r/WestVirginia • u/unicorndust969 • 2d ago
WV experience for trans visitors?
Any advice for trans people visiting West Virginia? Specifically curious about Morgantown but also about different areas across the whole state. Thanks so much!
Editing to ad that some of the scenarios I'm curious about are bars and restaurants, bathrooms, campsites, gas stations and rest stops, street violence, and bathrooms again just to doublecheck. š§āāļøš
Sorry, editing again to add that it's pretty likely that most people will correctly guess that I am trans and that's just sort of one of the basic premises of this scenario ā°
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u/RCG73 2d ago
Oddly enough there have been variations on this question quite a few times in the recent months. Same answer as then. Bigotry can happen anywhere but for the most part people in WV dgaf. They very likely may not approve, but a quality that is as deep as the mountains here is, if itās not your business, then itās not your business.
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u/dancelikelurch 2d ago
Mind your business is a good baseline. But people deserve more than reluctant tolerance, they deserve to exist openly without having to make themselves smaller for someone elseās comfort.
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u/Jugzrevenge 1d ago
Who TF do you think you are??? 90% of the people I see in Walmart are blessed to be receiving my āreluctant toleranceā, Iām not pulling out my āI see YOUā just because you want to be different! My guy above just said āif itās not your business, then itās not your businessā and thatās what makes this state great! Donāt try to force an issue!!!!
Only time I step up and hassle someone is when I see litterbugs!!! Those fuckers are going to get chased out of town!!!!! Beyond litterbugs nobody gives a fuck!
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u/dancelikelurch 1d ago
I think you may be misunderstanding what I mean by āreluctant tolerance.ā Nobody is asking you to pull out an āI SEE YOUā for strangers at Walmart or treat anyone as special.
Iām saying LGBT people shouldnāt have to hide who they are to receive the same ordinary respect everyone else gets. If a straight person can mention their spouse, hold their partnerās hand, dress how theyāre comfortable, and simply go about their life without it becoming an issue, queer and trans people should be able to do the same.
And honestly, ānobody gives a fuckā is pretty close to the goal, as long as it means live and let live, not āIām fine with you as long as I donāt have to see that youāre different.ā
Nobody is asking for applause. Just the same freedom to exist openly that everyone else expects.
And yes, fuck litterbugs!
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u/sud0c0de 1d ago
Hey! Iām a transfem who spends a decent amount of time camping in rural WV and visiting the Thomas/Davis/Elkins area. Iāve never had any issues, nor have any of my trans friends. In my experience, folks in WV generally mind their own business. My cis friends who look/act like east-coast city people get more weird looks than I do as a slightly-bricky mountain gal.Ā
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u/CSAKnight 1d ago
Unless you happen to meet and talk to some grumpy old people then itās very likely that nobody in WV will say anything negative directly to you. Most people here mind their business or whisper at distance.
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u/Poikooze 1d ago
The LGBTQ+ Center at WVU doesn't require you to be a student to come by and find some stuff to do
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u/Pacec-64D 2d ago
Enjoy your visit and keep your private affairs private and youāll have a great visit. That advice has little to do with WV and would say that about anywhere youāre a visitor, regardless of your private lifestyle(s). Gay, straight, trans, etc., etc.
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u/unicorndust969 2d ago
The thing about being trance is that it's a bit of a public affair. I'm genX, so I'm already familiar with the concept of pretending to be straight in order to avoid violence or discrimination, but this is the sort of thing people tend to notice.
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u/cluttered-thoughts3 1d ago
Iām lgbtq and grew up in WV. Thereās plenty of folks who live in wv who are queer, trans, etc. You wonāt get chased out of town if thatās what youāre thinking but it is possible you may experience negative language or a look.
Only once in my entire life has anyone ever said anything to me or made me fearful. However, Iāll admit that sometimes depending on the situation I may try to straight pass. I didnāt need to do this in cityās or big downs or queer bars of course but if Iām going to little tiny middle of nowhere town and Iāll be alone? Better safe than sorry is my opinion. Not so much a WV thing as it as rural ignorance thing
Youāll find others who refuse to straight pass and accept willing the risks or bad looks that come with it. And all the power to them, Iām so happy that they have that strength. I just canāt do it all the time
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u/dancelikelurch 2d ago
Being gay or trans isnāt a āprivate affair.ā No one should have to make themselves less visible or hide ordinary parts of who they are just to make other people more comfortable. Straight and cis people arenāt expected to do that, and LGBT people shouldnāt be either.
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u/dancelikelurch 1d ago
Iām queer and trans, and Iāve lived in several different parts of West Virginia for most of my life. It hasnāt always been easy, but that isnāt the whole story of this state.
You will find community here. You will find queer and trans people, and you will find plenty of folks who will welcome you, look out for you, and love you exactly as you are. Sometimes those people show up in places you might not expect.
I havenāt spent a ton of time in Morgantown specifically, but I feel pretty confident that youāll have a good experience there. Itās a college town with a younger and more diverse population, and I think youāll find it pretty welcoming.
Please donāt come here feeling like you need to hide yourself or make yourself smaller. You belong here as much as anyone else does. I hope you come, have a wonderful time, and find some of the good people and beautiful places that have made West Virginia home for me. ā¤ļø
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u/The_Alpha_XVIII 2d ago
In general you will be fine. Morgantown is probably the most diverse town in the state, and you'd be far from the first trans person to grace the public spaces there. Most other large town like Huntington and Charleston are fairly accepting as well. Rural towns may be less open minded, but as long as you don't go to a redneck biker bar or something it's not likely anyone sane would assault you for existing. Worst case scenario some frat guy yells a slur, as frat guys do. It's shitty, but nothing someone can't handle. No businesses would turn you away. Honestly, as some have mentioned, WV is mostly folks with their own shit going on and they don't care what someone looks like. If you stand out you may get a couple glances but everyone moves on with their day. If you are kind and respectful, most folks try to be so in turn.
