The Impact of Anti-Transgender Policy and Public Opinion on Travel and Relocation

Executive Summary

Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign focused heavily on eliminating legal protections for transgender people. In its first few months, the Trump administration has already attempted to roll back transgender rights in several areas. Recognizing the challenging environment that transgender people would face under the Trump administration, we conducted an anonymous survey of transgender people in December 2024 to understand their concerns and coping strategies. The survey used a two-fold recruitment strategy, and the following findings are based on responses from 302 transgender, nonbinary, and other gender-diverse people we refer to as “transgender” in this report. Over a third of the respondents in our sample were people of color, and over 40% made under $50,000 a year.

Many of the findings from our post-election survey were published in a toplines report in March 2025.1 The current report focuses on the impact of the results of the 2024 election and the broader social and political climate on transgender people’s travel plans and desire to relocate. For example, we address the extent to which transgender people are curtailing travel plans because of the current environment and the extent to which they are making plans to move their residence to particular areas of their state, another state, or another country they viewed as more trans-affirming.

In terms of travel plans, as of December 2024, 30% of respondents said that they were traveling less frequently as a result of the 2024 election, and 70% said that they would be much (48%) or somewhat (22%) less likely to go on vacation to states they view as less trans-affirming.

Regarding relocating, almost half of respondents (48%) had already moved or were considering moving to a location they viewed as more trans-affirming within the United States. Nearly one in four (23%) had already made such a move. Further, 45% of respondents indicated wanting to move out of the country. Respondents who lived in less supportive local communities, those in states with laws and policies that were less supportive of transgender people, and those with concerns about the impact of Trump’s presidency on their access to health care, exposure to discrimination, and vulnerability to hate crimes, were more likely to want to move to a state they viewed as more trans-affirming. Those with lower incomes were also more likely to want to relocate, even though they may lack the resources to do so.

Key Findings

Impact on Traveling in the United States

• Thirty percent of respondents said they were traveling less frequently due to the 2024 election.
• Most respondents (70%) said that they would be much (48%) or somewhat (22%) less likely to go on vacation to states they viewed as less trans-affirming.
• Regarding canceling travel plans, approximately one in six respondents reported having canceled travel plans to a state they viewed as less trans-affirming (8%) or considering canceling travel plans to such a state (8%).
• Respondents generally said that they were avoiding traveling to more politically conservative states, Southern and Midwestern states, and states with high levels of anti-transgender legislation.

Impact on Relocation within the United States

• As of December 2024, almost half of respondents (48%) had already moved or were considering moving to a location in the United States they viewed as more trans-affirming.
• When asked more specifically what cities or states they want to move to, most respondents mentioned progressive cities or politically liberal states, with California, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, and Washington State frequently named.
• Among respondents who were currently employed part-time or full-time in states with laws and policies that were less supportive of transgender people, 40% were either already applying for jobs in states they viewed as more trans-affirming (14%) or were considering applying for employment in such states (26%).
• The most frequently reported reasons for wanting to move were all related to concerns about the increasingly hostile policy landscape or sociopolitical climate for transgender people. These included concerns about LGBTQ rights in general (76%), the sociopolitical climate (71%), anti-trans rhetoric and climate in the state (60%), and anti-transgender laws and policies in their state (47%).
• When asked separately about how much they wanted to move out of state, 37% said they very much (22%) or somewhat (15%) wanted to move out of state. Respondents who lived in states with laws and policies less supportive of transgender people (57%) were more likely to want to move out of state than those who lived in states with more supportive laws and policies (19%).
• For the respondents who indicated that they somewhat or very much wanted to relocate to another state, many frequently selected barriers to moving had to do with the costs of moving and other economic issues. These barriers included the cost of relocating (82%), the cost of living (64%), difficulty in getting another job or other employment concerns (56%), and housing concerns and issues (49%). Other concerns noted by many of these respondents included the hassle of relocating (66%) and that they would be moving away from their family of origin (44%).
  • Notably, these barriers were similar to those most frequently identified by the full sample of respondents (including those who indicated that they did not want to move), suggesting that for some, the barriers to moving might have already dampened their desire to move. Among all respondents, the top barriers to moving identified also included the costs of relocating (54%), the hassle of relocating (49%), the cost of living (43%), and difficulty in getting another job or other employment concerns (36%).

Impact of Relocating to Another Country

• Asked if they wanted to move out of the United States, 45% said they very much (20%) or somewhat (25%) wanted to move out of the country.
• Among those who indicated they somewhat or very much wanted to relocate to another country, the most frequently cited barriers to moving were visa or immigration concerns (85%), language issues (64%), limited travel/exposure outside of the U.S. (54%), and health care concerns (53%).

Factors Impacting Transgender People’s Desire to Move

• Nearly half (46%) of those who viewed their local community as less LGBTQ-friendly wanted to move out of their state, compared to 26% of those who viewed their local community as more LGBTQ-friendly. Those in less LGBTQ-friendly local communities were also more likely to want to move out of the country (25% vs. 15%).
• Over half (57%) of those who lived in states with laws and policies that were less supportive of transgender people wanted to move to another state, compared to 18% in states with more supportive laws and policies. Among transgender people in states with laws and policies that were less supportive of transgender people: About two-thirds (65%) of those concerned about what a Trump presidency could mean for them as a transgender person in general wanted to move out of state, compared to 17% of those who were less concerned. They were also more likely to want to move out of the country (22% v. 8%).
• Nearly three-quarters (72%) of those concerned that the quality of their health care would decrease due to Trump’s election wanted to move out of state, compared to one-quarter (26%) of those who were less concerned. They were also more likely to want to move out of the country (26% vs. 6%).
• Nearly two-thirds (63%) of those who indicated that they were concerned about discrimination as a result of Trump’s election wanted to move out of state, compared to 25% of those who were less concerned. They were also more likely to want to move out of the country (25% vs. 4%).
• Two-thirds (67%) of those who indicated that they were concerned about being the victim of a hate crime as a result of Trump’s election wanted to move out of state, compared to one-third (34%) of those who were less concerned. They were also more likely to want to move out of the country (26% vs. 16%).
• Further, among those with lower incomes ($50K or less in household income) who lived in states with laws and policies that were less supportive of transgender people, 73% wanted to move out of the state, compared to 46% of those with higher incomes in these states. They were also more likely to want to move out of the country (32% vs. 14%).

For those transgender people who do pursue relocating, service providers, businesses, and state and local governments should both consider the costs of losing members of their communities and support and welcome those who are making new homes. Many transgender people will need resources to be able to move, and all will need to stay as informed as possible about what a move will and will not accomplish, given the rapidly changing policy landscape. Ultimately, whether or not most transgender people who want to move will be able to do so, the expression of a desire to move is a measure of the extreme pressure that transgender people are feeling about their and their families’ safety and health. Such pressure has mental health, physical health, and economic impacts on those who move and those who remain.

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