Race Day Live Many families across the U.S. are facing difficult choices due to new laws targeting transgender rights.
For Sara Ballard and her family, the decision to leave South Carolina wasn’t easy, but it felt necessary. With three LGBTQ+ children, she wanted a safer environment where they wouldn’t feel threatened by restrictive policies.
That led them to Northampton, Massachusetts, a state known for its strong anti-discrimination protections.
Ballard said their decision was made just days after Donald Trump’s election. Her youngest son, who is transgender, was particularly affected by the political climate.
He was already aware of South Carolina’s strict anti-trans laws regarding schools and healthcare. The morning after the election, he crawled into her bed in tears, asking if they could leave the country.
Instead of moving abroad, Ballard and her husband began researching places in the U.S. where their children would feel safe.
They needed a place where LGBTQ+ rights were protected, both at school and in everyday life. “We wanted to be somewhere that my kids could flourish,” Ballard said.
Across the country, LGBTQ+ organizations are reporting an increase in families looking to relocate. Logan Casey, director of policy research at the Movement Advancement Project (MAP), noted that a recent survey showed that 40% of LGBTQ+ youth had considered moving to another state.
While only 4% did, that still amounts to over a quarter-million young people. Many of them moved with their families, meaning the real number of relocations is even higher.
MAP’s Equality Maps track state laws affecting LGBTQ+ people. South Carolina ranks among the worst states, with no explicit protections against discrimination in housing or employment.
In contrast, Massachusetts has laws that protect LGBTQ+ individuals in schools, workplaces, and healthcare settings.
While some families can move, many cannot. Emma Chinn from the Campaign for Southern Equality explained that few organizations have resources dedicated to helping families relocate.
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However, there are grants available for LGBTQ+ individuals who need to travel for medical care. Some families turn to crowdfunding to help cover moving costs.
For those who can’t move, accessing gender-affirming healthcare is a major challenge. Many families must travel hundreds of miles just to see a doctor.
Chinn shared an example of a Texas family that regularly drives 600 miles round trip for their child’s medical care. Some organizations provide financial aid for these trips, but the burden remains heavy.
Despite the challenges, Ballard and her husband made their move work. Her husband’s job requires travel, so his work remained unaffected.
They also tapped into their savings to ensure their children could live in a safer environment. The decision came at a cost, leaving behind aging parents and dealing with Massachusetts’ higher cost of living. But for Ballard, her children’s well-being made it worth it.
The family isn’t looking for perfection, just a sense of normalcy. “We just want our kids to feel like any other kid in the neighborhood,” Ballard said. “They don’t want to stand out—they just want to live their lives without fear.”
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