Nigeria has emerged as the world’s most dangerous country for LGBT+ travel in a new index of global LGBT+ safety released earlier this month.
The LGBTQ+ Danger Index ranks the 150 most-visited countries using eight factors, including legalised same-sex marriage, worker protections, criminalisation of violence and whether, based on Gallup poll findings, it is a good place to live.
Nigeria earned itself a ‘top’ score of -142 on the danger index due to its total lack of LGBT+ protections, alongside the criminalisation of same-sex relationships and propaganda.
Homosexuality is punishable by up to 14 years and, under Sharia law, the death penalty. Even the discussion of LGBT+ rights is outlawed in the strictly conservative country.
Nigeria was closely followed by Qatar with a score of -137, Yemen with a score of -128, and Saudi Arabia with a score of -126.
Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Saudia Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2017 (PAVEL GOLOVKIN/AFP/Getty)
If you’re currently planning your 2020 beach holiday, be warned – the popular tourist destinations of Barbados, St Lucia, the Maldives, Tanzania and Kenya weren’t far behind, each with scores of -100 or worse.
Same-sex relationships are illegal in 38 of the countries on the list. In others, such as China, Russia and Indonesia, homosexuality may be legal but censorship laws and lack of criminalisation of violence make them unsafe destinations for LGBT travel.
Sitting happily at the other end of the spectrum, Sweden came out on top as the safest country for LGBT+ travellers.
Swedes partying at the Stockholm Pride parade in 2016 (Erik Nylander/AFP/Getty)
Ticking all the boxes on same-sex marriage, discrimination and worker protections, adoption recognition, criminalisation of violence and a strong Gallup poll rating, Sweden earned a great safety score of 322.
Behind it were Canada, Norway, Portugal, Belgium and the UK, all of which are known for being incredibly welcoming to LGBT+ travellers.
Perhaps surprisingly, the US ranked far behind as the 24th safest country for LGBT+ travel. This is because there are no constitutional or federal protections for LGBT+ people in the US, and some states prohibit the “advocacy of homosexuality” in schools.
Greater Fort Lauderdale is proud to be the host destination for the first-ever Pride of the Americas on April 21-26, 2020. This historic and transformational event brings two continents and 35 countries together, welcoming everyone under the sun. Pride of the Americas will be hosted by Pride Fort Lauderdale with the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau serving as the presenting sponsor.
“Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County is the perfect launch destination for Pride of the Americas 2020 because we are world renowned for our open embrace to the LGBT+ community and to all visitors from across the globe,” said Stacy Ritter, CEO and president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We are excited for Pride of the Americas attendees to experience our cosmopolitan destination, as well as our beautiful melting pot of cultures.”
Six days of events will begin with opening ceremonies on Tuesday, April 21 in downtown Fort Lauderdale, and culminate on Sunday, April 26, with an epic beach festival and fireworks display. Pride of the Americas will include social events throughout the destination, a parade, beach party, arts festival, A-list entertainment, sunset concerts, top DJs and drag brunches. A glamorous fashion show will feature designs by Bravo’s “Project Runway” alumni and local designers – modeled by male, female, transgender and drag models – at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in nearby Hollywood.
“Greater Fort Lauderdale is home to a thriving LGBT+ community, and we are very much looking forward to welcoming hundreds of thousands of LGBT+ visitors and allies to our destination where diversity shines brightly,” said Richard Gray, senior vice president of Diversity & Inclusion at the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Pride of the Americas will draw attention to the shared issues LGBT+ individuals, families, youth and seniors face in Latin America and the Caribbean. Key thought leaders from different countries will share their expertise at life-changing conferences and symposiums on human rights, business, travel, health and wellness, education and more.
Although Greater Fort Lauderdale is close in proximity to Latin America and the Caribbean, they are miles apart regarding the treatment and acceptance of the LGBT+ individuals in their communities. The event hopes to bring international attention to these inequalities while improving education and understanding of the LGBT+ community on a global scale.
