The answer is, yes, it is! Across more than 70 countries, being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or intersex can be life-threatening. That’s where Rainbow Railroad steps in—helping LGBTQ people flee persecution and find safety. Founded in Toronto in 2006 by lawyers and activists, it is inspired by the Underground Railroad, the historic network that helped enslaved African Americans escape during the Civil War South. With offices in Toronto and New York, its team of 60 processes thousands of help requests each year—triaging by urgency and threat.
When anti-gay purges erupted in Chechnya, Rainbow Railroad partnered with the Russian LGBT Network to evacuate victims of state-sponsored torture. During the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, the group helped resettle 247 LGBTQ Afghans in Canada, the UK, and Ireland within ten months. Latoya Nugent, Head of Engagement at Rainbow Railroad, said, “Our primary work supports individuals living in what we call ‘countries of criminalization’—places where it’s illegal to be LGBTQI+…The persecution faced by our community is often deeply personal and not adequately understood or addressed in global protection systems.”
In 2025 many LGBTQ activists suggest that a secret Rainbow Railroad is underway in the USA. Especially noticeable are relocation needs for trans community members from one very unfriendly state to another. Queer News Tonight has reported the exodus of some members of our community from the USA to Canada, Mexico and Europe. To date, Rainbow Railroad has aided nearly 15,000 people worldwide. Its mission remains urgent—providing safety, dignity, and hope for those whose very existence is under threat.
