Canada Issues Travel Warning for LGBTQ+ People Visiting US
The Canadian government warned its 2SLGBTQIA+ residents they may be at risk when travelling to the United States due to a growing number of restrictive laws in states controlled by Republicans. “Some states have enacted laws and policies that may affect 2SLGBTQI+ persons. Check relevant state and local laws,” the government’s travel advisory website reads in its entrance about the US. Many Western countries, including the US, have websites like this, where the government provides information to its citizens about potential risks when travelling abroad. These range from terrorism to epidemics. It is rare that a democratic country should warn another about blatant human rights violations going on in its neighbour and ally.
This update by Canada shows how anti-LGBTQIA+ movements in the US are a humiliation on the world stage for a country that still claims to be all about freedom. While the website doesn’t name any states specifically, the travel warning comes after a wave of laws passed by Republican-controlled governments. Earlier this year, Tennessee’s governor restricted gender-affirming treatments for young people and banned drag performances in front of children. Florida passed its so-called “Don’t say gay” law. Bans against transgender medical treatments for minors, the use of preferred pronouns in classrooms and trans people participating in sports have emerged in Kentucky and Texas. Similar legislations have been proposed in conservative-led states across the US.
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