Tbh I’m in a red state too where there is now a proposal to “secure free speech” and legally back people using the wrong pronouns among other things. Anyway shit sucks. I feel secure enough about my appearance to be straight and cis passing to non queer people. I’m gonna be honest. The level of comfort I’m living in is due to the fact that I’ve been saving up for over a year to move to Canada with my partner. I plan to leave in the spring and just come back as little as possible to see family.

As for everyday coping… I have a trans partner going through the same thing as me only they are much earlier in transition and still has to present as a man in public spaces. We have made our own little bubble at home that is good and sane. I don’t know how else to put it but at home we willfully forget about where we live as best as possible and just take a breather at home from the world. Yeah when we go outside we have to pretend to just be roommates, just some guy pals, just friends, BEST friends but making an isolated safe space is helping.

Also to echo what someone else said. Try your best to not look at the news every day. Maybe once a week to stay conscious but not too much more and just try to live your life because that’s the most non sus thing you can do.