Texas LGBT family begs for $15,000 to flee ‘hostile’ state ‘before it’s too late’ amid fears ‘something will happen to her family soon’
- Pansexual woman Kara Duncan and her trans boyfriend in fear ‘every day’ in Texas
- They want to move to a ‘more favorable’ state, amid fears that gender-affirming care could be at risk, as in other states
An LGBTQ family is pleading for $15,000 to help them flee “hostile” Texas, fearing the state could introduce laws to curb their rights similar to those introduced in other states.
Mother-of-two Kara Duncan, who identifies as pansexual, and her transgender boyfriend say they do not feel safe in their Paris home, fearing the state could introduce a ban on gender-affirming care.
Duncan said she fears “every day” that something that is out means something will happen to her or her family.
Now she’s hoping for a “miracle” to raise money for a moving van, gas and deposit in a new place in a “more favorable” condition. To date, the fundraiser has raised just over one percent of its total goal from eight donors.
Duncan said on her GoFundMe page, “Texas has been home for our entire lives, but especially in recent years it has become more hostile toward people in the LGBTQIA+ community.
Kara Duncan says she and her transgender friend live in fear ‘every day’ that something could happen to them while living in conservative Texas
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has introduced a host of laws targeting the LGBTQ community that Duncan fears could be copied in Texas.
“As a pan woman, I live every day with the fear that something will happen to our family when we are out and being myself, if we don’t leave the state soon for a more favorable situation.
“While we are sad to leave our family and friends behind, we realize that for our safety and the safety of our family, we must act quickly before it is too late.”
According to research from The Movement Advancement Project, Texas is one of the least friendly states for LGBTQ people.
The project analyzes LGBTQ laws in each state and assigns a score out of a possible 43.5. Texas received a negative score of -1 according to its criteria.
This year, Texas lawmakers passed bans on puberty blockers and hormone therapy for children, as well as restrictions on teams for which transgender athletes can play.
It comes amid a wave of similar laws passed in similarly conservative Florida under Ron DeSantis, who has targeted the LGBTQ community with a record amount of legislation.
The crackdown has led to a mass exodus of LGBTQ people who also fear for their safety, according to former Florida lawmaker and senior policy advisor at LGBT+ charity Equality Florida Carlos Guillermo Smith.
The Movement Advancement Project analyzed LGBTQ laws across states, with negative scores highlighted in red
Carlos Guillermo Smith says he’s lost count of the number of LGBTQ people who have left Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ stricter measures
Kara Duncan is asking for money via a GoFundMe page to help her and her LGBTQ family leave Texas
Duncan seeks $15,000 to cover the costs of moving vans, rental deposits and gas to leave Texas
He told The mirror: “If you pass all these hateful laws, like Ron DeSantis has done, you put a target on the backs of LGBTQ people.”
DeSantis’ six blatantly anti-LGBT bills passed this year include a gender-affirming healthcare ban and a bathroom bill designed to prevent transgender people from using the bathroom of their choice.
Like Texas, the Sunshine State also scored a negative MAP score of -1.75.
Earlier this year, it was reported that a Montana family wanted to raise nearly $5,000 to escape the “dangerous” and “terrifying” state.
Kyla Fortner was hoping to raise money to move to Minnesota, saying her family of four “can’t stay much longer” because anti-LGBTQ laws have been passed.
This included the ‘LGBTQ erasure law’ which states that sex should be defined as binary and determinedy reproductive capacity.