Aubrey and her wife are preparing to leave the United States for Costa Rica in January - a decision they haven't taken lightly, after building a life as homeowners in upstate New York.
Aubrey says months of unease about the political climate in the United States - from debates over LGBTQ rights to concerns about basic safety - finally tipped them into making a plan to leave.
We're very concerned about the legality of our relationship and the overall tone of safety, not only as members of the LGBTQ community but also as women entirely, she says.
Aubrey's story is far from unique, according to a survey that made headlines earlier this month. New data from US analytics firm Gallup showed 40% of American women aged 15 to 44 say they would move abroad permanently if they had the opportunity - four times higher than a decade ago. The rise has also created the largest gender gap in migration aspirations that Gallup has ever recorded, with only 19% of younger men saying they want to leave the US.
These figures reflect aspirations rather than intentions, but they appear to highlight a growing number of younger American women are reassessing where they see their futures.
Although Aubrey's decision crystallised in the last few months, under the Trump presidency, the trend has been apparent for many years - starting at the end of the Obama administration, according to Gallup. Pressures have been building on women from the left and the right, says Nadia E Brown, professor of government and chair of the women's and gender studies at Georgetown University.
It's not just partisan politics, says Professor Brown. Women feel caught between expectations from both sides - traditional roles promoted by conservatives, and the pressures of progressive working life. Neither path guarantees autonomy or dignity, and that leaves women considering alternatives like moving abroad.
Economic reasons like student loans, the rising cost of healthcare and the cost of home ownership are also factors in shaping young women's decisions to forge a life in another country, she adds.
A recent survey from the Harris Poll suggested 40% of Americans have considered moving abroad, with many citing lower living costs as their main reason. The largest demographic groups thinking of moving were Gen Z and Millennials.
Kaitlin, 31, who moved from the US to Portugal four years ago, says there wasn't one big reason why she decided to move abroad but she felt compelled to ditch her day job to explore a new life somewhere else.
I was working a 9-to-5 in Los Angeles, and every day felt exactly the same. There's not a strong work-life balance in the US. I wanted to live somewhere with a different pace, different cultures, and learn a new language.
For Alyssa, a 34-year-old mother who moved from the US to Uruguay earlier this year, the decision to leave wasn't just about lifestyle - it was a response to political and social pressures that felt immediate and personal.
I have children and I don't plan on having more, but the increasing governance of women's bodies terrified me. I felt like women's rights were being stripped away in real time, she explains.
This influx of young women considering emigration isn't just a U.S. phenomenon. Professor Brown notes that women in many countries face similar challenges. Access to subsidized child care, healthcare, and stronger social policies abroad often makes relocation appealing for those dissatisfied with the current state of affairs in the U.S.
}