<p>I agree with the above that you should look to the lists of the most LGBTQ-friendly schools to find a good match. It’s amazing that you have realized and accepted who you are at such a young age, so I think you’re probably courageous and prepared enough to hear this.</p>
<p>Depending on how you define a “safe haven,” there are few to no universities that are truly trans-supportive. There are many colleges that will be accepting, that will offer you a small community of students who are truly supportive, so in that sense, they’re safe havens. But we live in a very transphobic society, and that spills over onto every college campus. </p>
<p>At the most trans-friendly schools, it’s subtle but present. This became obvious over the past year or so, when wars were being waged over the return of ROTC to various elite universities like Stanford, Harvard, and Yale. In every case, the university leadership was considering bringing it back (after some 40 years of it being banned) because of the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Many trans and trans-allied students were rightfully angry about this, because the military - and ROTC - still have the right to bar trans students from participating. This led to lots of student protests, who didn’t want any program on their campus that had the right to discriminate against any student, no matter how few in number. But the response of the university leadership in every case was basically “yeah it sucks that transgender students are discriminated against. But whatever, there are barely any of them around.” That was the same sentiment expressed by at least half of the students at these schools.</p>
<p>Many were angry about the double standard being applied. ROTC was banned when it discriminated against L, G, and B; but as soon as it only discriminated against T, it was “okay” to bring it back. This issue was so contentious in fact that it caused a big rift on many campuses. At Stanford, students were at each others’ throats, every issue of the newspaper had an op-ed arguing one side or the other, the student government put it up to a vote (which a protesting group hijacked by campaigning to abstain), the provost of the university had to write a long apology in the newspaper to the trans community more or less saying “sorry, we’re letting ROTC back, but please don’t think we hate you,” and so on. The same situation occurred at Harvard and many other schools.</p>
<p>Throughout these battles, it became more and more obvious that transphobia was actually real. Some students in favor of ROTC would make arguments like, “being transgendered is classified as a disorder and thus is a medical illness that should bar them from the military” and so on. I’m not trans, but an ally, and to be honest, I’d never felt so much shame to be affiliated with Stanford.</p>
<p>The point is that you need to be aware of this. It doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try to transition; I knew a few MTF (and FTM) students at Stanford, and on the whole, they were happy with their experience transitioning. But our society is still trying to grapple with the concept of gender fluidity; unfortunately that means it’s an uphill battle for every trans person and requires courage and tenacity.</p>
<p>That said, the schools on these LGBT-friendly lists are probably the most trans-friendly out there. Schools like Stanford offer a lot of institutional support, e.g. a strong LGBT center and really nice gender-neutral housing (in fact if you request gender-neutral housing at Stanford, you’re guaranteed to be put in a two-room double, wherein you have a female roommate but you both have separate rooms). Stanford has gender-neutral bathrooms, trans dinners, email lists, big events like Gender*** (search youtube) and Transgender Awareness Week, free counseling with therapists who specialize in gender issues, and more. Its location in the SF Bay Area, which IMO is the most trans- and gay-friendly area in the US, makes it ideal for queer students. Study abroad is excellent (if you want to go, you can; half the students do, some of them multiple times); this guide actually touches on studying abroad as a trans student at Stanford:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.stanford.edu/group/lgbtcrc/transguide.pdf[/url]”>http://www.stanford.edu/group/lgbtcrc/transguide.pdf</a></p>
<p>The lists below also vary significantly in selectivity and other factors, so you’d be able to put together a good list. More lists exist online, so just google it a bit.</p>
<p>[Campus</a> Pride: Find Your Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Friendly College or University](<a href=“http://www.campusclimateindex.org/]Campus”>http://www.campusclimateindex.org/)
[The</a> Top 10 Colleges for Gay Students](<a href=“http://gawker.com/5655407/the-top-10-colleges-for-gay-students]The”>The Top 10 Colleges for Gay Students)
[Princeton</a> Review Releases List of LGBT Friendly Colleges, And Not | The Bilerico Project](<a href=“Bilerico Project | The Bilerico Project”>http://www.bilerico.com/2011/08/princeton_review_releases_list_of_lgbt_friendly_co.php)</p>
<p>I wish you the best of luck in figuring out your path in college and beyond. :)</p>