A bicycle with loaded panniers in a field with mountains in the background

Unengendered Terrain – LGBTQ Essay Contest Winner

Caro Tyner shares their first bike packing trip in this story, which took first place in our LGBTQ essay contest, themed on firsts. Before my first bikepacking trip, I impulsively grabbed the razor in my childhood bathroom, which had probably sat idle for years, and took it to my pits. Iโ€™d been fixating on the damp, sweaty hair under my arms when I woke up, and I didnโ€™t want to deal with it on the road.ย ย  As I dried off, the bare skin in the mirror left me a little queasy. I hadnโ€™t shaved in years, and the sudden loss made me worryโ€ฆ Do I look less queer?
Death Valley National Park views with mountains and road.

The Best and Worst States for LGBTQ Family Travel

The laws are changing so fast that we may not always keep up with whether a law weโ€™ve heard about has actually passed โ€“ or if an LGBTQ-friendly politicianโ€™s veto or a court ruling has prevented the bad law from going into effect.ย  I created this list so that you donโ€™t have to worry about which states are LGBTQ-friendly and which ones are not so friendly, particularly if youโ€™re going on an LGBTQ family vacation where you canโ€™t exactly hide your rainbow selves :)