Andy Hicks, owner of HIX Inc, a small health care technology consulting business in Denver, travels frequently. And as a gay man, he said, he’s enjoyed acceptance in many destinations — even in Cuba, where he traveled this year with his partner. “We didn’t know what to expect,” Hicks said. “We had zero problems.”
The travel industry offers gay travelers everything from special cruises and tours to gay-friendly hotels. But there are still many places in the world, including many countries in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and the Pacific, as well as Russia, where laws or social customs create an unwelcoming and unsafe environment for travelers who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. More than 75 countries consider consensual same-sex sexual relations a crime, and in about 10 countries a person could be put to death for being gay, according to the US State Department.
“Today, it is important for a LGBT person to understand the laws and how they are enforced and the culture of the countries and even cities where they visit,” said Bruce McIndoe, chief executive of iJet International, a travel risk management company. In an environment of religious extremism, he said, “individuals are more likely to lash out or take unilateral action against assumed members of the LGBT community.” IJet, he said, has seen increased requests from clients to help prepare and protect their gay and transgender travelers after the mass shooting at an Orlando, Florida, nightclub in June and other incidents.
Photo: AP/ Dan Melesurgo
Hicks, who has been to many high-risk countries, recently returned from North Korea. “It was absolutely a nonissue,” he said. “You have to adapt, go with the flow and fit in as best you can.”
Yves Gentil, founder of DQMPR, a travel public relations and marketing agency, has been to nearly 50 countries for work and pleasure. “When you travel with your co-workers, you blend in a little bit more. But I’ve never had a problem, even in places like Saudi Arabia and Dubai.” But then he visited Jamaica last year with his partner. “It was awkward to the point that I couldn’t wait to get out,” he said. “Not unsafe, but I just did not feel welcome.”
Jamaican law prohibits consensual same-sex sexual conduct between men, according to the State Department.
Sean Williams, a senior intelligence analyst for iJet, said the duration of a stay was an important safety factor. Business travelers typically spend a few days attending meetings and return to their hotels at night. “The risk is largely minimal. It’s no different from any other business traveler,” he said. But decisions made afterward when they go sightseeing and are not completely aware of the environment can, he said, “put their lives at risk.”
Gender expression is also a risk factor. “In some countries, they expect men to have a certain appearance; if you are not dressed for your gender, they can arrest you,” Williams said. In other countries, homosexuality may be legal but not culturally accepted, “so if you end up in the wrong neighborhood, it can get you in trouble.” As Americans, he said, “we have a strong tradition to be yourself, but in some countries the safest approach is to be the person they want you to be.”
‘LIVE AND LET LIVE’
Still, many countries and cities have rolled out the welcome mat, even ones with strong religious and machismo cultures, like Spain, with its “live and let live” attitude, and Colombia, where the number of laws to support lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and the speed in which they were recently passed were “quite impressive,” Williams said.
Many mainstream travel companies, including Delta Air Lines and Marriott, have provided employees with domestic-partner benefits and ensured that their front-line employees are adept at handling reservations for customers with same-sex spouses and their families, experts say. And tourism boards around the globe routinely reach out to travelers.
Kevin Brosnahan, a press officer for the Bureau of Consular Affairs for the State Department, said many of its safety recommendations apply to all travelers: research a destination to be aware of local laws and customs; register travel plans with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, a free State Department service, so the local US Embassy can contact you in an emergency; and make sure to have appropriate documents and medical and evacuation coverage. The department’s Web site has a special section for LGBT travelers with country-specific and general tips, like to be discreet in rural areas of some countries, where there is a greater likelihood of problems, and to watch out for entrapment campaigns: “Police in some countries monitor Web site, mobile apps, or meeting places, so be cautious connecting with the local community,” the Web site says.
“Travelers who are well-prepared often do the best,” Brosnahan said.
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