This is one of the hardest posts to write; articulating my thoughts, emotions, and the practicalities of leaving the country I called home are difficult. Born and raised in London, I hadn't considered this country could no longer be my home. For those unaware, the UK's had a shocking decline in the last ~10 years, it: * Dropped to its [lowest ever position](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/may/17/britain-europe-lgbtq-rights-uk-rainbow-map-gay-man) on the annual “rainbow map” of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Intersex Association (ILGA) * Saw a [186% increase in hate crimes against trans people in the last five years](https://www.stonewall.org.uk/news/new-data-rise-hate-crime-against-lgbtq-people-continues-stonewall-slams-uk-gov-?), +11% in just a year * Has ["no functioning legal or administrative process for legal gender recognition"](https://web.archive.org/web/20250711145544/https://rainbowmap.ilga-europe.org/categories/legal-gender-recognition/), placing it alongside Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Russia * Has a wait time for a first appointment with an NHS Gender Clinic of [41 years in Belfast and 224 years in Glasgow](https://web.archive.org/web/20251011175616/https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/10/09/nhs-wait-times-trans-girl-suicide/)! * Makes us feel unsafe; 24% of trans adults reporting being subjected to physical violence in public spaces, 65% reporting receiving verbal abuse in public spaces, and [84% reporting feeling unsafe in the United Kingdom](https://web.archive.org/web/20251030201205/https://goodlawproject.org/abject-terror-survey-shows-84-of-trans-people-feel-britain-is-unsafe/) * Plus, I no longer met the [legal definition of a woman](https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/apr/16/uk-supreme-court-legal-definition-woman) according to UK courts It's not a rosey picture, and that's before we add on economic decline and the rise of fascism. I stumbled across an interesting article recently that stated ["I researched every attempt to stop fascism in history. The success rate is 0%"](https://cmarmitage.substack.com/p/i-researched-every-attempt-to-stop). One of my most impactful takeaways from studying previous rises in fascism is that it's never too early to leave. I've waited long enough for it to get better, fought for change, built community, but it's not enough to turn the tide. The country I used to call home used to signal it didn't like people like me, now it's shouting it. Whilst I mourn the loss of everything I've built - friends, family, community, and a home - I'm optimistic I'll be able to find and build again. If I've done it once, I can do it again! I've fantasised about living in another country for years but it's never felt the right time, the optimal moment. I realise now there will never be the right time, the right moment, I'll never feel 100% ready. I've just got to do it. Borders keep people in just as much as they keep people out, so I'll roll my dice to start again whilst I'm still young enough to claim a Working Holiday Visa in Australia. Me ([Product, Delivery, Consulting](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessbuildstech/)) and my wonderful wife Aurelia ([an amazing User Researcher](https://www.linkedin.com/in/aurelia-mumby-b49548206/)) will be ==moving to Melbourne early next year== - late January/early February 2025 - once we've completed our house sale. We'll be on Working Holiday Visas, hoping to find permanent residency via employment. We're always on the hunt for: * Employment/ job recommendations * Location recommendations (commutable to CBD, queer friendly) * Community (queer folk, board games, card games, hiking, coffee shops, beaches) * Advice, general recommendations, and well wishes on our big adventure It's not too late to start again, relish the adventure even though it's scary.