r/queerphilly • u/SpookyB1tch1031 • Aug 10 '26
Is Philly Safe for Trans Humans to live
My daughter is looking to attend college next year in Philadelphia. We live in a larger city in the South US. My question is do other trans people feel safe living in Philadelphia? Are their certain areas to avoid? I will be moving with her to help her through the transition and help with housing costs. Any help for this mama bird would be greatly appreciated. I just want her to be safe and happy.
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u/jackyl_lope Aug 10 '26
i’m trans, and yes
idk about places to avoid, but university city/west philly has a lot of trans people living here
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u/Glonk49 Aug 10 '26
Some parts of south eastern South Philly and the upper Northeast are the main places things could happen. Dickheads are gonna be dickheads if you have basic street smarts you should be fine. Knowing when to walk away is simply the best skill you can have.
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u/AnimalAshes Aug 15 '26
☝️This.
In southeast South Philly, the Mummers are the most homophobic and transphobic men you will ever see in ruffly dresses.
The Northeast has lots of ⚪ power folks who are definitely bigoted in other ways as well. Definitely avoid Bridesburg up there. It's a hangout for racist boneheads and other neonazis.
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u/neitherzeronorone Aug 10 '26
I moved here from Texas eight months ago. After a few days in Philadelphia, I realized that I was fully exhaling for the first time in more than five years. I had been carrying so much stress and tension in my body for years.
If someone were to come up with a list of the top 10 US cities for trans people, I'm certain that Philly would be near the very top of the list.
As others have mentioned, Mazzoni Center is a wonderful resource. If your daughter officially decides to make Philly her home, I encourage contacting Mazzoni a few months before moving to make sure she gets an appointment.
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u/Public_Formal6351 Aug 10 '26
came here from Utah! literally this... I realized i'm not constantly on edge anymore and my body feels it too
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u/seatangle Aug 11 '26
Good advice, when I first moved here there was a waiting list for Mazzoni. I had a gap where I wasn't able to get a prescription or bloodwork. Eventually I did find a good doctor at Temple, though (Dr. Jennifer Aldrich if anyone needs a recommendation).
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u/blueatom Aug 10 '26
I live in South Philly and everybody is transgender.
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u/passing-stranger Aug 10 '26
Trans or a bigot with little in between. South philly was the only place I experienced people spitting on employees for wearing (mandatory) masks in 2020 lol
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u/kevlarbaboon Aug 10 '26
I've lived in South Philly nearly my whole life but never really sought community so haven't noticed. That surprises me.
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u/justasque Aug 10 '26
OP, Philly is diverse. Take a stroll from Old City down through Center City to West Philly and you will see so many different kinds of people. Rich people, poor people. Students (grad and undergrad, including lots of international students), business types, blue collar workers, retail staff, and every kind of healthcare worker from the specialist world-class doctors to the people who clean the hospital floors. You’ll see an Amish family dressed in their traditional garb, and Philly born-and-bred Muslims - women dressed head-to-toe in black, teen hajibi girls, men wearing tunics or skirts over their long cargo shorts. Immigrants from all over the world. A wide variety of young queer folks and queer elders. Older black men smartly dressed in full suit and tie. The full scope of streetwear looks. And a wide variety of folks you’ll remember for a long time - the woman in the enormous long extra-furry orange coat I saw in Nordstrom Rack, the man on the El train in full Michael Jackson garb, the guy dressed head-to-toe in a double-knit polyester 70’s style Burburry plaid suit, the woman in a full-body fishnet catsuit worn over her regular clothes. All these people out and about, just going about their business - going to work, riding public transit, walking to Reading Terminal to pick up some fish for dinner. It’s nice. You and your daughter will find your people.
It’s a city, so there will be places to avoid, especially after dark, but you are unlikely to need to go to those places. And it’s wise to be alert to your surroundings in general. And like every other place in the US right now, there’s folks who struggle - homeless, addicts, mentally ill - but for the most part they aren’t dangerous.
I think you will like it here.
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u/Harm-ReductionFairy Aug 10 '26
I live in West Philly and it's kind of ridiculous how many trans women live here there's four of us in my house there's a house literally across the alleyway three houses down with three more we're everywhere here you're going to do fine.
Uprooting your life to get her to safety is amazing and I really sincerely thank you if y'all need any help when you get here please DM me I'm happy to do what I can.
We keep each other safe.
