500 Families
When Texas passed SB 14, banning gender-affirming medical care for anyone under 18, the national narrative was about families fleeing. Some did. Nearly half of trans people surveyed have moved or considered moving to more affirming states.
47% of transgender adults have considered moving because of laws targeting them. 5% already have.
But others stayed.
Trans Kids and Families of Texas started in 2015 as a parental support group in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. It has grown to more than 500 families across the state. What began as parents meeting in therapy became monthly socials where kids as young as six and parents navigating the same challenges could see each other face to face.
The Transgender Education Network of Texas, the largest trans-led policy organization in the state, built a resource system for families dealing with school dress codes, facility access, bullying, and legal questions. PFLAG chapters across Texas provide support for parents learning to advocate for their children. OutYouth in Austin runs programs specifically for trans and nonbinary youth.
What the Support Looks Like
The Trans Youth Emergency Project, run by the Campaign for Southern Equality, offers one-on-one navigation for families affected by state healthcare bans. They provide $500 renewable travel grants for families who need to cross state lines to access care their home state outlawed.
These are not abstract policy fights. A family in Frisco whose child was on puberty blockers when SB 14 took effect had to find a provider out of state, arrange travel, and coordinate with insurance — all while their neighbors debated whether their child should exist.
The families who stayed did not stay quietly. They organized. They built mutual aid networks. They showed up at school board meetings. They created the infrastructure that the state government refused to provide.
Why It Matters
The story of trans families in restrictive states is usually told as a story of loss. And the losses are real — healthcare access, safety, dignity. But the families who stayed built something: a support system that serves hundreds of children in a state that told them they do not matter.
That is not a story about what was taken. It is a story about what was built in spite of it.
Read more on the LGBTQ Rights hub and our coverage of the trans healthcare ban.