“Greater Fort Lauderdale is a community that celebrates diversity and inclusion in every way, each and every day, where Pride is our daily way of life,” said Miik Martorell, president of Pride Fort Lauderdale. “Pride Fort Lauderdale and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau are committed to leveraging Pride of the Americas to strengthen the LGBT+ communities and the Pride movement in the Caribbean and Latin America.”
Welcoming 1.5 million LGBT+ visitors annually spending $1.5 billion, Greater Fort Lauderdale is well-suited to host Pride of the Americas. With hundreds of gay-owned and operated businesses and the highest concentration of same-sex couple households in the country, the destination is one of the most diverse and welcoming in the world.
Greater Fort Lauderdale is also the LGBT+ capital of Florida and is home to one of the largest Pride Centers in the country, the world’s first AIDS museum, the global headquarters of the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association, and the Stonewall Museum, one of the only permanent spaces in the U.S. devoted to exhibitions relating to LGBT+ history and culture. The LGBT+ Visitor Center is co-located with the Greater Fort Lauderdale LGBT Chamber of Commerce in the heart of Wilton Manors.
The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau has been reaching LGBT+ travelers since 1996, when it became the first Convention & Visitors Bureau with a dedicated LGBT+ marketing department. Since then, Greater Fort Lauderdale has continued to break down barriers and facilitate visibility for the LGBT+ community at large, acting as a pioneer in the hospitality industry and ensuring that the destination is inclusive and welcoming with a diverse, safe and open community for all travelers.
Four years ago, it became the first destination in the world to create a transgender marketing campaign. Now the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau includes trans, lesbian, gay and straight people in all its mainstream marketing initiatives.
About Greater Fort Lauderdale Greater Fort Lauderdale, also known as the “Venice of America,” boasts an average year-round temperature of 77˚F and has 3,000 hours of annual sunshine. Explore 4,000+ eateries, 300+ miles of navigable waterways, eight distinct beaches, a thriving arts and culture scene, craft breweries, rooftop bars, outdoor adventure, and world-class shopping – all conveniently located in the center of South Florida. Made of up 31 municipalities, the destination boasts more than 35,000 lodging accommodations at a variety of hotels, luxury spa reports and Superior Small Lodgings reflecting a cosmopolitan vibe. Upon arrival at FLL Airport (Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport), it is just 5 minutes to the beach, Port Everglades, the Broward County Convention Center and downtown. For trip planning inspiration, visit the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau at www.sunny.org and follow @visitlauderdale.
About Pride Fort Lauderdale Pride Fort Lauderdale (originally Pride South Florida) was founded 41 years ago amid protests after entertainer and evangelical activist Anita Bryant successfully waged a hateful public campaign to overturn a landmark gay civil rights ordinance in Miami-Dade County. The organization’s name and location have changed over the years, but its mission has remained the same—to instill pride in our community and support those organizations that serve the local LGBTQ community. In 2017, Pride Fort Lauderdale celebrated its 40th anniversary on Fort Lauderdale Beach, attracting more than 40,000 people for the festivities. For more information, go to PrideFortLauderdale.org.
A lesbian couple who asked to hold their wedding at a California winery were turned down because of the owner’s “religious beliefs.”
One of the brides posted her correspondence with the winery on Facebook to call for a boycott after its “overt homophobia”.
The email from Viaggio winery’s weddings and events director read: “While Viaggio Winery welcomes your business, we have never hosted a same-sex marriage.
“[The owners] understand that California statutory law prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation, and they don’t like to think they would ever discriminate on that basis even if a law allowed them to do so.
“However, the owner also has a very strong personal religious belief regarding marriage, which is for marriage to be between heterosexual couples only. They believe that the United States Constitution and the California Constitution protect these religious beliefs and their right to express them.”
It then said that the owners would be willing to let the couple hold their reception there and take photos in their wedding dresses, as long as the ceremony was not on their property.
Responses to the Facebook post included: “The nerve thinking you and your beautiful bride would want to spend a dime there, or expose your family and friends to such a bigoted environment, after being told of the owner’s ‘feelings.’”
Another person said: “As a Christian I am so sick and tired of people using Jesus as a cover or an excuse for their homophobia. While they offer to take your money. How generous.”
