I’m the outsider.
But on this trip, there was more at stake.
I knew I had to rely on my fellow travelers and put my faith in complete strangers.
Credit:Brad McGinley Photography/Getty Images
When I casually mentioned my husband, our conversation abruptly halted.
“Oh, I’m not gay,” he told me.
“I’m very straight.”
Lance Garland
Moments like these are unfortunately common for me.
Here are four tips on how I make my travels easier and, more importantly, safer.
Knowing local laws is crucial.
Lance Garland
Always do a quick search to ensure you have up-to-date information.
Bali, for example, recentlybanned premarital sex.
One night at dinner, we met a local woman and wanted to buy her a drink.
She went on to ask us uncomfortable and pointed questions about our personal life.
As the questions got more intense, we politely made an excuse to pay our bill and leave.
Living openly doesn’t mean we have to tell strangers all of our business.
For queer people, a big part of travel is deciding just how open to be.
Just remember: you don’t owe anyone an explanation about who you are.
When the woman found out we were gay, she said, “I love the gays!
Gay men are my spirit animal.
We should go shopping!”
I could have also pointed out that she was being cringingly stereotypical and warned her against making sweeping generalizations.
Last summer, I went camping in Washington’s North Cascades National Park with my husband.
We set up camp by Ross Lake next to other groups.
But to us, as long as no one bothered us, it didn’t matter what they thought.
