Trans people are finding safe haven in an unexpected place: upstate New York

Source: The Guardian

Trans people are finding safe haven in an unexpected place: upstate New York

Rochester, Albany and other cities offer refuge from anti-trans laws in other states and ballooning costs in big cities

Mike De Socio
Mon 18 Dec 2023 12.00 GMT
Last modified on Mon 18 Dec 2023 12.04 GMT

When Travis Covitz arrived in Rochester, in upstate New York, in 2022, he moved into an apartment owned by gay landlords on a major thoroughfare where shop windows displayed LGBTQ+ safe-space stickers.

Covitz, a 23-year-old transgender man, ended up in Rochester somewhat by accident for a medical research job after graduating from Cornell University, a two-hour drive south in the progressive college town of Ithaca. “This is giving me similar vibes,” he thought upon his arrival in Rochester. He felt safe walking through the city dressed in drag, to the gay club where he eventually took a second job as a barback.

The culture of Rochester marked a noticeable contrast from his home state of Arizona, which has banned trans girls from school sports and tried to stop students from using pronouns and bathrooms that align with their gender identities. In many ways, the environment for trans people in Arizona has become worse since Covitz graduated from high school there in 2018. And while he didn’t leave the state specifically for that reason, he’s grateful to be living in a place like Rochester.

He’s not alone. Community leaders and healthcare providers in Rochester say they’ve seen a significant influx of trans residents, many of whom are fleeing states that are hostile to their rights.

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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/dec/18/trans-americans-upstate-new-york-rochester

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