My spouse and I are queer Kansans. We will have our wedding this June 2026, though with fear that Obergefell was going to be overturned and knowing that Kansas has trigger laws we eloped October 31st, 2025. I have been born and raised here in Kansas and my spouse has spent the majority of their life here. We have family and friends here and are so grateful for our community. Roe v Wade was overturned shortly after we started dating. At that time I printed out a map and hung it on my fridge. This map is color coordinated to show what states are safe for my partner and I to live and work in as an out queer couple. Kansas was never the perfect place for this, however, it was home and wasn’t as bad as other places. All of this has changed with SB244. SB244 turns Kansas from a “not the best” to a “cannot live.” We hurt for not only ourselves but every other trans person in Kansas now who cannot afford to leave and/or is leaving behind their support system to seek safety. Over the last few years we’ve determined Minnesota would be the place to go when it was time, not if, but when. As many of the states have slowly darkened on our map, Minnesota among others have stayed the safest.That being said, we do not have the funds or ability to pack up and leave as soon as we probably should for our safety. Our current goal is to move to Minnesota summer 2027 though we have fear that is too long to wait.

Our action steps include

Finalizing what town we will be moving to

Paying off (or at least down) debt

Growing our savings

Finding a house (rent or buy we’re not sure yet)

Finding jobs

and of course getting ourselves, our cats, and our things to Minnesota safely.

Overall we need to budget for:

Moving fees (movers, rental trucks, gas, etc.)

Rent/Downpayment on a house

Cost-of-living changes including changes in tax amounts

To have a cushion for the inbetween phase of leaving jobs in KS and starting new ones in MN.

Being able to pay down our debts gives us the opportunity to put more aside monthly to save up for these things. With the money you contribute we will put a percentage of it towards debt and the rest into a savings account with a high APY%.