AUSTIN, Texas — Violet Augustine increased her goal of raising $11,000 to $111,000 on Friday so she can move her transgender daughter to safety.
The Dallas mother told KVUE she fears people may start harassing her 6-year-old daughter soon.
"We're leaving because my daughter is trans, and it's just not been the safest place for us to be in general, and it seems like it's about to get a little bit worse. And so I'm not waiting around to see how bad things get," Augustine said.
Augustine's concerns come after Gov. Greg Abbott's directive to investigate parents who provide gender-affirming care for trans kids in February. On Friday, a Travis County judge issued a temporary injunction preventing the state from enforcing Gov. Greg Abbott’s directive.
"What I worry about is that people who feel ... who are not accepting will be empowered to kind of come out of the woodwork and be a little bit more vocal and potentially harass us," Augustine said.
Augustine said after her daughter identified with a gender other than what she was assigned at birth, she socially transitioned her.
"The daycare that she was in, they basically refused to accommodate the new pronouns and the fact that she'd be dressing a little bit differently. So that was our first introduction and experience to, you know, the lack of inclusivity and acceptance in Texas," Augustine said.
Augustine said they switched daycares. Still, she said there were looks.
"So when we're out in public and she happens to bring up her anatomy, which she does because she's not ashamed of herself, right? I see people's reactions and to the point where it has just been just a scary feeling," Augustine said.
The art teacher and single mother said she actually decided to move when a gender-affirming care center in Dallas closed down last year.
Augustine said she hasn't told her daughter about relocating yet. She plans to move to a state that protects gender identity, like New Mexico, California or Oregon.
The art teacher plans to move after the school year unless she finds a job first.
If you'd like to donate to Augustine's GoFundMe, click here.
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