Being in my twenties and someone who is fascinated with the rest of the world, I am obsessed with travelling. My fiancee and I have gone on several road trips in our 2.5 years of being together, and constantly talk about where we want to go in the future. We love eating at local restaurants, meeting new people, and learning about local customs. As we get closer and closer to our marriage, we're starting to look travelling internationally. Unfortunately, as two women in a romantic relationship, we cannot visit all of the countries I'd like.
Stories like Marco Bulmer-Rizzo's, whose husband's ashes were confiscated at a Chinese airport, scare the hell out of me. Someday, I'll be standing up in front of a classroom of high schoolers, telling them about the world. I want to be able to tell them from my own experiences, not from a book. It's sad to say, but there are countries I could never safely visit with my soon-to-be wife.
There are about 74 to 76 countries where homosexuality is illegal. Recently, transgender activist and Youtuber Gigi Gorgeous was not allowed to leave an airport in Dubai, because she is transgender. Dubai, a city in the United Arab Emirates is notorious for having an economy based off of airports. Many people stop in Dubai, before travelling to another country.
Many of these countries are unsafe, regardless. Countries that are not meant for tourism or mass travel in the first place. But many of them are highly developed, first world countries. Still, it hurts to think that there are countries where I will never step foot in. In Egypt, 95% of society does not believe that homosexuality should be accepted. In Russia, it is illegal to spread "gay propaganda," to minors. Which means, telling a person who is underage that being gay is acceptable, is against the law. The word "gay," is seen as a curse word. Recently, two teenage girls were arrested in Morocco because one of their mothers caught them kissing.
However, that does not mean that LGBTQ Americans should just stick to the US and Canada. There are several places around that world that are just as open as North America. Countries like the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and the Netherlands are just as comfortable with the queer community as the US. Israel was ranked the 7th happiest place on Earth for gay people, with Tel Aviv as the most accepting cities in the Middle East.
At the end of the day, the world is slowly becoming a better place for queer people. Thirty years ago, you could count the number of countries with same-sex marriage on one hand. Today, it's over twenty. Maybe one day, it will be everywhere. Until then, do your research before visiting a country, be careful around those you do not trust, and take precautions when necessary. The world is perfect, but one day, queer people will be safe everywhere they go. Someday I'd like to see the pyramids and the Kremlin, and I'd like to believe that someday I can.
Safe travels.