The winery owners Teri and Larry Lawrence are also real estate agents.
According to her biography on the couple’s real estate website, Lawrence is “an active member of Eagle Forum of Sacramento, where she keeps abreast of current events regarding the family and business affairs”.
The Eagle Forum of Sacramento says it opposes same-sex marriage, abortion, sex education that does not teach abstinence or “‘New World Order’ interventions”.
Lawrence later provided a statement to FOX40 in which she said she had changed her mind about allowing same-sex couples to marry at the winery.
She said: “I realise now that contrary to my intent, this was hurtful to the people involved. Our staff, our customers, and our community have helped me see that I was wrong.”
The couple found another venue and are now happily married.
Pretty much everyone knows Illinois is one of the most welcoming places for LGBTI people in the US.
From Boystown to a plethora of LGBTI-owned and friendly businesses across the state, it’s a place where people of all backgrounds live and thrive. To embrace the state’s diversity, the Illinois Office of Tourism created a new campaign to spread a message to the LGBTI community and the rest of the world: that Illinois is Amazing for All.
The six-foot-by-23 wooden sculpture became an instant hit with the 200,000 visitors at the two-day festival. The sculpture is now sitting in the heart of Chicago’s LGBTI district, Boystown, at the corner of Halsted and Newport.
But why did Hoffman want to join Illinois in sending this message to the LGBTI community? Gay Star News sat down with him to reveal all about the now-iconic sculpture.
So why did you want to create this artwork to encourage LGBTI people to visit Illinois?
My main belief is the importance of public art and how it changes lives when you come across it.
A little bit of my background: I make stickers saying ‘you are beautiful’, as well as other outdoor installations. I started those in 2002. And we’ve now printed five and a half million stickers, and done these sort of installations around the world.
The message is that no matter who you are, you can see these stickers and know ‘you are beautiful’. And I think that that’s an incredible message. I think that came from struggling with self-esteem and different issues growing up and stuff.
So Illinois Office of Tourism reached out, because especially in Chicago, this project is very prolific. They wanted to partner and collaborate on this other great message – that Illinois is Amazing for All.
What inspired the design for the #AmazingForAll sculpture?
Basically, I make things in two very distinct ways. One is that things blend in like signage and then the other way is a handwritten style. When you do it that way, there’s a human connection there. Like someone is literally saying something to you. Then when you blow that up in scale, it’s just really incredible.
The sign in construction | Photo: Matthew Hoffman, Instagram
It must have been incredible when you debuted at Northalsted Market Days. How was that feeling? What was it like to have thousands of people see it?
It’s my favorite thing. I’m definitely someone who wants people to experience the work I make. I really stay in the background with a lot of the stuff I do. I try to keep a lower profile just because I don’t want it to be attached to my baggage. Like, who’s this person and what it’s about. This is a message for you in that moment. And so enjoy it.
So it was super cool to just see people enjoy it. It’s one of those things that when you watch people walk by, they smile, then they run up to it. And they ask their friend or a stranger to get their photo taken in front of it. That’s a really incredible experience.
It’s cool because not everybody is going to see that in person. They are sharing it around the world so all sorts of people are able to see it on their feed.
Have you lived in Illinois long?
I was born in Ohio and then we moved around. I went to school in Indiana. Eventually I moved to Chicago in 2002. So I’ve lived in the Midwest my whole life and I’ve been here about 17 years.
What’s life in Illinois like for LGBTI people?
I feel like it’s open and inviting. I’m not talking firsthand – I’m straight – but it seems open everywhere. There are some areas that need to get better, but it’s great for a really good portion of the state, especially in Chicago. I think it’s great.
Where’s your favorite place to eat?
So I’ve got an 11 year old. Me and him generally like the worst places, you know. But there’s this one called – Rosati’s [a Chicago pizza restaurant]. Yeah, we go like almost every day.
The completed sculpture when it debuted at Northalsted Market Days | Photo: Illinois Office of Tourism
What’s one thing everyone should do in Chicago?
