Being lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) is really an exception to be a part of an incredibly diverse group of human beings. And being someone who supports the community is all the more exciting. There are numerous ways in which one can support and work for the welfare of this beautiful community. Here are some excellent ways in which the travelers to different parts of the world can extend their support towards the LGBT communities!
Research the LGBT community too while researching your holiday destination
Save enough time to browse through some reliable articles and news on the LGBT community at your holiday destination. Check out the various issues that local LGBT community faces in the destination like if there are laws against homosexuality? Are there aspects of local cultures that challenge the gender binary? Is gay marriage allowed? It would also be great if you read about some of the popular campaigns, activism, and projects in the destination related to LGBT. By educating yourself with all the possible information, you can ensure maximum safety.
Ask the communities themselves how they would like to get supported
When it comes to helping people or supporting for a particular cause, be respectful towards people and ask them what they need. No wonder, listening to them is always the best thing to follow. Or just in case you wish to figure out some specific ways to help a community, better connect with the local activists online. Check out all the queer-friendly NGOs around your destination and see what they actually need to flourish.
Support businesses that support LGBT equality…
The Human Rights Commission of most of the countries has these days come up with several useful Corporate Equality Indexes that reportedly rank quite high for businesses that are based on how LGBT-friendly the group is. It is always advised to study their reports in order to find out the most LGBT friendly airlines, hotels, restaurants and more. Along with this, it is also important to avoid spending money at places that are against the LGBT community.
Be respectful as a Pride attendee
If you happen to attend a Pride event, no matter intentionally or accidentally, do make sure that you follow all the useful rules of the community. The rules are almost same for every community and destination. The most important being, don’t ever photograph the community people without their permission as this way you might accidentally out them to their community, which may at times put them in sheer danger.
Don’t force people to discuss their experiences
Never ever force or even ask the community people to share their experiences until and unless you are well known to any of them. And even if you know someone, don’t ask them how they came out or whether they have ever experienced a hate crime. These are very sensitive topics and one may take it as an offense. So it’s always better to avoid such sensitive topics.
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