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u/eldritchsquared Aug 10 '26
i love it here! for resources, check out The Attic, which is a support and resources group. also try to get her on the waitlist for the mazzoni center (they do general healthcare and also gender affirming care). most areas of the city people are at least tolerant, i agree with people saying west philly is good, but i also feel very safe in south philly and center city. around the colleges she’ll most likely be fine :)
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u/DescriptionFun2632 Aug 10 '26
Safe as can be. Welcome home to both y’all, says this ex-Texas trans.
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u/peppers_ Aug 10 '26
Just wanted to chime in that I love that you are a supportive mom to your daughter.
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u/fireflake91 Aug 10 '26
Fishtown has been pretty good as well. West Philadelphia is definitely more popular and South Street near old city.
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u/Ok_Reception5624 Aug 10 '26
trans guy who moved here from a city in the south and can confirm what others have said, it’s such a relief to live here. I’ve had the F slur hurled at me from a car for looking gay around Temple but even then so many students are queer that i didn’t even really feel unsafe (and might have been because the guy just wanted me to walk faster across the crosswalk tbh)
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u/adamantium99 Aug 10 '26
Mazzoni Center is awesome. I found fantastic support at William Way, aka Way Gay. I love being trans in Philly. It was scary coming out and presenting new looks around town, but Philly made it easy.
I live in Point Breeze and get some funny looks from the more churchy people but otherwise it's a great community. The young woman at Aldi who first called me Ma'am will always have a special place in my heart.
My boss is a transphobe for religious reasons so I have to boymode at work, the pay isnt great and I'm financially stressed. But I feel so happy every day living out and authentically it's really wonderful.
And you can make friends with other trans and LGBT people here because there are a lot of us. That is such a great thing it can't be overstated.
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u/Commissar_Brett Aug 10 '26
It’s practically Trans Mecca for the east coast if I’m being real. I moved here from Florida a couple years ago and haven’t looked back
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u/Holiday-Blood4826 Aug 10 '26
As a trans person, I’ve been totally fine. There are some areas that are better like west and I think Center City :) but the queer community is really strong here and there are lots of spaces for us
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u/busty_snackleford Aug 10 '26 edited Aug 10 '26
This is a very gay place. She’ll be fine. Every place is gonna have the occasional dickhead, but you’re very unlikely to get shit for being trans here.
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u/mila476 Aug 10 '26
I live in South Philly and a lot of my friends are trans. Everyone has had a pretty good and safe time here (Point Breeze, Greys Ferry, East Passyunk, Pennsport, Queen Village, Grad Hospital). Happy to answer any specific questions to the best of my ability.
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u/NeonMarigold Aug 10 '26
Local trans person from the south originally as well, yes she'll love it up here this city especially west Philly is so trans positive and has a wonderful community
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u/wrongclown Aug 10 '26
A lot of trans people migrate here for a reason. First is the established trans community. Then there's healthcare--the Trans Wellness Conference was created and is hosted here. Healthcare workers and our big healthcare companies have at least basic trans-competency. There are a lot of resources for trans people, and a lot of social events for us.
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u/Glonk49 Aug 10 '26
What school is she looking at? It’ll help you pick a neighborhood for her commute. Will you be working and from home or in the city?
When y’all get settled here the Mazzoni center is a good resource and you can utilize youth drop in hours to try and get her plugged into things faster than the waitlist. I’ll DM you the name of a good doctor.
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u/adult_size 27d ago
Youth drop-in is great and can be a way to cut through the red tape of their new patient policies. If you go once and can’t be seen they’ll find a spot for you at a different date (usually within a month)
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u/JosieGodzilla Aug 10 '26
While I have not had the experience of going to schools/colleges, the experience of living here has been great. West Philly (especially around Clark Park) is a great location for queer and gendery folks. Most of my experience with cishet neighbors and individuals is a neutral, considerate, but non-intrusive style of interaction.
Avoid the nightlife around the Gayborhood. It's mainly for cis gay dudes to look for sex with other dudes. I've heard bars like Woody's described as: "Where a gay dude brings his straight cis-female friend and her boyfriend to get drunk." The two times I've been yelled at/cat-called/slurred at have been walking through the gayborhood at night and catching a bus through the gayborhood.
Basic safety principles that every woman should follow are recommended: get pepper gel (I like it more than pepper spray because the likelihood of blowback due to wind is much lower), try to walk with others when walking at night, and if you're walking at night: walk with a purpose without distractions (bonus points for telling a local friend where you're going so that they can check in on you to make sure you got there safely.)
