Canada Warns LGBTQ Travelers About US Laws

Many states are passing anti-LGBTQ laws that may affect those traveling to the U.S.

Photo byJason LeungonUnsplash

Canada has issued a travel warning to citizens who are considering visiting the United States that they may face discrimination in light of anti-LGBTQ legislation passed.

The Canadian government released an updated travel advisory post on Tuesday, advising citizens to “check relevant state and local laws.”

“Some states have enacted laws and policies that may affect 2SLGBTQI+ persons,” the government wrote. “Check relevant state and local laws.”

The warning is listed on the Global Affairs agency’s web page entitled “United States travel advice,” which includes a range of different notes of caution pertaining to issues such as wildfires, gun violence, and infections.

Although the warning from the Canadian government does not specify which states may have anti-LGBTQ laws, the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ advocacy group lists Arizona, Louisiana, Ohio, South Carolina and Texas as having introduced legislation to prohibit affirming care for transgender youth, or prohibit transgender students from competing in school sports.

Additionally, states such as Florida, Montana, Nebraska and Tennessee are listed as having some type of anti-LGBTQ legislation.

Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland explained during an interview on Tuesday why the country issued a travel advisory to the U.S.

“I know that our travel advisories are done very professionally,” Freeland explained. “We have professionals in the government, whose job is to look carefully around the world and to monitor whether there are particular dangers to particular groups of Canadians. That’s their job and its the right thing to do.”

Freeland added that “when it comes to the United States specifically,” she has had personal experience of “dealing with the diversity of U.S. administrations and of dealing with American leaders at all levels of government in all branches of government.”