
have you/are you willing to consider North Carolina? I don't have any personal experience with Virginia, but all the queer people I know from there have said they felt safer in NC. like Asheville is a super queer town and it's really great here! the downside is it's the most expensive town in the state. but I also feel like most cities in NC are pretty decent and accepting places to live!
that's totally valid! so if you're in a city or the outskirts you will have plenty of access to health care, grocery stores, etc. but it can still be hard. like I said Asheville is very expensive, but a lot of employers are willing to pay a living wage. like every entry level job I've had here has been $18+. then there's also a lot of discount grocery stores! like there's one I love that has so many vegan products and everything's under a dollar. but make the best decision for yourself!
I’ve lived in both Virginia and in Maryland within walking distance from the DC border and yeah, the whole area around DC is very very expensive (including NOVA). I just moved out of there, I’m very much not a city person so I’m biased but I did not enjoy living there. I feel like queer people wouldn’t have much issue with acceptance though