There are these great architecture boat tours. That sounds like a tough sell to some people. But it’s a great way to explore the city and learn about things. We take the boat tours every year. It’s pretty cool because it goes down the river through the whole city, you learn a lot about the history, and then it actually takes you out on the lake, which is pretty fun.
So what plans do you have for the future?
We just put up a couple ‘you are beautiful’ pieces on fences, and one on a building. And we are going to do more of those. And then we also have a space where we have our studio, with a store and a gallery in the front. It’s in the Avondale neighborhood at 3368 N Elston Ave.
So we’re doing everything that we can to be a part of the community and bring people in. Our next big show is 20 July. It’s called Beautiful Together. And we’re inviting like 200 different artists to make a ‘You are beautiful piece’ and add their voice to the message. So that’s kind of the next big, big thing as far as our fun summer installations.
This article was sponsored by the Illinois Office of Tourism.
We are already midway through summer and LGBTI travelers, one of the most dynamic travel audiences, mold the landscape of the global tourism industry with their travel choices.
Travel by Interest, a gay travel website that turned into a global hotel-choosing tool, researched what gay travelers search for ahead of their summer holidays, and ‘Gay Beaches’ proved to be the hottest trend in Google with more than 58,000 average monthly searches.
But… could a gay beach, even if that gay beach is one of the best in the world, become a reason to choose your next destination? In some cases yes; in others no. One thing is for sure: gay men love beaches – who wouldn’t, as they are relaxed and carefree, making socializing much easier. But what did gay travelers search for regarding gay beaches?
The pattern ‘gay beach + destination’ seems to be very popular for both alternative and famous destinations. Yet, the searches do not just focus on destinations but also on more generic ideas, like gay beach resorts and – interestingly – gay beach weddings. It seems like year by year, gay men become more romantic!
Before we begin presenting the most searched gay beaches in the world, it is worth mentioning that in addition to the leaders in ‘Gay Beach’ related searches, United States & United Kingdom, we found a vivid interest from Canada, Brazil, and India.
During our research, we found many gay summer destinations, which were to be expected. But, on the top of all of them, we found the one and only Gay Barcelona, with the keyword ‘Gay Beach Barcelona‘ being hit approximately 1,600 times per month.
Next comes the notorious ‘Gay Beach Mykonos‘, which counts approximately 1,000 Searches per month in Google, while the most popular months are naturally from June to August. Mykonos is home to various gay beaches, but when people search this keyword, they most probably search for Elia Beach.
‘Gay Beach Miami‘ searches average approximately 1,000 per month, while the keyword’s peak months are January, March, April & May – when the relevant searches reach up to 1,300.
Stuck in the middle: Still Popular, but fewer searches
Photo: Shutterstock
Some destinations surprised us as they had fewer searches than what we would expect. For example, Gay Beach Sitges is one of them, averaging 880 searches per month.
With a similar number of searches, we found Gay Beach Fort Lauderdale. However, the competition is so high on this keyword, that companies have to pay up to 5 euros per click to be shown on the first page of Google Results. It’s obvious that Fort Lauderdale will be companies’ least favorite destination of the year.
Gay Beach Tel Aviv, on the other hand, might have an average of 770 monthly searches per month on Google, but this doubles in May, right before Tel Aviv Pride. Gay Beach Ibiza proves to be an iconic keyword opportunity, gathering an average of 720 searches per month. The keyword shares almost the same searches with gay bar Ibiza and gay hotel Ibiza.
Finally, Gay Beach Lisbon has approximately 590 searches per month, a number that’s doubled during the summer months from June to September. The keyword “Gay beach 19 Lisbon” has also made its appearance through our research.
At the bottom: Fewer Searches, but still on demand!
Photo: Drew Sullivan on Unsplash
Lastly, we found some destinations – popular or not – which aren’t in the top positions. However, they still gather a respectable amount of searches. Gay Beach Bali is searched approximately 320 times per month, peaking during March. We should note that there are not any gay-only beaches in Bali – only gay-friendly.
