Why transgender Americans in North Dakota are considering fleeing the United States: report

19 January 2023

A new report is raising awareness about the growing concerns transgender Americans are facing, namely in states like North Dakota as Republican lawmakers advocate for an alarming number of anti-trans pieces of legislation.

According to a new report published by The Daily Beast, Decca Muldowney began with a brief overview of the uptick in proposed bills targeting members of the LGBT community.

Sharing details from the Trans Legislation Tracker, Muldowney wrote, "Last year’s legislative season saw a record-breaking number of anti-LGBT bills filed across the country, many aimed at restricting the lives of trans youth. But 2023 is shaping up to be even worse for trans rights, with over 100 anti-trans bills already filed across 23 states so far."

She added, "In North Dakota at least seven anti-transgender rights bills are currently proposed, according to the Transformation Projects, which give an insight into the kind of legislation conservatives will be pushing this year. These include a bill that would prevent transgender girls in public schools from playing on sports teams that match their gender identity, two bills that would ban gender-affirming medical care for minors, and another that prohibits books about “gender identity” in public libraries."

Zara Crystal, one of North Dakota's well-known trans activists who plans to relocate to Sweden, has also expressed concern about the disturbing bills being proposed.

“Everyone is really scared right now. A lot of us are afraid of getting our rights or identities ripped away,” Crystal said of the flurry of anti-trans bills proposed by North Dakota lawmakers over the span of the last year. “I want to help as many people as I can.”

According to Muldowney, Crystal has one piece of legislation she is particularly concerned about.

"One piece of proposed legislation most worrying Crystal," Muldowney wrote, "is an anti-drag show House bill that would make it a crime for 'male or female impersonators' to perform 'within the line of vision of someone under eighteen.' Although the bill does not explicitly mention trans people, it’s wording is vague enough that Crystal believes it could be used to prosecute trans people for simply existing in public spaces."

“If we are caught out dancing in public, or we are accused of dancing in public, or just being in public in general, there could be serious consequences,” she said. “Some of us could be charged with sex crimes. That could be the end of a lot of people’s lives.”

The concerns in North Dakota are increasing as other states with Republican-controlled chambers are also proposing similar laws.

"Many Republican-majority state houses are pursuing similar legislation," she wrote. "Tennessee has already enacted a restrictive birth certificate law like the one under discussion in North Dakota, and lawmakers have also proposed another to ban gender-affirming health care for minors. Similar bills are proposed in Kansas, Texas, and South Carolina."

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