From betrayal to support: Toward trans refuge in higher education

U.S.-based trans people and their families are increasingly targeted with discrimination and hate at the federal, state, and local levels. Some are relocating in search of safety and access to care, often to "shield" and/or "trans refuge" states. Shield states offer legal protection for anyone seeking or providing gender-affirming medical care. Some states have also legally enshrined trans people as a protected class (i.e., trans refuge states). However, laws and policies alone are unlikely to transform culture. These states have a responsibility to consider not just legal protections but also the climate and culture into which trans individuals and their families are moving. With a focus on public organizations, this article describes emergent change efforts to interrupt institutional betrayal and better support the safety and sense of belonging for trans students, faculty, and staff at one higher education institution. We present three cases of organizational-level change, including descriptions of the context, problem, and change strategy. Guided by a trauma-informed approach, this work highlights the importance of listening to trans people/experts, understanding organizations as multilevel systems, and collaborating across roles and units when implementing systems-level change. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).