04 October 2023 , 19:45
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A transgender couple are asking for $5,900 (£4,850) to help them flee their home state after "harassment and discrimination simply for existing".
This comes as violence against transgender people is on the rise and anti-LGBT+ politicians enact increasingly restrictive laws affecting everything from healthcare to protections against discrimination. The couple, called Blue and Griffin, describe themselves as two transgender Tulsans, from Tulsa, Oklahoma, US.
A fundraiser setup by Blue reads: "With increasing hostility towards the members of the LGBT community in our state, we have made the hard decision to flee our home at the end of our current lease term to a safer state. We have faced harassment and discrimination simply for existing as transgender queer people."
READ MORE: Exodus of LGBT+ people from Florida as Ron DeSantis 'puts target on their backs'
LGBT protestors aren't giving up their hard-won rights easily (AFP/Getty Images)The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest LGBT+ civil rights organisation, has slammed lawmakers in Oklahoma for bringing in increasingly tough laws against trans healthcare. In May this year, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed into law Senate Bill 613, which bans gender-affirming care for people under 18.
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Medical providers practising gender-affirming care in violation of this bill would face criminal prosecution and imprisonment of up to 10 years, imposition of up to a $100,000 fine, and loss of their medical licence.
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LGBT+ rights across the US are under threat (Getty Images)Blue's fundraiser explains the figure of $5,900 they are asking for. It reads: "The first goal set will be the bare minimum help we need to get from point A to point B. The $5,907 estimate includes fees such as gas for the trip, tolls, renting a moving truck, medicine, moving necessities like boxes and tape, etc. Every penny helps ensure we can get to safety in one piece.
"If we make that goal we have stretch goals ready to make sure we have food to eat and shelter over our heads once we get there."
In March, the Oklahoma House voted 81-19 to censure Rep Mauree Turner, the first and only publicly non-binary state lawmaker in Oklahoma history.
A spokesperson for GoFundMe told The Mirror: "At GoFundMe, being a safe and trusted place to give and receive help is our top priority. To help keep the platform safe, donations are processed by our payment partners, held, and then released only to the person named as the recipient of the funds (the beneficiary). Before funds are transferred to the beneficiary, their personal information must be verified. If any questions arise, our processors will hold the funds until the recipient is verified.
"For a fundraiser to be considered verified, it must go through an enhanced due diligence review process. This process includes both a robust human review from our world-class Trust & Safety experts as well as technical tools designed to catch misuse."