TRAVELING THE WORLD AS AN OPENLY QUEER PERSON

I kissed a girl for the first time when I was 16.

I ‘came out’ for the first time at age 19.

At 22, I got into my first serious lesbian relationship and experienced LGBTQ+ international travel for the first time.

In our heteronormative world, understanding one’s own sexual orientation and later living an openly queer lifestyle can look different from person to person and from place to place. While some people know they are queer from a young age, others don’t know or aren’t openly ‘out’ for decades. Many factors are at play here, too.

Throughout the year and around the world, LGBTQ+ pride is welcomed and celebrated. Some countries are known for their societal inclusivity and representation, making them ideal destinations for LGBTQ+ travelers. In contrast, LGBTQ+ travelers face the unfortunate reality in other parts of the world of having to take additional safety considerations and precautions due to widespread discrimination and violence against LGBTQ+ communities in addition to laws which criminalize same-sex relationships and sexual acts.

Having varied personal experiences when it comes to being openly queer in my home country and abroad, let me share my take on useful safety tips for LGBTQ+ travelers, safest and most inclusive destinations, along with some additional facts and history points regarding LGBTQ+ movements worldwide.

A quick LGBTQ+ history lesson

It’s currently June, and that means that millions of people in the United States and around the world are celebrating LGBTQ+ pride month, often with parades, parties, rainbow décor, and body glitter. But let’s quickly talk about the history of Pride Month…

Pride Month began not as a celebration of LGBTQ+ liberation, but as a social movement following the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in the United States. This uprising sparked after police raided the Stonewall Inn, a well-known LGBTQ+ haven in Manhattan, at a time when same-sex acts and relationships remained illegal. On the one-year anniversary of this uprising, New York City held its first annual Pride march and it has now become one of the largest Pride events in the world alongside those in São Paulo, Madrid, and Berlin.

Staying safe as an LGBTQ+ traveler

If you’re like me, you tend to be an optimist and like to see the good in people. Trust me, that is a beautiful quality. This being said, it may be in your nature to believe that most of those around you are loving and accepting of others regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or any other identities. Unfortunately, this is not generally the reality.

LGBTQ+ communities continue to experience targeted acts of violence and discrimination, not exclusive to any given city or country. So, it’s important for travelers who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community to take extra travel considerations and safety precautions.

Here are some ways you can prepare for your trip to stay safe while traveling as an LGBTQ+ traveler:

• Research your destination’s laws and societal stance on LGBTQ+ communities. This can give you good insight on what to expect if/when visiting. If a given destination seems too risky for openly LGBTQ+ individuals, you may have to decide if it’s worth it to travel there and withhold that part of your identity, or opt to visit another city or country instead.

• When choosing accommodations, consider contacting the property and asking for recommendations on gay-friendly activities and places nearby, gauging their response and openness. You can also read posted reviews from previous LGBTQ+ travelers to gather how lgbt-friendly a given Airbnb, Hostel, or Hotel is.

• Be aware of your surroundings and always trust your instincts. Consider when it may be safe or unsafe to show public affection with a same-sex partner. Touristy areas may be more widely inclusive than remote and less-frequented areas.

• Prioritize your safety and don’t engage in potentially hostile situations. If you’re in a space where you don’t feel welcome or a situation where you’re experiencing taunts and a potential confrontation, it’s best to create distance and leave if possible. If you’re unable to do so, call or shout for help and use whatever resources you have such as your phone’s camera or personal protection devices.

LGBTQ+ friendly destinations around the world

If you’re looking for a travel destination where you can feel the most comfortable being openly LGBTQ+, whether you’re single and traveling by yourself or in a relationship and traveling with your partner(s), there are many options you can consider. A great resource is Equaldex, where you can read and explore the progress of LGBTQ+ rights by country around the world. Otherwise, here is a list of 10 of the world’s most LGBTQ+ friendly travel destinations, compiled from my own research and personal experiences and in no specific order:

• The Netherlands

• Sweden

• Spain

• United Kingdom

• Denmark

• Germany

• Portugal

• Norway

• Canada

• Uruguay

I feel happy and fortunate to say I have visited 5 of the 10 countries on this list and can attest to their reputation of being welcoming, safe, and LGBTQ+ friendly destinations. Studying abroad and spending prolonged time in Spain while at the time also being on my journey to discovering myself and my sexual orientation was eye opening and heart-warming. Seeing LGBTQ+ couples happy and free in public, pride flags and décor in a multitude of shops, and rainbow light displays on public buildings throughout pride month left an impression of the society’s overall openhearted support of LGBTQ+ communities. I can only hope for the same for other past and future travelers.

As of right now, there is no foolproof approach or user guide to existing in the world and traveling the world as an LGBTQ+ person as everyone’s experiences will be unique. I share this blog post with the best intentions and suggest utilizing multiple sources in your travel preparation journey in addition to considering the thoughts and information in this post and future ones. I hope that one day we can live in a world free of hate and discrimination and freely enjoy all that the world has to offer.