I’m done holding out hope for the United States. My president is trying to erase my existence, I’m gender non-binary, and he is trying to force me back into the office, I’m a government employee. There are other reasons too but this has been the breaking point.
I don’t even know the first thing about leaving the country other than knowing that I need a job in that country. I don’t really have money and I don’t plan to run away from my debts either. I don’t feel like I’m safe here. I have a wife and child too.
This post comes across more as panic than serious consideration. Start planning, consider where you want to move and what changes to your life you are willing to make. If your sole reason for moving is trump bad and you don’t have a large amount of disposable income, consider the fact that it may take longer than 4 years to sufficiently prepare.
I mean, the most likely scenario was to marry a citizen of some country. Example: marry an EU citizen and get a visa to one of the EU countries, learn that country’s language, then take a test and become a citizen of that country, which would also get you EU citizenship along with the country’s citizenship, and you’d get access to most of Europe via shengen area.
But since you are already married…
Your options are either:
- Be rich enough to fund a bussiness in a EU country. And you said you don’t have the money so… next
- Be a “skilled worker”. Do you happen to have a skill that countries are in demand for?
- Do you have any relative that are close enough in relationship to you in some other country that can sponsor an immigration visa?
I mean I don’t think many countries are accepting LGBT+ refugees yet, most of the world is still considering the US as a democracy, therefore they would likely deny asylum status.
While moving to another country is probably the safest option, you might not have the oppportunity to do so. Meanwhile, your best course action is, if you aren’t already in a blue state blue city, move immediately. Then contact the ACLU for advice. I don’t wanna sound like a gun freak, but you might want some firearms to protect yourself. (As in: Defence against potential Maga freaks, don’t actually use it against law enforcement, that’d end badly)
The others have given good starting points.
I’d say get an attorney to help guide you through the process. Can make things go smoother
Outside = the whole world.
But the the whole world is different from the whole world.
First, decide where you would want to go. In the knowledge that I have learned previously (I worded it like this because it’s subject to change), Ireland is a pretty easy place to immigrate to. Not Northern Ireland, but The Republic of Ireland. North Ireland is part of the UK and while the requirements to go there can be met, Ireland is easier than that, but I digress…
Once you figured out where you want to go, start looking for jobs in country. Depending on what type of GS employee or contractor you are, there’s a good chance that there is a demand for it in different countries. Essentially, just job hunt.
Now, a personal suggestion I would like to make is if and when you interview, do not mention that your trying to leave the country due to political strife. Say something along the lines of “I wish to experience a life outside of the United States, and would like for my child to be versed in different world views, opinions, and cultures”.
Each country is different, but you are going to have to look at how you can immigrate to certain countries. Some countries let you apply for jobs beforehand, other countries only want you to get a job after you move.
West coast best coast. If you know how to be govt sloth you can be govt sloth in any of the cities / counties /state govt agencies. Just use the 2024 presidential election map to figure out your ‘no go’ areas.
Digital nomad VISA seems the easiest way to relocate overseas. You might be able to even work for a US company. Digital nomad VISAs basically say, “We’ll let you live here, but you need to telecommute.”
Beware though, many of those are limited to a small number of years.
Is this an actual visa type? I was a digital nomad feom 2009 to 2011, and since it was all in the schengen area I just considered myself a tourist when it came to immigration.
Fun fact: In Czech Republic I had to register with the police since I was staying so long. No fingerprinting or anything, I guess they just needed a record of me being there in case someone from the old country filed me as missing.
It does exist now in several countries. Mainly came about during/after COVID.
Look for visa opportunities for your citizenship. This may be the most fruitful. Also Look at work visa requirements for potential destinations. What’s your line of work? Are there opportunities elsewhere?
Well, I don’t know about you but I don’t go to work and tell everyone I’m male or my sexual orientation, because I’m going to do a job and that would be weird.
Congratulations on your privilege.
Unless you tell people you’re non-binary, how would they know?
Girl, I don’t know what to tell you here.
What’s the giveaway? It’s not like there’s a difference in appearance.
There’s literally no difference to anything. Just saying you’re non-binary changes nothing about you.
Okay, gotta explain empathy I guess. Has any kind of descriptor ever been used to hurt your feelings? A slur, name calling, or even an unflattering description of your looks or personality?
Well when a nonbinary person is misgendered they feel bad. What you are telling people to do is just accept that they will feel bad when being discussed in their workplace.
It’s not about how the person presents themselves, it’s about how they prefer to be recognized.
The fact that you’re not aware how frequently gendered language is used may not be your fault but it is a result of your privilege.
I’ll call you by your name when I’m talking to you or if you’re part of the conversation. 🤷
You probably mean well but you absolutely cannot tell me you never ever use pronouns. Language doesn’t work like that.
And we haven’t even started talking about the Bathroom Issue.
“where did Jack leave the forklift”
“HE left it in the warehouse”
No one does the following
“Where did JACK leave the forklift?”
“Jack left the forklift in the warehouse”
The problem is if you go by “she”, the first phrasing is hurtful. But it isn’t common to pop back the person’s name in a reply sentence.
Even more clear is:
“Where did they leave the forklift”
“He left it in the warehouse”
Mind, it may well not be intentional, but a non binary person is made uncomfortable by being misgendered, so in a welcoming and safe workspace they’d want to ask “hey so I actually use she/her, can you please use those in regards to me?”
But in an unsafe or unwelcoming workspace they would either be shamed/retaliated against for that, or (in the case of government offices now) forced to not ask in the first place.
Pshh you’ve never met Linda, she can smell gossip from a mile away.
You’d need to put a bit more thought into that, at least to start thinking in more detailed terms than “US” and “outside”.
Countries, visa types, schools for your kid, work opportunities for your wife, local language, acceptance of your identity (believe me, majority of places in the world are much worse in that regard than Trump could ever be), etc, etc…What I can promise you is that money situation will be worse. Uprooting yourself and moving somewhere is a costly endeavor (did that 2 times, it’s not fun), and besides that US is the best country to earn money out there, it’s much harder to cover necessities and have disposable income pretty much anywhere else.
