With the departure of one of the U.S. State Department’s most vocally pro-gay advocates in its history, Hillary Rodham Clinton would be pleased to learn the agency has just launched a new Web site for gay travelers at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/lgbt/lgbt_5887.html.
The site is devoted to making travel as easy and as incident free for the LGBT community.
It states, in part:
“There are a number of countries that provide legal protections to those who are LGBT. Unfortunately, there are others that do not, and a significant number that even criminalize consensual same-sex sexual relations. Persons convicted in these countries could be sentenced to prison, and/or be punished by fines, deportation, flogging, or even sentenced to death. Before choosing one’s international destination, LGBT travelers should carefully consider the laws and biases of their international destination and decide how open one can be regarding one’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Personal judgment and knowledge of local laws and customs before one goes will help ensure your safety.”
Moreover, there are multiple links embedded in the site which users can click on that give a nation-by-nation breakdown of the laws and attitudes of its citizens on everything from crime, punishment, attitudes toward gay travelers, public displays of affection, nightlife and cultural attitudes on homosexuality.
Typical advice might include this caveat from the U.S. State Department’s webpage:
“If you intend to frequent Internet chat rooms or other meeting places, it’s wise to find out about the local situation – police in some countries have been known to monitor such sites and locales with the intention of carrying out entrapment campaigns.”
In other words, you may want to pass on wearing a ‘I’m-not-gay-but-my-boyfriend-is’ tee-shirt in, say, Uzbekistan.
Other advise includes, “The Web site also says: ”Some hotels, especially in rural areas, won’t accept bookings from same-sex couples. It’s best to check before you go.”
