Trans flag creator Monica Helms to flee United States amid rising anti-LGBTQ+ hostility
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Monica Helms, the U.S. Navy veteran and creator of the iconic trans pride flag, has announced plans to leave the United States, citing escalating anti-LGBTQ+ persecution as the driving force behind her decision.
Helms, 74, who designed the pink, white, and blue flag in 1999, currently resides in Georgia with her wife, Darlene Wagner. The couple has launched a crowdfunding campaign to support their relocation abroad, expressing fears for their safety in the current political climate. “We are worried there’s a possibility something could happen where we end up getting arrested just for being who we are,” Helms told the Bay Area Reporter.
Georgia has become a particularly hostile environment for transgender individuals, with four anti-trans bills passed since 2023. These include bans on trans girls participating in school sports, restrictions on gender-affirming care for minors and incarcerated individuals, and legislation that could enable discrimination under the guise of religious freedom.
Helms is not alone in her concerns. A recent Williams Institute poll revealed that nearly half of all trans adults in the U.S. have considered relocating either out of state or abroad due to the worsening legal and social climate.
Despite her decision to leave, Helms remains committed to advocacy. “We will not abandon our activism,” she wrote on her GoFundMe page. Her flag, which she has always insisted remain free for public use, has become a global symbol of transgender visibility and pride. “No matter how you fly it, it's always correct, which signifies finding correctness in our own lives,” she once said.
Helms’ departure marks a sobering moment in the ongoing struggle for LGBTQ+ rights in the United States. Her story echoes a broader trend of trans individuals and families seeking refuge in more accepting countries, including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
As the creator of a flag that has flown at Pride events around the world and even resides in the Smithsonian, Helms’ decision to leave her homeland underscores the gravity of the challenges facing the trans community in America today.
