Dear Prudence,
I’m planning to move abroad from the U.S. in a couple of years to get my doctorate. This is something I’ve already decided on and am actively arranging my life and financial goals around. However, whenever I’ve casually floated the idea of doing this, my family and friends have largely reacted in a way that implies I’m being hysterical for wanting to leave the country.
I try to tell them I would have wanted to do this even without the current government insanity, but I can’t deny that it has at least added a sense of urgency. I simply do not feel safe here anymore, between being part of a group the government is actively targeting (transgender people), and wanting good health care and not having to worry as much about gun violence. How do I get across the message that my plan to leave is reasonable, or, failing that, have a line to get them off my back?