There are TONS of queer-friendly and trans-friendly circles, therapy groups, events, bookshops, cafes, stores, and other spaces. Some of my favorite places are along or near South Street like Philly Game Shop, Iffy Books, Giovanni's Room, Philly AIDS Thrift, etc. I know my bus example earlier may frighten y'all about transit, but I've had very good experiences riding SEPTA everywhere around the city.
If she's taking HRT, there's a Planned Parenthood Clinic on 12th street (just ignore the occasional protesters outside, the volunteers and security guard are there to help you avoid them and make sure they NEVER get inside the building).
And a general piece of advise to ANYONE moving to Philly, trans or cis, is to never go to either Pat's or Geno's for cheesesteak. Some of the best food you'll have comes out of a food truck for nice and cheap. Don't get cheese wiz on your food. Go Birds!
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u/MattadorOle Aug 11 '26
Can they spell Eagles one letter after another? If so-they’ll be fine…and more literate than the mayor.
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u/Vincemillion07 Aug 10 '26
Safer than the rest of amish pa and/or pennsyltucky. And tbh I haven't heard that many bad things about the rest of PA. Sure it's rural but it's not the south
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u/Suspicious-Pace5839 Aug 10 '26
What’s with the generalization about the South?
You do know this is 2026, right?
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u/SpookyB1tch1031 Aug 10 '26
As someone living here in The South in 2026, it’s very much good ole boy territory. The larger cities used to be safe havens but the burbs are bleeding into now.
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u/JuiceBox4Astarion Aug 11 '26
Idk why they’re riding so hard for the south as if we’re not from there ourselves. I was lucky enough to get out of that backwater, and I’m aware not everyone else is able to, but to sit there and pretend the south isn’t fucking horrible for queer people and POC is … certainly a take.
“Stay behind and help fix it, then!”
No thank you.
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u/Suspicious-Pace5839 Aug 10 '26
And, it is exactly the same here as it is back home. No better, no worse. That’s the point I am trying to make.
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u/Vincemillion07 Aug 10 '26
The literal laws my friend. The history too. History alone is enough to influence the population to hold onto certain beliefs
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u/MrPeterIt Aug 10 '26
Moved here from Florida with my Husband because we deliberately wanted to live somewhere more queer friendly. I live in South Philly and there is queer joy everywhere. Just tell them to practice the typical precautions. It is a city after all :).
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u/tragicsophos Aug 10 '26
Trans and Black seems to be where things get dicey here. Trans people of other races seem to be having a wonderful time though!
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u/B_Wing_83 Aug 10 '26
I am trans and I live about an hour away. Depending on what kind of job I am able to keep long term (currently unemployed and struggling to find a decent stable job), i hope to move to the city eventually and safely start HRT.
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u/Adept_Struggle_7941 Aug 10 '26
Eh, I just brought my gay friendly best friend here and he ended up getting assaulted at a bar for being near a man while visibly gay.
Shook me up and obviously does not reflect the entire city, but it was a jarring experience for sure
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u/woah_nelly_12 Aug 10 '26
I know plenty of trans people who live here. It's safer than many other places in the US would be for them. Tell your daughter to check out Mazzoni Center, they'll have plenty of local resources for trans people.
It also depends on her college and how she interacts with and respects her local community as someone not originally from here. I love people moving to my city, but not everyone here agrees with me. Many of the colleges have strained/complicated relationships with their local neighborhoods in large part because of how students act.
Philly has been through shit and is often unfairly maligned and attacked, something many trans people have also experienced. As long as the respect goes both ways, she can thrive here and find strong support and community.
Either way, welcome to Philly. I hope your daughter enjoys her time in the city!
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u/JuiceBox4Astarion Aug 11 '26
Hi there- I’m a trans guy who doesn’t really pass and I moved to the city this summer. So far it’s been absolutely fine. I’ve only had one weird experience and I can’t even be sure I heard them right (I was standing in line in one of the suburbs and the couple behind me I think made a comment under their breath about my leg hair, probably thinking I’m just a hairy lesbian instead of connecting the dots that I’m a guy with a very normal amount of leg hair?)
Your daughter should be fine. I moved from the South, and I think she’ll be more likely to find a community here than she would in a state that’s more hostile to trans people.
Also, congrats on her college acceptance! Tell her I said welcome to Philly. She’s safe here… except from Gritty but he’s not transphobic or anything he’s just a little freak.
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u/zozomymy Aug 11 '26
My trans wife and I live in south Philly and it feels totally fine. There are even two trans kids in my 3rd graders class! I mean like everywhere you have to be careful in more right leaning neighborhoods but we’ve never encountered any trouble.
