How to Be an LGBTQ+ Ally While Traveling
Learn how to be an LGBTQ+ ally while traveling with practical tips from an LGBTQ+ travel expert to make trips safer, more welcoming, and more inclusive. Plus, get a free LGBTQ ally checklist to take on trips!
Learn how to be an LGBTQ+ ally while traveling with practical tips from an LGBTQ+ travel expert to make trips safer, more welcoming, and more inclusive. Plus, get a free LGBTQ ally checklist to take on trips!
Planning an LGBTQ+ road trip? Learn how to find LGBTQ-friendly stops, book inclusive hotels, navigate restroom concerns, and stay safe while enjoying the journey.
When I first started traveling as a queer person, my instinct was to hide. I didn’t tell anyone I was queer. I let people assume my partner was my friend. I skipped traveler hangouts and hostels, avoiding any situation where I might be asked to explain. Over the years, the lying and hiding got to be too much, and I started allowing myself to be more open in moments where that felt safe. But there are still choices I make for LGBT travel safety. In my LGBTQ travel book, (Out) On the Road, I refer to these habits as a travel safety protocol. If you’re looking for a simple system you can use to stay safe while exploring the world, here’s how I do it!
If your social media feeds and LGBTQ newsletters have been awash with blog post lists of the safest countries to travel if you’re LGBTQ, that’s because Spartacus has just released their new gay travel index. Dive beyond the headlines to the why – including why the US gets their own version of this special list.
Gay travel seems like a shorthand for LGBTQ+ travel. And some creators use it that way. But there’s an important difference. To start understanding gay travel vs queer travel, let’s look at who gay travel is created by and who it’s created for––as well as who gets left out of the conversation when gay is used as shorthand for LGBT.
If you’re here, you’re probably asking the same questions I hear nonstop: Is this place safe for me as an LGBTQ+ traveler? And what do I need to do to reduce the risk of something bad happening? This LGBTQ+ travel safety checklist is my answer to those questions.
The questions I’m asking myself these days: Whether it’s avoiding Kansas, or organizing politically, or helping trans folks in impacted states move to safer ones, how do we get our cis allies to not just care, but act?
Advocacy is an important part of teaching people how to meet our needs. It’s not always easy to do when you’re trans or nonbinary. Learn how to correct misgendering with confidence. Simple scripts and strategies to advocate for yourself without burning out.
“Is this place gay friendly?” is one of the most common questions LGBTQ+ travelers ask before choosing a destination. And it’s also one of the top drivers of traffic to this site, driving traffic consistently to my most popular posts.
But here’s the thing. Most “gay friendly” rankings are built around a narrow set of assumptions about who is traveling, how sexual orientation is expressed (or when and where it’s acceptable to do that), and what “friendliness” looks like on the ground that leaves some people in the queer community feeling invisible, or even unsafe.
LGBTQ outdoor groups run outdoor adventure trips for queer people. Trips range in length from day hikes to multi day backcountry trips.