Help Ruby escape abuse & USA to wed her fiancée in Germany

Hi, my name is Misty, and I am fundraising for my friends Ruby and Britt.

I am a transgender woman. So are Ruby and Britt. Ruby is 20, Britt is 25, and I'm a fair bit older than either of them. During Donald Trump's first term in office, I left the USA and moved to Ireland permanently because I was deeply concerned about Trump's relentless attacks on the rights of trans people in the US. Since then, I have helped various other trans people move to safer countries on both asylum and non-asylum bases. I have been featured by the BBC and by GenderGP in regard to my charitable work in this area.

Earlier this year while attending a music festival in Germany, I made friends with Britt and got to know her. Britt is a young German transgender woman with an outgoing personality and a great sense of humor. I had the pleasure of hanging out with her in person for part of that weekend, and we had a lovely time. We became friends, and have been staying in touch ever since.

Britt has told me a lot about her fiancée Ruby, from Illinois, and I have had the pleasure of chatting almost daily with Ruby online. While Britt has her own place in Germany, Ruby is unfortunately living with her abusive, alcoholic father, and had, until recently, been working to save money to move out.

During the last week of October, only 2 weeks after Ruby lost her job, and her father began threatening to kick her out on the street. The following week, Donald Trump was elected to as US president for a second term. Ruby, like almost every trans person in the USA today, is frightened about what that means for transgender rights, and for her ability to continue to exist in American society.

Unfortunately, most transgender Americans find it difficult to leave the country. The situation for trans people in the US is not so bad that they can qualify for asylum elsewhere, but the future for us in United States looks increasingly ominous.

Ruby is suffering though a domestic abuse situation in a country that is becoming increasingly hostile to people like her. But she has a unique opportunity, because Ruby and Britt are recently engaged. I had the pleasure of being present at their engagement ceremony on VRchat this week. It was a wonderful and heartfelt experience, and I am so happy for them!

Ruby has a unique opportunity not only to escape from an abusive household, but also to escape a country that is falling into fascism and becoming increasingly dangerous to trans people. To be able to start her new life in a safe country living with her loving fiancee. Britt has a place for Ruby to stay, and they plan to get married right away when Ruby arrives in Germany. Ruby has been studying German on Duolingo every day, and she plans to get started with job hunting shortly after her arrival in the country.

What Ruby and Britt do not have very much of is money to make this move. We are looking to raise funds for Ruby to cover her airfare and other travel costs to Germany, fees for guidance from a German immigration lawyer, and, if needed, emergency housing for Ruby in Illinois while she is waiting for her new passport to arrive and for her flight. They would also like to be able to afford a very modest wedding event. All remaining funds will go to Ruby's saving to sustain her while she is searching for her first job in Germany.

Ruby is in an unstable and abusive housing situation in a country that is rapidly becoming more dangerous for trans women like her. But she has a unique opportunity to start her life over with her loving fiancee. Please consider donating to help Ruby start her life over in an accepting country with her loving wife. Together, we can make a world of difference for both her and the one she loves.

Funds will be used to pay for Ruby's travel and moving her belongings to Germany, to pay for a very modest wedding and the services of an immigration lawyer. All remaining funds will be used to help sustain Ruby while she searches for her first job in Germany.

Original engagement song for Britt and Ruby - "Our Lives" is courtesy of Common Days on SoundCloud