Canada Issues Travel Warning To LGBTQIA+ As Parts Of America Become Unsafe
Some US states have enacted laws that actively oppress LGBTQIA+ rights and open the door to discrimination. The US’s northern neighbours have released a travel warning for Canadian citizens planning a trip to the States, citing anti-gay legislation and a tense political environment, reports BBC.
The US has made itself an unattractive tourist country for LGBTQIA+ visitors
Over 500 anti-LGBTQIA+ bills have been introduced in the US legislature in the last year. Many of these bills target transgender youth and/or drag queens. Two of the most notable new laws are Tennessee’s Adult Entertainment Act prohibiting “cabaret” in public spaces and Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law prohibiting discussions of gender identity and sexuality in schools.
Global Affairs Canada has released new guidelines that warn queer citizens that planning vacations to the US could result in unfavourable conditions unless they are careful about which states they visit.
“Some states have enacted laws and policies that may affect 2SLGBTQI+ persons. Check relevant state and local laws,” the advisory listing states. “Since the beginning of 2023, certain states in the US have passed laws banning drag shows and restricting the transgender community from access to gender-affirming care and from participation in sporting events.”
The term 2SLGBTQI+ is used frequently in Canada as a sign of acknowledgement for their Indigenous population; some of whom identify as Two-Spirit. Canada’s precautionary travel advisories are often reserved for countries with severely different political landscapes or countries that are currently war zones such as Ukraine, Russia or Egypt. These warnings directly mention which part of those countries should be avoided. But the US travel advice doesn’t specify which states should be considered safe or unsafe, rather, officials strongly suggest researching the local LGBTQIA+ legislation.
As America drifts further away from the political centre and towards hardline religious conservatism, the trend away from democracy to theocracy has been identified. To read more on this, check out Torsten Hojer’s feature, America’s Drift Towards Gilead in DNA #283 – Pop, Pride, Politics.
____________________________________________________________________________
