Story perspectives

US Issues Transgender ‘Do Not Travel’ Alert Amid Bathroom Bans

7/18/2026

Summary

US Travel Ban

United States issued a “Do Not Travel” advisory for Idaho after its felony bathroom ban.
South Carolina extended the bathroom ban to colleges, moving the state onto the “Worst Laws” list.
Federal executive orders forced nonprofits to delete “transgender” from websites and cut funding to schools and hospitals recognizing transgender people.
The risk map rates the United States as “Do Not Travel” for transgender travelers because of higher visa-revocation risk.

Summary

States Risk-Ranking

A qualitative rubric and author review of thousands of anti-trans bills categorized states by risk.
"Most Protective" states offer extensive health insurance and refugee protections for trans people.
"Worst states" enact adult bathroom bans and eliminate legal gender recognition.
"Low-Risk" states largely refrain from adult-targeted trans legislation.

History

Historical Context

In 1996 Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act, defining marriage as one man and one woman and, after Hawaii’s Baehr v. Miike case, allowing states to refuse same-sex marriages. It denied federal benefits to over 1.5 million couples and was invalidated by the 2013 Windsor ruling that struck down Section 3. Idaho’s bathroom ban and South Carolina’s college rules echo DOMA, prompting Human Rights Campaign litigation.

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US Travel Ban

United States issued a “Do Not Travel” advisory for Idaho after its felony bathroom ban.
South Carolina extended the bathroom ban to colleges, moving the state onto the “Worst Laws” list.
Federal executive orders forced nonprofits to delete “transgender” from websites and cut funding to schools and hospitals recognizing transgender people.
The risk map rates the United States as “Do Not Travel” for transgender travelers because of higher visa-revocation risk.

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