@eri@plush.city

1) "what are the top priorities and concerns for trans folks just trying to live their lives?"

Literally that. It's impossible to just live our lives, because laws, harassment, rumours, exlusion and endless news cycles shining spotlights on us and blaming us for everything mean that simply existing in the open is close to impossible for many of us

2) "what are the toughest aspects of being trans and living in a small town?"

It's everything from 1, but more concentrated. Communities are smaller, so rumours and exclusion hit harder. When you're in a city and you lose your friends and family by coming out, you at least have a chance of finding a community and peers. In small towns, that isn't true. Exclusion is truly isolating, and losing friends and family is final, there is no replacing that lose, except by moving out of town. Which is hard to do when you have no money and no one will hire you or support you. I grew up in a small town, and it played a huge part in why I stayed in the closet for so long.