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@transworld well, I see @transworldexpress trying.

I wish I had €€€€€ to start a company cuz then I'd already employ folks and get them hired.

@transworld It would be great, but we are heading the same way. Especially the Netherlands

@transworld I have mixed feelings here. This seems a little under-researched, but coming from a good place. Collecting personal written accounts could be sensible at a stage where you have a plan in place for what to do with them, but just spamming elected officials with them is unlikely to be effective, and would require getting more explicit consent for that purpose.

The other thing is, an open-ended call for ideas and the single person named here suggests he's not already working with organizations that have work in progress and need boots on the ground. I strongly recommend plugging into existing efforts and organizations. That's not to say don't do what he's proposing -- just don't reinvent the wheel. Work with and learn from people who have been doing this sort of work.

Lastly, I would be remiss if I failed to point out that the US is far from the only dangerous place to be trans, and it will be important to make sure any efforts at making space for refugees from the US don't displace or leave behind people in much more precarious circumstances. I know a non-American trans person who came to the Netherlands as a refugee and found the experience utterly dehumanizing. The details aren't mine to share, but there are plenty of stories out there. I think it makes the most sense to start by addressing known problems with the asylum process, with or without the focus on trans refugees, and to get guidance from current asylum seekers and people recently granted asylum.

I hope this can be taken as constructive criticism. Please send Ned my best wishes for his success in this effort, and my thanks, along with my comments.

@iris

I have been covering trans issues since 2008. And all the way up till the "tipping point" of 2014 I saw an increasing number of humanizing and uplifting trans stories in media.

Now all I hope for is stories that make cis people (including politicians) see how all the anti-trans rhetoric and laws are destroying the lives of real human beings.

That's why I ask them to tell their stories in their own words.

@iris I must admit I am also keen on including more cis allies in these battles. I have been looking into the way non-Jewish people helped Jews escape during WWII, and when I am at my lowest point I believe that we have to prepare for something similar. And for that to happen we have to make cis people understand that we need help and appreciate their help. Could Ned start at the other end. Probably. But this gave him a much needed sense of agency.

@iris

"I think it makes the most sense to start by addressing known problems with the asylum process..."

I agree. That has to be done. Do you by any chance know of a good overview over such processes in Europe?

I did manage do get a Ukrainian trans refugee and friend into Norway, but it took a war to achieve that. Although I think that Americans may find this easier, if they can get a job offer.

As for asylum for Americans: You need new policies for that.

@transworld Je diffuse !

@transworld let's have a look at the Dutch government first... Oh oops.

@transworld Love this although I know the Netherlands have major issues with #racism. They literally still have a holiday based around #blackface. They definitely need to address #intersectionality or else this is only going to benefit white people (bc even if they accept people of the global majority, they may be subjected to other harms).

@transworld While I really respect the intention, but as long as you have the PVV as the biggest party, I wouldn't count NL as a particularly safe country for any minority.

@transworld tagging @lisamelton

@transworld check transworldexpress.org trans initiative by @aeva