For those who are going to Richmond Class of 2021...

@cloudysmom both of my UR students have traveled home on Amtrak numerous times. The Staples Mill stop is closest to UR, it is not downtown. They have not had any issues. My Ds have been able to get a ride to the station from friends or have used uber.

Does anyone here have a sense of how comfortable UR is for LGBT kids?

@cloudysmom I’ll PM you a more detailed response, but the Amtrak is perfectly safe and many students use it (both VCU and UR).

@pickledginger UR as an institution is very accepting of LGBT students, as are the vast majority of students. UR has an entire office devoted to their (and other groups ) needs- common ground. UR also offers gender flexible housing, one of the reasons being to accommodate trans and non-binary students.

@mama2855 Thank you!! I have visions of seedy train stations with sketchy, shifty eyed men! lol

@cloudysmom I took Amtrak almost exclusively back and forth to both college and grad school (NJ to DC). I never saw any trouble in any of the trains or stations (even in Newark which was not a safe city in my school days). Like any public place, she should keep a tight grip on her purse but generally train stations (particularly Amtrak) are very safe these days.