The keyword Gay Beach Greece is also on the rise with 260 avg. monthly searches. Many islands and popular seaside destinations in Greece feature at least one gay beach. It’s nice seeing more gay travelers interested in learning more about them.
Gay Beach Ipanema is the only gay beach on our list that attracts more searches than the usual combination “gay beach + destination”. This keyword averages 210 searches in Google per month, while “Gay Beach Rio” gathers only 170.
Our research on the keyword ‘Gay Beach’ has brought forward many popular gay destinations, but also many alternative ones. Gay Beach Bali is definitely among the most unexpected keywords found on our report. So, tell us your opinion. Which of the above keywords did surprise you the most? And, don’t forget to let us know which trend you would like to cover on one of our next articles!
Ecuador has been for many years one of the world’s most amazing destinations for travelers from all over the globe. It’s beauty, history, culture and the Galapagos Islands have made Ecuador one of the top destinations in the planet. However, it remains unknown or in the back burner for most gay men, who feel safer with more traditional travel choices like gay cruises or events in different cities of the United States and Europe. Juan Maldonado, a dual-citizen of USA and Ecuador, and a proud resident of Wilton Manors (Florida’s “gay Mecca”), is determined to change this by promoting his home country as a fabulous destination for gay travelers that is both safe and uncomplicated. Even though most of Latin America is traditionally conservative, Ecuador is 1 of only 5 countries in the World whose constitution provides citizens equal rights regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity since 1998. Ecuador is also one of the few countries in the world to have banned conversion therapy. Under the 2016 Gender Identity Law, transgender people may change their legal gender solely based on self-determination, without undergoing surgery. As of July 2019, same-sex marriage is legal.
Aside from its LGBTQ rights record, Ecuador is simply an uncomplicated choice for North American gay travelers for several reasons. For example, its capital -Quito- is less than 4 hours away from Florida (which is about the same as flying to Denver). No visa or vaccinations are required for Americans and Canadians, and most Ecuadorians speak English. The official currency is the US Dollar, so there’s no need to worry about exchanging money or losing value. In fact, dollars go a long way in Ecuador -as much as 3 times- due to the very low costs of labor, food, gas, transportation, rent, etc.
For these reasons, and the fantastic year-round weather in Quito and other cities on The Andes, Ecuador has been recognized for many years as a top destination for retirement, and boasts a growing number of gay expats from North America. For the 7th year in a row, Quito has won the title of “Leader Destination in South America” in the World Travel Awards (i.e. the Oscars of tourism), and the Galapagos have been for decades one of the most coveted natural destinations in the planet. Prestigious publications like Lonely Planet, Condé Nast, Forbes and websites like TripAdvisor amongst many others, have recognized Ecuador’s unmatched beauty and potential. As an avid traveler himself, Maldonado acknowledges that male gay travelers’ preferences and expectations are unique and don’t necessarily fit canned travel packages that are available for the general LGBTQ market. “Our strategy is simple yet unique: we provide an all-male, all-inclusive (cruise-like) experience: all accommodations, meals, transportation, travel insurance, activities and excursions are included, and you can book with as little as $250. The itineraries have been designed to provide the perfect mix of nature, culture, gastronomy, fun and relaxation.
The convenience factor is also a priority: small groups, private transportation, WiFi 24/7, English-speaking guides, and a 24/7 personal concierge for safety. Lastly, the term ‘all-gay’ doesn’t apply only to our travelers, but our bi-national team which includes gay tour guides and concierge staff, drivers, and gay-owned or gay-friendly accommodation and service providers.” Maldonado was born in Quito and moved to the United States in 2006. After many years working for consumer products he decided to follow his passion for hospitality and started a vacation rental business by acquiring several properties in Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, where he and his husband Bob have hosted over 2000 guests from 35+ countries. After a couple years of research and behind-the-scenes work, Maldonado and his best friend in Ecuador launched Ecuador Gay Travel in 2019.
Tinder unveiled a new personal security feature Wednesday aimed at protecting LGBTQ users when they visit countries where same-sex relationships are outlawed or criminalized.