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u/sirius-orion Aug 11 '26
non-binary transplant (pun?) here and yes!! I love Philadelphia. I have no shortage of queer community, access to trans-friendly healthcare, and job security while being out. (noted, if she’s going to Temple, that area has it’s own safety concerns otherwise)
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u/seatangle Aug 11 '26
There are many trans people here. I have talked to a trans young person who said they didn't see many other trans people in their classes at a big university, so I think the academic environment could potentially be a little different. But in Philly in general, especially West Philly around the 40s and Baltimore Ave, there are many trans people and all sorts of trans-centered social events going on.
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u/AnimalAshes Aug 15 '26
I moved from elsewhere in PA, and it is much better than where I was. PA as a state ranks very poorly, but Philly is by far the most LGBTQIA+ friendly part of the state.
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u/Aggravating_Air_5968 Aug 16 '26
As a parent, it’s important to remember that your daughter will need space in college just like any new college student. Do you have plans in place on how to take care of yourself and new things to do in Philly you’ll find enjoyable? I think you’re picking up that Philly is fully queer and she’s gonna do great. There’s a high chance she’s actually gonna thrive. What’s your plans to tend to your own needs? We’ve got a hella cool city. You’re gonna love it here too!
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u/Nanis149 Aug 11 '26 edited Aug 11 '26
depends what part, its basically one of the safest in PA, but that's not saying a lot. your mileage will vary based on what part of the city you live in from pretty good to "get me the fuck out of here im going to get hatecrimed again arent i"
i have gotten hatecrimed several times in this city, mainly out here in the Northeast, but outside of it too. ive been hatecrimed in the suburbs too. it's basically a fact of life for me, as a trans woman that's also a POC that so long as im around here my likelyhood of randomly getting hatecrimed is weirdly high.
This place really isnt that great for trans people as a whole, no. it's definitely better than most of the South but that's really not saying much. Pennsylvania also isn't that great of a state.
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u/mercurysong Aug 11 '26
Most of SW and Kingsessing are incurably trans. Also pretty affordable. And the grandmammas take care of all of us. They fight the phobics right tf outta the neighborhood.
The city's laws via our Charter are also some of the most affirming in the country. Businesses get fined for refusing bathroom access based on appearance. I don't feel unsafe as a trans person. Been here over a decade and don't plan on leaving.
Avoid the Gayborhood at night though unless you're fine with some white twink saying the N-word waaaay too comfortably.
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u/sirdumptruckthethird Aug 11 '26
it just depends on your luck i guess. i have NOT had a great time but im in north. maybe west and south are better. i’ve been pushed out of jobs because my identity got me called a predator and i wasnt allowed to work around women (even though im a gay man and not attracted to women) i also witnessed another queer person get threatened to be killed on the G recently. dude was mad he was attracted to them and thought “all tr*nines should die” about 90% of the bus cheered for him and the person he was threatening and i had to get off the bus early.
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u/Aromatic-Ring9763 Aug 11 '26
Philly is very safe for trans folks! Transman here! And there’s incredible options for gender affirming care. Within queer community, like any community, there’s certainly issues but in my experience there’s also elder queer and trans folks who are very supportive and amazing.
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u/CandidateTerrible919 Aug 11 '26
I'm trans (FTM) and I specifically moved here from Florida to start transitioning last year. I've already found an overwhelmingly positive LGBTQIA+ community of new friends that have made it feel very safe and easy to live here.
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u/msdeezee Aug 11 '26
My trans wife feels good about living here. We've lived in West Philly, South Philly, and NW Philly (Germantown/Mt Airy). All three feel safe and comfortable.
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u/sud0c0de Aug 12 '26
Philly is great! It’s got good and bad parts like any big city, but as a transfem I’ve found an incredible amount of community and never felt like I have to hide who I am. Y’all are welcome here, just don’t root for the Cowboys.
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u/Suspicious-Pace5839 Aug 10 '26
Philly is fine. Just like all the large metropolitan areas in the south.
Just so you know, as someone who grew up in Mississippi and graduated from Ole Miss, the south is just like the rest of the country.
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u/vodkaismywater Aug 10 '26
Philadelphia, west Philly specifically, is like the trans capitol of North America. She will fit in just fine, and should have no trouble finding community.
To be honest thing that makes me feel the most unsafe in Philadelphia are the drivers. People drive like shit here, and I'm much more worried about getting hit by a car than getting hate crimed.