Harm Reduction Know Your Protest Safety Basics Understand Active Shooter Danger and Safety Tips Have a Plan In Case You Need to Leave This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Pride Month 2025: Why Florida ranks last for LGBTQ+ people safety
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
These are the safest places in America for gay and transgender people
As Oklahoman legislators push to restrict trans rights and overturn the 2015 Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage, Zane Eaves says his identity as a transgender man has put a target on his back in his home state. One of 18,900 trans adults in Oklahoma, Eaves has received death threats as has his wife of 10 years and their two children. 'All the hatred and political stuff going on' are driving this Oklahoma lifer from the place he was born and raised, Eaves, 35, said. He has only crossed the state line three times in his life, but in recent weeks, he made the difficult decision to move his family to North Carolina to be closer to friends and allies. 'I am just trying to stay alive and keep my marriage,' Eaves said. Oklahoma ranks 44th in the nation on a list released Monday of the most and least welcoming states for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Americans. More and more, the question of where LGBTQ+ people feel safe is one of blue vs. red, according to advocacy group Out Leadership. LGBTQ+ equality fell across the board for the third straight year, according to Out Leadership's State LGBTQ+ Business Climate Index shared exclusively with USA TODAY. But the sharpest declines came in Republican-led states. While progressive strongholds championed supportive policies and protections, conservative states elected a slate of leaders who openly oppose gay and trans rights and sponsored an unprecedented wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, Out Leadership CEO and founder Todd Sears said. So-called 'Don't Say Gay' bills, religious exemptions and other legislation tanked the rankings of 19 red states in the Out Leadership index, according to Sears. Today, the divide between states that roll out the welcome mat and less hospitable parts of the country is wider than ever, he said. Each year for the last seven, Out Leadership has released the State LGBTQ+ Business Climate Index to gauge the overall climate for gay and transgender people state by state, mapping out where they will face the most and the least discrimination and hardship. Out Leadership's index measures the impact of state government policies and prevalent attitudes about the LGBTQ+ community, weighing factors such as support for young people and families, health access and safety, political and religious attitudes, work environment and employment and nondiscrimination protections. The Northeast had six of the 10 highest-ranked states, while the Southeast had six of the lowest-ranked. Massachusetts, led by the nation's first openly lesbian governor, Democrat Maura Healey and New York, which guaranteed gender-affirming care and LGBTQ+ refugee protections, tied for first place in this year's index, with Connecticut and New Jersey close behind. The least LGBTQ+ friendly state was Arkansas, which ranked last for the third straight year. South Carolina, Louisiana, South Dakota and Alabama also received low scores. The states that had the largest gains in the index were Kentucky and Michigan, which Out Leadership attributed to 'pro-equality' leadership from governors Andy Beshear and Gretchen Whitmer, both Democrats. The steepest declines were in Ohio, Florida and Utah, all led by Republican governors. The Out Leadership index was created as a LGBTQ+ inclusion reference guide for business leaders. But gay and trans people soon began using it to figure out where they should – and should not – live and work, never more so than now as rights rollbacks from the Trump administration and red statehouses hit close to home. Opposition to transgender rights was a central plank in Trump's presidential campaign and since taking office he has signed a series of executive orders recognizing only male and female genders, keeping trans athletes out of women's sports, banning trans people from serving in the military and restricting federal funding for gender-affirming care for trans people under age 19. Even states seen as safer for LGBTQ+ people have been navigating these edicts around trans athletes. Trump threatened to cut federal funding to California if a trans girl competed in a state track and field event held Saturday. AB Hernandez, a junior from Jurupa Valley High School in Riverside County, shared first place in the high jump and triple jump and second in the long jump. She shared the awards podium with her cisgender competitors under a new rule drafted by state athletics officials days before the event to mollify critics. Republican-led states have been in the vanguard of anti-trans legislation, causing greater geographic polarization and prompting fears among LGBTQ+ residents, even those who live in liberal cities. Jordan McGuire, a 27-year-old gay man in North Dakota, said the years he spent living in the Deep South taught him about the repressive discrimination routinely faced by gay and genderqueer people. At the same time, socially progressive cities in conservative states like Fargo and Grand Forks are no longer the safe havens they once were, he said. Now that his fiancee is transitioning to female, the couple is exploring a move to a 'sanctuary' state that will be safer for them. 'It feels like five or 10 years ago, trans people were not under the same microscope they are now and that has definitely influenced our move,' McGuire said. 'Yeah, people were prejudiced but it wasn't a witch hunt. They weren't looking for people in bathrooms and schools. But now things are so polarized.' That rising anxiety was captured in a post-election survey from UCLA's Williams Institute which found that nearly half of transgender people had already fled unsupportive communities and nearly 1 in 4 were considering uprooting their lives. The most frequently cited reasons for wanting to move were concerns about LGBTQ+ rights – 76% – the sociopolitical climate – 71% – anti-trans rhetoric and climate – 60% – and anti-trans laws and policies – 47%. Interest in relocating to friendlier states is even higher today than it was after Trump's reelection, say nonprofit workers who aid trans and gender-diverse people relocate to more liberal states with broader protections. So far in 2025, Rainbow Railroad in Canada has received more than 3,000 requests from LGBTQ+ people living in the United States, up more than 1,000% from the same time last year, according to communications director Timothy Chan. Nearly all requested international relocation support. For now, Rainbow Railroad can't aid Americans with resettlement services because of immigration restrictions, Chan said. TRACTION has heard from a record number of people from states as far away as Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas with many of them reporting being threatened or feeling unsafe in their homes and neighborhoods, said Michael Woodward, the executive director of the trans-led organization in Washington state. Trans and gender-diverse people historically face financial hardship due to systemic oppression and discrimination, and need assistance finding jobs and housing as well as with interstate moving expenses that can run tens of thousands, Woodward said. TRACTION used to get a few applications a week until Trump won a second term. In the two weeks following the election, 'we received as many requests for assistance as we'd received in the entire life of the project thus far,' he said. After the inauguration, TRACTION started getting three to five applications every day. With one employee and a handful of volunteers, his organization is struggling to keep up with demand, Woodward said. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: These are the safest states for gay and trans people
