Sun Sep 15 14:00:00 UTC 2024: ## Florida Family Flees to Illinois to Escape Anti-LGBTQ Laws
**Carbondale, IL** – A Florida family, fearing for their safety and the future of their transgender children, has relocated to Carbondale, Illinois, a haven for LGBTQ individuals seeking refuge from restrictive state laws. Casey, a 32-year-old mother, and her wife Jamie, along with their two children, Marie and Angelo, embarked on a cross-country journey in May 2023 after the passage of Senate Bill 254 in Florida, which severely restricts access to gender-affirming care.
The family, whose last name Rolling Stone agreed to withhold to protect their privacy, experienced a growing sense of hostility in their Florida community, particularly after Jamie came out as transgender in 2020. This was further exacerbated by the passage of several anti-LGBTQ laws, culminating in SB 254, which prohibited state-funded healthcare for transgender youth and adults.
“It’s like a sense of nostalgia,” Casey reflects on the Florida she knew as a girl. “It’s almost this sense that home doesn’t exist anymore because it will never be what it was.”
The family chose Carbondale for its LGBTQ-friendly policies and affordable cost of living. The city has become a safe haven for those seeking abortion access and transgender healthcare, attracting individuals from across the nation.
“We have become the hot spot,” says Carrie Vine, executive director of Carbondale’s Rainbow Cafe, a local LGBTQ community center.
The family’s story is one of many as a national divide on LGBTQ rights and abortion access has led to a new wave of migration, with many seeking sanctuary in states with more progressive policies.
The trend, however, is not without its challenges. With the Supreme Court considering a case that could impact federal rulings on transgender health care, the future remains uncertain.
“It’s scary being a gender-affirming surgeon and waking up wondering if your job is still legal,” says Sumanas Jordan, a plastic surgeon and director of the gender pathways programs at Northwestern Medicine.
Despite the uncertainty, Casey and Jamie find solace in their new home. They have found a community that embraces them and provides the safety and acceptance they were denied in Florida. Their story is a testament to the growing divide in America and the fight for LGBTQ rights and access to healthcare.
First Piper 