Upon opening the popular dating app in one of these nearly 70 countries, users will receive a “Traveler Alert” that notifies them that they appear to “be in a place where the LGBTQ community may be penalized,” according to a press release from Tinder.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer users will also no longer automatically appear on Tinder when they open the app in these locations. Instead, users can choose whether to remain hidden on Tinder or make their profile public while they are traveling. If they choose the latter option, the app will still hide their gender identity and sexual orientation from their profile, so this information can’t be weaponized by others.
“We fundamentally believe that everyone should be able to love,” Elie Seidman, CEO of Tinder, said in a statement. “We serve all communities — no matter their gender identity or sexual orientation — and we are proud to offer features that help keep them safe.”
Tinder worked with the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA), an advocacy organization that brings together more than 1,000 global LGBTQ organizations, to determine what countries should be included as part of the alert. The countries include South Sudan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iran and Nigeria.
Also on the list is Egypt, where in 2018 there were widespread reports of the country’s authorities and residents using dating apps to entrap and persecute gay men. In addition to being imprisoned, some were subjected to forced anal exams, according to Human Rights Watch.
In the U.S. and abroad, there have also been numerous cases of people using gay dating apps to target members of the LGBTQ community and subsequently rob and/or attack them.
Experts say Tinder’s new feature is reflective of increased momentum to ensure the safety of the LGBTQ community through digital protections.
“Tinder’s new security feature is a welcome step in safety-by-design. It utilizes design strategies — defaults, aesthetics, opt-in buttons — to protect users rather than collect data,” Ari Ezra Waldman, director of the Innovation Center for Law and Technology at New York Law School, told NBC News in an email. “By automatically hiding a user or their sexual orientation, the app defaults to safety in hostile territories. It deploys a big red warning screen to get users’ attention. And it forces users to opt-in to more publicity about who they are.”
Waldman said other apps should consider adopting similar measures. “The default should be no disclosure until the user affirmatively says it’s OK based on a clear and obvious and understanding warning,” he added.
In 2016, the Pew Research Center found that use of online dating apps among young adults had tripled over three years, and experts say this number is assuredly higher in the LGBTQ community, where stigma and discrimination can make it difficult to meet people in person. One study reported that more than a million gay and bisexual men logged into a dating app every day in 2013, while another from 2017 states that twice as many LGBTQ singles use dating apps as heterosexual users.
The relatively high number of queer people using dating apps, therefore, makes increased protections a more urgent matter, said Ian Holloway, an assistant professor of social welfare at UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs.
“Tinder’s Traveler Alert is a great idea, but I wonder how it would translate to LGBTQ-specific platforms, where people know others’ sexuality by virtue of being on those apps,” Holloway said.
He pointed to Hornet as an example of an app that caters to gay men and has developed security guidelines, which includes obscuring users’ distance from others.
“I’m glad to see we’re thinking about these issues, but there are challenges that come with gay-specific apps,” Holloway added.
Last month, Tinder collaborated with GLAAD on a new feature that allows users to disclose their sexual orientation, which was not previously an option. The app also instituted a #RightToLove feature during Pride, which enabled users to send letters to their senators in support of the Equality Act.
LGBTI tour operator, Toto Tours, has decided to cancel their 16-day package tour to Ethiopia that was schedule for this October, amid concerns for the safety of their clients. The tour itinerary was to include visits to several religious sites.
The Ethiopian Orthodox organization, the Sileste Mihret United Association, alluded to violence.
The chairperson said: ‘Homosexuality is hated as well as being illegal in Ethiopia.
‘If Toto Tours comes to Ethiopia where 97% of Ethiopians surveyed oppose homosexuality, they will be damaged. They could even die.’
Toto Tours canceled Ethiopia trip after death threats
Dan Ware, owner of the company, decided to cancel the tour after consideration of the above statement, and also receiving several other threats of violence should the tour proceed.
According to reports from NBC Chicago, Ware explained: ‘We had descriptions of buried alive, burned alive; I had an ISIS-type video with a guy with a mask on his head, brandishing his sword saying we are going to cut your throat. It was not something to ignore.
