Posted by Lisa | Posted in General Travel | Posted on 07-08-2009
Tags: berlin, cancun, gay travel, gay vacation, gay vacations, key west, mexico city, miami, palm springs, prague, south beach, travel safety
Most people who engage in a lot of pleasure or business travel do not do not concern themselves with whether they will be welcomed at traditional travel destinations. Generally, places tourists frequent usually want to attract anyone who is willing to pay for the available products or services. However, for sexual minorities, including gay men, some locations range from an absence of an “open arms greeting” to outright hostility. Consequently, some gay travel destinations are more welcoming than others.
For example, both Berlin and Prague have a long history of welcoming gay visitors. Germany and the Czech Republic may be more socially conservative than, say, Sweden, the capital cities of both nations have large gay populations and many neighborhoods in which gay men can openly hold hands without experiencing so much as a surprised look. Prague has been friendly to gay men since even before the fall of the iron curtain, while Berlin has been open to gay travelers since the early decades of the 20th century, although there was obviously hostility toward sexual minorities during the Nazi era.
Most of Latin America is quite different, although it never suffered the horrors of Nazi oppression of homosexuals. The tradition of machismo is prevalent. Generally gay men should abide by the customs of the community in order to assure their personal safety. In other words, just because you see straight people behaving a certain way, don’t assume that a gay couple could follow course. Of course sexual minorities are at least as prevalent in Latin America as in any other part of the world, but it is assumed that the minorities will demonstrate considerable discretion. However, in locations that rely economically upon tourists, like in Puerto Vallarta and Cancun, the conventions of western Europe are more likely to appear. Mexico City is gay friendly to tourists only in certain areas of the city, despite being much more cosmopolitan in other ways.
The United States is a bit of a mish-mash. There are still a large number of extreme bigots throughout the U.S. However, there are an increasing number of places in the country where gay civil rights are proudly protected. It’s a good idea for gay travelers to obtain information about the local social climate, however.
Among the most popular gay vacation spots include Key West, Palm Springs and South Beach (Miami). While they are all warm weather destinations, they have their significant differences.
The world is diverse, and there are still places where gay men are persecuted. To maximize your enjoyment of your destination, understand the local customs and culture.
