Tag Archives: lgbt travel

We Can Be Free Here.. But Not There

British lesbians are lucky – this is one thing I’ve learned from my travels. Here we can be free, and we can be visible.

Having visited Jamaica and Kenya, I couldn’t imagine living there for very long because I’d have to live a lie. I’d have to be secretive about who I am, and that just isn’t me.

Abroad I’ve found all kinds of dangers that you just wouldn’t find in Britain. In Jamaica my partner and I were driving from one side of the island to the other when we were stopped by the police.

They pulled their guns on us and I started to panic. In those days I had long hair and looked quite femme and my partner was very buff and boyish. A lot of people would have thought we were gay, but not these policemen. Clearly their gaydar wasn’t very developed!

I then started to worry about them searching the boot of our car and helping themselves to our possessions. Corruption is a huge problem out there, partly because public officials are so badly paid. Fortunately they let us go on our way.

God knows what would have happened if the police had sussed out that we were lesbians.

I suppose the sad lesson I’ve learned from travelling is this: you can’t really be open about your sexuality in certain places.

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Rainbow Family Adventures: Some Useful Tips

As the world grows more tolerant, there’s an increasing range of destinations for LGBT families to travel to. In many ways it’s never been easier for rainbow families to go on holiday. That said, there are still a few challenges to be overcome.

Firstly, communicate with your child. Your little one will almost certainly know that your family is a little different to other families out there, so make sure that he or she is aware of the realities of the place you’re travelling to. Will the destination be as accepting of your family as your home country is? Talking these things through before you leave will save hassle later on.

Please also choose your destination wisely. Some cultures are more accepting of LGBTs than others, so do appraise yourself of local customs and beliefs. We strongly recommend you do your research through gay travel websites such as OUT Adventures and Further Afield.

By far the best tip we can offer is make sure everything is legal. Will the country or state you are travelling to legally recognise your family and your right to be an LGBT parent. Just because everything is legal at home, this may not be true abroad, and the last thing you’ll want to happen is to end up languishing in a foreign gaol.

Ensure that you bring all the legally-binding documents that prove you’re married and that you’re the legal parent of your child. For this information it is always worth contacting your nation’s embassy in the country you want to go to. Make sure that you have travel insurance in case you get into any kind of trouble at all. It’s always worth paying a higher premium for a more comprehensive service.