Spokeswoman for the US Embassy in Ethiopia, Amanda Jacobsen, stated: ‘Our country specific information for Ethiopia notes the challenges American citizen LGBTI travelers to Ethiopia may face, including the fact that consensual same-sex sexual activity between adults is illegal and punishable by imprisonment.
‘There is no law prohibiting discrimination against LGBTI persons.
‘Ethiopians do not generally identify themselves as LGBTI due to severe societal stigma.’
Tour company still planning trips to countries where being gay is illegal
Ware stated that he hopes to one day still plan a tour to Ethiopia.
However, in the meantime, he’s refunding all clients who were booked on the October departure.
Toto Tours has been serving the LGBT community since 1990.
Their website states the name is derived from the Latin word meaning ‘all-inclusive,’ not in reference to Dorothy’s infamous dog from the Wizard of Oz. The company website still has trips planned to Botswana, Bhutan, and Egypt, all places where same-sex activity is illegal.
On the count of three, about 50 gay couples kissed their partners in the public square of a small town in the Ozark Mountains.
Jay Wilks, the event’s organizer, told the crowd to do it over.
“With more passion this time!” he shouted into the microphone.
Wilks counted down again, and queer and trans people embraced their partners, now with the gusto he demanded. The couples, decked out in so much pride gear that despite the day’s clear weather rainbows abounded, held each other, laughed and, most important, kissed.
It was PDA in the Park, the signature event of early April’s Spring Diversity Weekend in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Eureka is a rural, hilly town of about 2,000 people where locals say over 30 percent of residents are LGBTQ and playfully remark their town has “no straight streets.”
Amber Clark, 36, who has rainbow-dyed hair, drove in for the weekend from Carthage, Missouri, a city of less than 15,000 where you’d be hard-pressed to find 100 queer people making out in the small downtown. She came with what she characterized as “a group of loud, out, queer women.”
“We’re here to be normal for a weekend,” she said, “and to kiss in the park.”
About 2.9 to 3.8 million LGBTQ people live in rural America, and they are increasingly finding that they don’t need to travel to a big city or the coasts to find a place to be themselves and unwind on vacation.
Public imagination renders LGBTQ people as city dwellers, and the dominant narrative says anyone queer or trans living in rural America yearns for escape. There is some truth in that, and for good reason — a recent survey found that Arkansas residents were the least supportive of measures to protect LGBTQ people from discrimination, compared to residents of other states. But in Eureka Springs, Wilks, who runs Out in Eureka, an LGBTQ event and information organization, is working to create what he sees as an oasis: a space for LGBTQ people to explore a quaint Southern town while being welcomed exactly as they are.
Other cities and towns in red states have also begun courting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer tourists, as a way of showing their openness and because there’s money to be made. (It’s difficult to determine the economic impact of LGBTQ travelers, but by using population data, the United Nations World Tourism Association estimates they generate more than $50 billion in annual revenue in the U.S.)
Performers and attendees at Diversity Weekend in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.Ludwig Hurtado / NBC News
Salt Lake City is so dedicated to making sure people know it’s LGBTQ-friendly that it has an explainer on its tourism website that begins, “Yes, Salt Lake IS a great place for the LGBTQ Community.”
Oklahoma City tries to entice LGBTQ tourists with its annual Memorial Day gay rodeo and its small but thriving gayborhood.
Forty miles southwest of Eureka Springs, Fayetteville is on a similar mission, trying to appeal to LGBTQ people in Arkansas and neighboring states, for whom going on vacation to a major city is cost prohibitive — or not at all desirable. People who are rural and queer, or Southern and queer, often feel like they need to give up one of those identities, but city leaders in Fayetteville and Eureka Springs are marketing their towns as a place where visitors and residents alike can have it all, even if the state’s politics are not as progressive.
“Our focus is not to become a San Francisco or a Fort Lauderdale,” Wilks, 51, a former flight attendant, said. “Fire Island is fun,” he added of the gay destination east of New York City, but Wilks wants to remain “true to who Eureka is” — a small town that’s wooded, Southern and super gay.
‘DO THEY REALLY WANT US HERE?’
