Why more LGBTQ+ people are trying to flee the U.S.
6/23/202625 min
On June 20, Rainbow Railroad released a report on the state of global LGBTQ+ persecution. As an advocacy group, Rainbow Railroad helps at-risk LGBTQ+ people get to safety around the world. This past year they received the highest number of requests for support since their operation began. Most of these requests came from the United States. Canada also makes the list of top ten countries for requests.
Devon Matthews is Rainbow Railroad’s chief programs officer. She’s on the show to talk about the report’s findings, what’s fueling this spike in requests and the state of safety for LGBTQ+ people.
Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSpeaker 1· Soundbite0:02
Some of you know my partner and I live in Texas. We're trying to relocate 'cause we don't feel safe here anymore Friends, I just spoke with a trans friend who was like, "I know the next four years are gonna be really hard."
Speaker 2· Soundbite0:11
Because the reality is if you're a straight white, like, this doesn't hit the same for you, okay? I know, like, I'm angry that Kamala lost, but that doesn't affect me in the same visceral way that it will affect a trans person or a person of color who's being told by this election that it means that actually this country hates you These are some of the voices of the LGBTQ+ community on TikTok describing what they're facing in the US right now I have a lot of grief over the election, and in light of that, this one time this guy threatened to murder me in the streets.
Speaker 1· Soundbite0:42
I get harassed on the streets as a trans woman on the regular basis. I'll walk past somebody, and they mutter something about Mrs. Doubtfire, or I get spat on.
Speaker 4· Soundbite0:50
According to Project 2025, my wife and I would not be married any longer. Our legal adoption of our foster son could also be completely destroyed. They would rip apart our family in the name of family values, and I know we are not alone in these fears. I know there are thousands of people across the United States right now that are sitting in the exact same fears that my wife and I are sitting in. These are the real-life consequences of voting for gas prices over human rights.
Cheryl Sutherland· Host1:22
Rainbow Railroad is an LGBTQ+ advocacy group that helps people seeking protection