Help Micah Flee Fascist Florida

tldr: Florida has become the Petri dish for American Fascism. As a lifelong educator, a parent, a mentor, and a cat-dad, I have lived the last 14 years in FL happy, joyous, and free, the last of which has been as a proud transgender man. Now, I fear for my safety and my freedom. FL governor's wish list, a "slate of hate," has been handed to him to sign. Once enacted, my freedoms in and out of the classroom will be lost. My safety and access to seek medical treatment will be gone, and my simple biological need to use the bathroom when in public could not only land me in jail, it could physically endanger me--no matter which one I use. I have already accepted a job in the safe-haven state of NJ, now I need your help to get there and establish residency by August. I hope you will share my story and the stories of other trans people/families fearful of what’s happening to LGBTQ+ people. Anything I do not use will be donated to other trans people/families seeking refuge from FL or other oppressive, fascist states.

FULL STORY: My name is Micah. For the last 14 years, I've lived in South FL, where I created a beautiful family--including a 3-week-old grandson. I've also built an amazing extended family of choice, taught over a thousand HS students, and worked with hundreds of at-risk youth. I've dedicated my life to serving others, and now I need your help.

Last year, when the initial Don't Say Gay bill passed, my gut reaction was to flee FL, but I am a fighter by nature. I practically came out of the womb with a picket sign. So, I resolved to stay and fight for myself, but mostly for my students. After all, so many of them were the visibility I needed as a kid. We simply didn't have the language then, but they gave me the courage to accept gender identity--something I've known--and fought--for decades. So, I resolved to stay.

Then, last summer, my rent exponentially increased by 33%! My teacher's salary barely went up 3.5%. It's no secret that teachers are grossly underpaid--FL being one of the lowest. I began to wonder if I could even afford to stay and fight. In April, I received notice that my rent would increase to $2000 with renewal. That's more than half my take-home pay during the school year, and my summer pay is less than that. I literally can't afford to live in the community I serve.

Between the rising cost of living in South FL which has surpassed LA and NYC and will only worsen with some of the new laws enacted this week, and the political climate that grows more and more fascist every day, I simply cannot afford to stay. My safety, my healthcare, my career, and my freedom are literally at risk.

Using the wrong bathroom could get me assaulted, arrested, and/or incarcerated. I've already had one aggressive encounter with someone who doesn't know the law but thinks he does.

Saying the wrong thing, teaching historically accurate information, or relevant details about a literary figure or character could not only cost me my job but could also result in a felony charge! I was already accused of indoctrinating students when I taught a lesson about civil disobedience and encouraged students to write about an issue that's important to them--I gave them a choice–the literal opposite of indoctrination.

It is now illegal for me to expect my students to call me MR. Dez or MR. Desiante, which is the name my students have called me for over a year. Despite the fact that my gender marker on every legal document is “M,” that title does not align with my assigned sex at birth, it is now illegal for me to ask for them to call me what I wish to be called, as is asking my students how THEY wish to be called.

If Judge Hinkle had not issued an injunction against SB 254, the law banning gender-affirming care for minors AND adults, I would have to go months without the life-saving hormone replacement treatment I’ve taken for over a year. Fortunately, the injunction will cover my access to treatment until I can I'm able to establish care in NJ which has a waitlist in NJ of 3-6 months. If I stayed in FL, I'd have to undergo an absurd and cost-prohibitive process just to continue taking the exact same medication I've already been taking for 14 months. This is just a sliver of what's going on in FL, but these are the ones that impact me directly and most severely.

As a transgender man and a public school teacher, I am directly caught in the crossfire of a culture war being waged by Conservative extremists on public education, the LGBTQ community, all marginalized people, and any semblance of true democracy and freedom. Their fear-mongering attacks are designed to rev up a hate-filled base of voters for the GOP's incessant quest for power and greed. The blitzkrieg of legislation banning books, criminalizing immigrants, erasing African Americans from history, censoring truth from the curriculum, and seeking to eradicate queer people from existence HURTS US ALL. Make no mistake. The LGBTQ community is only the beginning of this culture war.

Please understand that I am NOT surrendering the fight. In fact, I am doing this so that I can continue to fight from a place of safety. I am simply putting my proverbial oxygen mask on first so that I can help others. I will keep fighting for justice and equality for my community and for my family who cannot leave FL at this time. This is undoubtedly THE most difficult decision I’ve ever had to make, but how can I do justice to my students and those I serve if I am living in a constant state of fear? What kind of teacher would I be if I were forced to live inauthentically?

Your contributions will help with the cost of interstate travel, moving, and establishing residency in NJ until I begin my new teaching job in September. I recognize that these are tough times for us all and I am humbly grateful for any help I receive. If you cannot personally support my campaign, please consider sharing this with someone who can. Once I’ve relocated, any leftover funds will be forwarded to Transpire Help, a local non-profit here in Palm Beach County that helps other LGBTQ+ access the care and resources they need.

Thank you again for listening to my story and for your kind generosity.