This article was originally posted on LinkedIn on 28th June 2022.

When you think of  - literally - a world of gorgeous destinations, inhabited by incredible people you can meet and exchange experience with, it is hard to remember that sometimes, some parts of that same world are scarred with inequality and oppression. Most people do not feel this as they are accepted and welcomed almost anywhere. However, not everyone has the luxury of freely gliding through places - this is the case, for example, of the LGBTQ+ community in some locations. 

June is pride month, and I want to dedicate this article to the LGBTQ+ community of explorers, especially those that combine remote work and travelling!

To be an LGBTQ+ traveller in a world of non-equal acceptance is a choice, a challenge and in some cases requires some amount of bravery. Some countries such as the US, Western Europe and other areas are fairly welcoming and generally protect gay and LGBTQ+ people, whether they travel for work or leisure, or combine them together! The same guidelines cannot be applied to other areas: some places of Middle East for instance, being gay or LGBTQ+ is a crime punishable with jail. And in some cases, the community’s security is not obvious at all. 

Exploring safely as a gay couple - Any travelling adventure is unique, but personal safety is crucial - for anyone: when travelling, awareness of oneself and surroundings is always essential, regardless of sexuality or gender. Traveling as a gay couple - whether for work or leisure - has an added layer of complexity where not disclosing your sexuality may be a strategy to travel safely into some destinations where LGBTQ+ rights are restricted. Some places in the Arab world have a massive LGBTQ+ underground scene and travelling safely to those countries involves not attracting homophobic attention.  

To dive deep into this topic, I had an interesting exchange with Pawel Adrjan, Director of EMEA Economic Research at Indeed, who shared what it feels like to travel while working with his husband Javier Muñoz-Basols (pictured together above). 

 “I think it's really important to make sure that you feel safe. For example, in Europe, the ILGA Europe rankings can be very useful in terms of thinking about the countries where you may want to go. At the same time, I think it's just really important to be true to yourself. Don't hide where you are, because that can be very frustrating. Surround yourself with people who are accepting of who you are. Most people really don't have a problem at all with a gay couple. We've never had any problems while travelling for work. So, I think it's just really important to be yourself, while still making sure that you feel safe at all times.” 

Gay travellers face the added challenge of navigating a myriad of LGBTQ+ laws around the world. Depending on where they’re headed, travel can still be considerably dangerous—even in 2022. As Pawel shared, there are some resources that can help you choose safe and welcoming destinations for your travel and nomading experiences. Nomad List also features destinations’ characteristics that remote work and digital nomads seek, including if a country accepts legal gay marriage.  In addition to ILGA, Travelguard, for example, has put together the “Travel with Pride” guide to assist LGBTQ travellers with information that will help them feel more comfortable as they plan their travel.  Planning the whole trip, with the travel and work arrangements that need to be organised is often easier as a couple, Pawel and Javier’s experience confirms this:

“When you travel as a couple, you automatically have a support network of at least one other person when you travel. And that really helps you adjust to a new place. I think it also helps you plan. It's easier to plan together when you're exploring a new place where you're going”

It’s about safety, but also education - If we want to make the world a better and safer place for everyone, we have to play an active part. Perceptions, habits and mainstream communications play an important role in what we feel is “normal” so what if the LGBTQ+ message does not get across? 

As Pawel says: 

“I think there's also an educational component to this. For instance, in the UK and in the English language, in general, we're quite used to using words like husband or wife for same-sex couples, who are married. But in other countries and other languages that may not be as common, even though it should be. So, I think also saying something like, oh, yeah, you know, I'm happy to speak at this conference and these are my travel dates and by the way, my husband will be coming along. Just saying like, my husband is coming and he'll be there with me, it also helps educate people that LGBTQ+ married couples exist. It is a responsibility that LGBTQ+ couples have when travelling”. 

Small exchanges of open sharing and relaxed conversations, all add up together to influence and educate. For newbie gay travellers, reflecting on how to introduce their partner early on in conversations and also the language to use, could be useful in preparing for these moments.  Pawel elaborates:

"When you work and travel as a couple, for example, if one of us is invited for work and the other one comes along, you know, we need a room for two. We make that clear in advance. If anyone ever had a problem with that then we wouldn't go because we don't want to go to places where we're not welcome. But we've never experienced any kind of issue because you know people tend to be quite open and welcoming”

Often as human beings, we don’t appreciate the small things that we say and share, that contribute and add up to helping us improve our communication style, inviting people to get to know us better and therefore appreciate our situation better. 

In closing - the benefits of travelling as a couple (confirmed by Pawel enthusiastically!) far outweigh the negatives. Take it from this pair of seasoned travellers, the planning and preparation is always worth it in the end! As the world of travel opens up more for new experiences and adventures post-covid, be inspired and encouraged to book that trip, plan that route, seeking out new places you will be delighted you took the leap!

This article was originally posted on LinkedIn on 28th June 2022.