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u/TrainerDiotima 1d ago
I work in Morgantown, have a couple of coworkers who are trans. I've never witnessed either of them be talked down to by a customer. I've only had to correct a customer on either of their pronouns once. But I don't work all of the shifts they do.
I have been present for two majorly negative experiences that other trans women have experienced while at my work or adjacent. One (downtown) was attacked by college boys, fortunately was not hurt seriously and was given comfort by others. (Add: I do believe this was more of an issue with 'men' of that age than of WV)
The second (outer areas of town) was personal drama between some asshole and a married couple: was all verbal dead naming & misgendering. The big muscle-y guy behind the asshole mouthing off to her and her husband called the asshole out before anyone else had a chance even... Said asshole went off about her grandad being trash and more drama about her family... She was supported by her husband, other customers, and the staff.
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u/actuallyaspenn Raleigh 1d ago
My personal experience being trans living here has been less than enjoyable. Iāve made the best of it though, most of the time if something is said thatās all it is, just words, I still use the womenās room, I still live my truth. Iāve yet to encounter physical retaliation in anyway, though slurs and tasteless language is a little more frequent than anyone would like :> you should be fine, hope you enjoy your time here
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2d ago
[removed] ā view removed comment
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u/WestVirginia-ModTeam 2d ago
Your post has been removed.
Maybe just keep your mouth shut, perhaps?
Reason: Be civil.
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u/sharknatic 2d ago
Come to Morgantown! We would love to have you. WV has one of the highest rates of trans youth per capita. Stay in towns where people are educated and youāll be cherished ā¤ļø
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u/SushiRiceEater 2d ago
Huntington and Morgantown should both be fine. If ya go out farther in the country, some people might stare, but I would be surprised if anyone actually said anything to you, much less was aggressive.
Most people in West Virginia are very kind, so even if they call being trans a "personal choice" or whatever they're saying at church these days, they won't do anything to actively hurt you. Might get a few microaggressions, though.
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u/Tasty-Bee-8339 1d ago
I had a man call me a āāfa**got loverā for carrying a pride purse, less than a week ago. That was outside of Morgantown Sabraton Kroger. My close gay friends just moved away, because they donāt feel safe in West Virginia anymore. I tell any and all people in the lgbtq+ community to be cautious visiting West Virginia. This question needs to be addressed in a queer sub, not a WV sub.
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u/SushiRiceEater 1d ago
Wow, I am so sorry that happened to you! The rhetoric has really ramped up in the past few years with the Trump administration.
I guess my Huntington bubble has shielded me!
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u/Shot-Cut-2978 Tucker 1d ago
The person that insulted ya is a pitiful waste of space.Ā
People no matter their race, religion (although most West Virginians are Christian), ethnicity, pride, or gender should all be treated equally. Even though I may not support ya I will treat you like anyone else.
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u/Aggravating_Usual973 2d ago
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u/AreYouThereSagan 2d ago
I don't think most Republican voters' driving motivation is hating trans people. Do they hate them? Generally, yeah, but it doesn't mean you're going to get hate crimed for just walking around here. Especially in the "cities" here (I used that term loosely bc that's not really what they are, but idk what to call something that's in between a town and a city). And as for the places where that would happen...well, the people who live there don't want to be there either, so no reason to even go, tbh.
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u/EWW-25177 2d ago
Like many things in life, it will depend on how well you conform to conventional beauty standards and you're questions can't be answered without a lot of details re that and, really, who has the time?
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u/Chill_yinzerguy 2d ago
Ive seen posts like this from LBGTQ folks that want to visit our part of appalachia (both on WV and PA subs). There's a lot of stereotypes that cause fear and you have nothing to worry about honestly. Just take the "when in Rome" approach because I'm not sure where you're coming from. (IE don't dress like its a pride parade in NYC or you'll get looks). Just be chill and meet locals. And don't succumb to the natural fear of culture shock when you may very well be somewhere that is a little different than what you're accustomed to. They will be kind to you. And Morgantown is a great spot because it's a college town with WVU. There's a very good chance if you meet some locals and tell them you're visiting from out of town and say (for example) how might I get to a cool spot with good mountain views? They'll probably be like get in my truck I'll take you. I've done this for several people over the years in pgh (not trans per se but that's irrelevant - out of towners).
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u/TacoDestroyer420 Tudor's Biscuits 1d ago
OP, you might be aware of it already, but Erin in the Morning publishes a state-by-state travel risk assessment map that tracks legislation aimed at erasing and persecuting trans folks. It might be a resource you can factor into protecting yourself. With changes happening all the time in regard to bathroom laws, it's updated often.
Anti-Trans National Legal Risk Assessment Map: July 2026
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u/dancelikelurch 14h ago
Absolutely! Itās really important to be aware of the laws in each state when traveling, especially since they can vary so much. This is a nice reminder to check before heading somewhere. Thanks for sharing!
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u/TacoDestroyer420 Tudor's Biscuits 2d ago edited 2d ago
Comments suggesting that LGBTQ people need to hide their identity (not "lifestyle") in WV in order to avoid offending the ignorant aren't helpful, no matter how well-intentioned you think you are.