Where I've Been
I spent 2-1/2 weeks in Sri Lanka and had an absolutely amazing time. From exploring some of the most stunning Buddhist temples I've seen anywhere to watching weeks' old baby elephants on a jeep safari tour to connecting with locals and my group tour mates, I had a blast.
And SPOILER ALERT, my wife and I weren't even the only gays in our group tour.
JUST LIKE when I went to the Galapagos.
It's almost like queer people really love to travel or something ;)
I had a Sri Lanka update planned but when I saw this headline, I had to bump it. Stay tuned for more updates and in the meantime, here's an adorable elephant pic!
Hot Takes on Queer News
Last week, police raids in 12 provinces in Turkey resulted in at least 162 arrests, in an LGBTQ crackdown dubbed "My Family is Safe."
Turkish police raided gay bars, gay clubs and the homes of LGBTQ+ activists, rounding up at least 162 people in one weekend. Police seized digital equipment, alcohol, and drugs. They blocked LGBTQ websites and social media accounts.
All of this was done under the guise of "protecting children."
I won't repeat the familiar inflammatory rhetoric.
When the people making arrests are so unimaginative and thin skinned that they believe the very existence of queer and trans people is a threat to their children, or will turn their children LGBTQ, they will tie themselves into knots trying to erase any trace of rainbows from public existence.
The witch hunting comes at a time of rampant homophobia throughout Turkey, with queer people taking the blame for a declining birth rate in the country.
These latest crackdowns were against Turkish people and organizations, not against queer travelers vacationing in Turkey.
However earlier this summer, Turkey denied a cruise ship of gay travelers entry to its ports.
If I had a trip to Turkey planned and I didn't want to cancel it, here are the steps I would take to keep myself safe:
Secure my digital footprint:
Before traveling last summer, I deleted social media apps from my phone.
Re-entering the US earlier, this month I put my phone in lockdown mode and shut it off.
These are just a couple of actions that reduce my digital footprint and my chance of being hassled crossing borders.
Reducing your digital footprint protects your privacy. It gives you greater peace of mind. And it makes it harder for your personal data, including your sexual orientation or gender identity, to be used against you.
If you’re visiting a country where it’s unsafe to be LGBTQ+, hiding sensitive data protects you from being penalized.
Be extremely discreet in public:
I am a big believer in adhering to local cultural norms when I travel. To me that is part of being a good guest and showing respect for the culture that I’m visiting.
If I’m visiting a country where couples don’t display affection, then I don’t display affection in public with my partner. If I’m visiting a country with fewer LGBTQ+ rights than mine, I avoid public displays of affection for the same reason.
Queer couples visiting Turkey should be extra careful right now to avoid kissing, touching, or cuddling in public.
Of course, what happens behind the closed doors of your hotel room is your business - and if you’ve chosen an LGBTQ welcoming hotel (more on that below), then feel free to be yourself once you’re done exploring for the day!
Make sure my hotel felt welcoming:
When I travel, the most important thing is feeling safe and comfortable at the end of the day. So if I’m staying in a hotel, that means choosing a hotel where LGBTQ people are welcome. A hotel where I won’t be asked if I want one bed or two, or given rude looks if I’m using the swimming pool.
This blog post lists the major hotel chains that are LGBTQ+ inclusive, where you can rely on hotel staff to be welcoming in the street.
And this post outlines how to check if any hotel is LGBTQ friendly.
I've also got a guide for solo women travelers on hotel safety packed with tips on avoiding unwanted attention while traveling solo that might be helpful for these times, too.
Vacation rentals are an option and they provide more privacy; however there is also the risk of nosy neighbors. If I was heading to a country where the stance on gay rights was rapidly worsening, I would much rather have the safety and infrastructure of a hotel that I knew had my back then be on my own in a vacation rental.
Avoid gay bars and clubs:
Turkish gay bars and clubs were raided in the arrests. While I haven’t heard of any foreigners being arrested or detained, and while LGBTQ+ rights are protected in Turkey, gay bars and clubs are not safe spaces at the moment. I would recommend avoiding them to be on the safe side.
Set social media to private and consider not using it while I was in the country:
Setting your social media accounts to private is a quick and effective solution for a little more privacy, especially if you’re posting queer coded content - whether it’s queer news roundups or cute couple pics. In Turkey, we know that the police were monitoring web and social media activity, so the easiest way to stay under the radar is to avoid posting anything at all. This post on reducing your digital footprint is full of ideas, simple and complex, for being less traceable online when you are traveling.
Give friends and family a copy of my itinerary and establish check-in plans:
I always share a copy of my rough itinerary with my mom before I travel. If I’m traveling solo then my wife has a copy as well.
This way the people I love know where I’m going to be and when they expect to hear from me, so in a worst case scenario they have the information they need to take action.
Did I leave anything out? Is there a safety precaution you take when you’re traveling that didn’t make this list? Write back and let me know. And if you’re traveling this fall have fun and be safe!
New posts
Alentejo Coast Portugal is an underrated part of Portugal to explore. Here’s why queer women should add a stop in Alentejo to their Portugal itinerary.
I accept guest posts that are relevant to our community.
Got an idea for a resource that would serve our community? Right now, I'm looking for destination guides, group tour reviews, and listicles of groups and organizations that serve LGBTQ travelers.
Full guidelines + how to submit guest post ideas here.
One of the most popular posts for a reason, with a fresh update of solo sapphic travel groups to check out!
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(Out) On the Road helps readers step beyond their comfort zones, plan transformative adventures, and travel with increased confidence, joy, and personal power.
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