![]() ![]() Incredible queer and trans community clinic resources are growing in bigger cities, but that progress isn't usually accessible in more rural areas.įor over a decade, researchers have recommended telehealth as a way to increase access to affirming care for LGBTQ people - and FOLX is here for it. But those in rural and red areas have far fewer resources - affirming sources of healthcare, community organizations, social support, and other vital services. Trans folks in both rural and urban communities experience discrimination and deep lack of access to resources. So what does this mean? It means that if we want to take care of LGBTQ people, we need to recognize the unique needs of those living in rural, and often politically red, parts of the US. The Census Bureau defines " rural" as any population, housing, or territory NOT in an urban area, and an " urban area" as a continuously built-up area with a population of 50,000 or more. The largest numbers of trans adults live in the US South, and about ⅔ of the South is rural. Estimates of trans people living in rural communities range from 16-29%. About 54% of trans people live in majority rural states, which means that some folks will live in suburban or cities within these states, and some will live in the rural parts. We know that most LGBTQ people live in rural or red areas, but the exact number of trans people living in rural communities is not fully understood. More than half of trans people (54%) in the US live in majority rural states. Yes gurl, in the red parts of the US map. They found that the majority (63%) of LGBTQ Americans live in the US South, Midwest, and Mountain regions. In 2019, the Williams Institute of the UCLA School of Law published an important report about the demographics of LGBTQ Americans. ![]() But more and more, queer and trans folks are staying put in their own communities. Many of us grew up watching Queer as Folk and the L Word, and just a generation or more ago, it was common for queer people to move away from their hometowns to find likeminded communities. When we think of queer life, we often think of metropolitan areas like New York and LA, or progressive places like Portland, Seattle, and Oakland. ![]()
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