Embarking on a trip is usually a thrill, with new horizons to explore and adventures to unfold. However, for members of the LGBTQ+ community, travel can come with its own set of challenges.
Traveling should be a joyous experience but the path is not always as smooth for those who identify differently. From unwelcome gestures to serious security issues, they face all kinds of problems when exploring new places.
Scott Gatz, an LGBTQ+ media leader, believes that snatching away avenues of entertainment from this community adds pressure to their already stressed-out lives. Not only is it unethical, it’s unjust to create hurdles for them to find solace in travel.
Here are some major problems that LGBTQ+ people face on their adventures:
- Uneven Welcome Mat:
Imagine you’re excited to explore a new place but the welcome is cold. LGBTQ+ travelers can feel shaky about how accepting a location will be. Laws and attitudes vary; some places are super accommodating, while others are completely opposite.
- Booking Blues:
Booking a cozy spot to crash can turn into a puzzle. You have to book blindly, only to find the truth when you reach your spot. Some places might not be accommodating of LGBTQ+ couples and booking sites don’t always give the lowdown on that.
- Gender-Gap Grief:
Transgender travelers can face fear for their safety when places don’t have gender-neutral bathrooms, clothing shops, and other typically gendered accommodations.
- Safety Struggles:
Safety is a big deal when trotting around the globe. Some LGBTQ+ travelers might worry about their safety more than others. Hate crimes are unpredictable and a real threat to be taken seriously.
- Legal Labyrinth:
Laws can be very complex for LGBTQ+ travelers. What’s okay in one place might not be in another. Being aware of the rules of where you are traveling to can save you many headaches and big troubles.
- Culture Clash:
Different cultures have different attitudes, right? Well, that can be tough for LGBTQ+ travelers. For many cultures, broad acceptance of different identities and sexualities is still taking shape. As a result, it may make the place less welcoming or even less secure for travelers. Doing your research beforehand about the culture you’re visiting is always advised.
Considering these problems, there is a need for travel platforms that can equip LGBTQ+ travelers with all the info and resources to plan memorable adventures. To that end, Scott created GayCities.
This online platform is a travel guide; it showcases cities, hotels, restaurants, and everything else related to travel that supports travelers who identify differently. You can explore numerous LGBTQ+ friendly destinations from a catalog of 269 city guides the GayCities team has developed.
The world is a diverse place and that’s awesome. But it also means some places need more love in the acceptance department.
Let’s do our part to work on making every traveler feel welcome, no matter who they love or how they identify. Traveling should be about making memories so let’s keep the journey open and inclusive for everyone.