LGBTQ+ Travel: Is It Safe?

Every time you travel, there are a million and one things that run through your mind. Do I have everything I need? Are these suitcases big enough? Did I remember to book the hotel? When does my flight leave? A million thoughts, each with a million different answers. For many though, these aren’t the only thoughts and concerns that run through your mind. For someone who sits on the outside, there are other factors that must be considered before booking that flight and being whisked off to some exotic location. The LGBTQ+ community, for example, has a laundry list of tasks that lie before us everytime we travel, even here in the United States. It’s an action that most people don’t even think about before they travel, and for good reason, because they don’t have to. So there are many of us who ask, is it safe to travel there?

Heterosexual and cisgender people don’t always worry. When you wish to see the world, you search for a plane ticket and book it when it’s affordable! You want to visit Abu Dhabi; you book it! You don’t worry, because everywhere in the world, you are accepted. You are seen as the norm. On the other hand, there are laws across the globe that criminalize homosexual sex with a penalty of prison time, and or death. This is a privilege that is so often forgotten and not talked about enough. There are many who I have personally spoken with who never even considered the danger we could face visiting certain countries. But, it’s not just abroad, it’s dangerous even here at home. Many states in the United States have no laws that protect LGBTQ+ people against discrimation or hate crimes. At various points, even the LGBT Travel website on the US government website classified North Carolina as a dangerous place to visit. It’s not the only state either. Missouri, Alabama, and so many others have higher rates of hate crimes and laws eroding our freedoms. Just this year alone, dozens of anti trans bills have been put forward in dozens of states around the country. So, before we pack that speedo to hit some warm beach, we have to make sure it’s safe for us. For people like myself, who have fought to live openly as themselves, I don’t feel safe traveling to many of these places. Why visit somewhere, where I have to go back in the closet to do so? It’s not worth the danger.

Safety isn’t always obvious. Even though legal protections may exist, many of us still view our public existence through a lense of danger. Some things that seem so simple and small, like leaving the house, can be terrifying for us. This is a fact that I have struggled with my entire life. Growing up in the south, surrounded by homophobia you become hyper aware of yourself and your environment. You focus on how you’re walking to ensure there isn’t too much sway in your step. You focus on your mannerisms so they don’t appear to be too feminine, in my case. When you’re out with your partner, you don’t hold their hand. There is an omnipresent fear that, if perceived “wrongly”, you may at best be harassed and at worst beaten that permeates every aspect of my existence... So I police my actions, even in liberal New England. It was conditioned into me by society to hide these things, so even now, it’s things I think about in public even when I don’t need to. The point of it all is that even here in our country, it’s not always safe. We are constantly policing our actions, clothing, language, etc to ensure that we fit in and feel as safe as possible. This was how I grew up, and something I’m constantly hyper aware of. Even still, I was lucky. I was lucky I wasn’t born into a country that would completely despise me or will have my head for just existing. Even in locations where I lack protections, I still hold a privilege over those who have less than I. It’s something we all need to be aware of, and are fighting constantly to change. So that when we travel, we don’t have to hide our true selves; Instead, we could be, unapologetically.

There are resources available. The Spartacus Blog, a gay travel website, each year puts out the gay travel index. It takes every country in the world, and examines their laws, public opinions, and more. It then ranks them from best to worst, depending on their laws regarding LGBTQ+ people. It draws on from several sources to ensure that all the information available is up to date and accurate. It’s an amazing resource for our community and our allies. It allows us to know where it’s safe to visit, and to what extent. It also breaks down the United States by State and analyzes their laws and public opinions as well. Definitely check it out whether you are traveling, or to just become more educated about the laws around the world.

Education doesn’t just stop when we leave school. It’s something we should constantly seek out to improve ourselves and help those around us. So for those of us who have privilege, we should help to educate those around us who are ignorant to how the world can be. There are many people who have no idea what the LGBTQ+ community goes through on a daily basis in our own country and abroad. There are many who don’t think about the fact that we can’t visit certain countries due to their laws and public opinions. There are many who don’t think about the fact that we have to police how we present in public in certain places. I choose to write this post to not only give the resource of the Spartacus Index to all of you, but to help educate those who have been unaware of the challenges of existing in a public space until now, and those of you reading may go forward and educate those in your life. We can’t always ask the people of our community to educate you, for multiple reasons. Perhaps they don’t feel comfortable doing so, or because they are tired of it. It’s the responsibility of the privileged to take that privilege and do something good with it, in this case, educate others.. If we continue to educate those around us, we can change the world. We can change minds, and public perception. Which will in turn, change laws governing how we can act and be protected at home and abroad. So I implore each of you to share this with your friends and family so they may have access to this knowledge, and then ask them to share it as well. It’s important we talk about this more.

This isn’t a full solution, and there is no easy answer to it all. The question of whether it’s safe to travel is not an easy one to answer, because it truly depends. In a country like the United States, which many see as a beacon of freedom, still isn’t safe for all of us. It’s a place where many of us still fear leaving our homes and acting like our true selves. Some of us have the luxury of hiding and covering what isn’t accepted, but there are those like people of color and Black people who can’t hide their skin color. So, it’s not a simple thing. It’s something we all must talk about daily, with everyone we know. We must spread this information constantly. We must talk to those in our lives who will listen and teach love and acceptance of all. So that finally, one day, I won’t fear holding Nick’s hand in public, even in liberal New England. So please share this, and the index, and help us spread this knowledge. Help us make the world a better place for ourselves and those who come after us. It’s part of the reason I wanted to start our channel and this blog. To spread awareness in the Sailing community and beyond. Hopefully, you all can help me on that journey!