The fear of other or whatever one wants to call it is pretty strong in rural areas, regardless of state, there just happen to be a lot more rural people in thos

The fear of other or whatever one wants to call it is pretty strong in rural areas, regardless of state, there just happen to be a lot more rural people in those states as reflected in the state legislative/executive results - anti gay, anti trans gender, anti immigrant laws in most of those states made the news the past few years. Those type of laws don't affect me, but I can see how if someone were affected by them or knew someone affected by them they would see those laws as announcements of intolerance for them or their loved ones. On the other hand if one is in favor of those type of laws, that might be an incentive to move there.