Fayetteville recently became the first city in Arkansas to join the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association, which provides free resources, travel suggestions and safety tips to LGBTQ travelers. The city of about 85,000 has always had a reputation for being progressive, especially within its own state, partly because it’s a college town that votes blue. Since 2014, Fayetteville fought to get an LGBTQ nondiscrimination law on its books, but the state supreme court struck it down in January.
That put Molly Rawn, executive director of Experience Fayetteville, the city’s tourism office, in a bit of a bind. How do you convince LGBTQ people to come to your city, which prides itself on inclusivity, when the state sends a different message?
One way Rawn does it is by being clear in her message to LGBTQ folks: “We want you here,” she said.
A Pride participant in Fayetteville in 2018.Courtesy Vincent Griffin
Experience Fayetteville takes out ads in gay newspapers in nearby cities and neighboring states touting its attractions and making sure queer and trans folks know they can visit without worry.
“In my experience, you only have to get them here once, and then they come back,” Rawn said. A lifelong Arkansan, she knows she’s fighting an uphill battle — while she loves the state, she acknowledges that it isn’t always a great place to be LGBTQ, with a lack of workplace discrimination protections and scant health care for trans people.
Still, Fayetteville Pride, the biggest gay event of the year, has flourished, drawing visitors from all over the region. The first parade in 2005 drew about 200 attendees; last year, it had over 15,000.
John Tanzella, president and CEO of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association, was thrilled when Fayetteville wanted to be promoted by his organization. But some travel writers and tourists wrote to his organization and asked: “Is it really somewhere welcoming?” and “Do they really want us there?”
His answer: “Yes.”
Tanzella said that in recent years, gay tourism has “evolved from a one-size-fits model to all these different niches.” No longer just cruises and bed-and-breakfasts in Provincetown, Massachusetts, LGBTQ tourism has grown as diverse as the community itself. One of those niches is LGBTQ people who live in the South or the Midwest, and aren’t itching for big city life — they just want a place to be themselves.
Still, the impulse to court LGBTQ tourists doesn’t sit well with everyone.
Brody Parrish, a queer, trans and nonbinary Fayetteville resident, said the effort to draw LGBTQ visitors feels like a “misappropriation of resources.”
Parrish believes Northwest Arkansas should focus on allocating resources to its LGBTQ residents by increasing health care access and opening spaces like community drop-in centers were queer and trans people can congregate. Progressive cities like Fayetteville should “really be putting in the work to make it a safe space for everyone to exist here.”
“I would love to meet random LGBT people that come to this area to visit,” Parrish added, but at the same time, “What are you doing to support those people that are in your town, versus trying to bring people from other areas?”
‘IT FEELS LIKE HOME’
Melodye Purdy moved to Eureka Springs about 15 years ago from Memphis, Tennessee. She and her partner chose Eureka mostly because “there is no other place on Earth like it.”
“Being a woman and being a lesbian, it was very important to find a sense of security and safety,” Purdy, 53, said. Some “gay-friendly” places she and her partner considered seemed to cater only to men, while others, like Key West and Provincetown, felt too far from her home in the South. “I did think that I had to leave the South to be a lesbian,” she said. But in Eureka, among the curvy streets, she found home. “I was wrong.”
Melodye PurdyLudwig Hurtado / NBC News
Eureka’s reputation as an LGBTQ haven isn’t new — at least for Northwest Arkansas residents. It started as a hippie town in the ’70s, and slowly, queer and trans people began moving there. The picturesque town features old saloons with rainbow flags, a haunted hotel, and dozens of other gay-owned shops, restaurants and businesses. Every bar in Eureka, residents like to say, is a gay bar.
Ashley Buckmaster, 36, makes the two-hour drive from her home in Carthage, Missouri, to Eureka Springs a couple times a year. “It’s not scary to go places here,” Buckmaster, who is queer, said at Diversity Weekend. On her visits, she’s met and made lifelong friends. “It feels like home.”
That is exactly why Wilks organizes Diversity Weekend.
“With the cost of travelling to some of the major cities, it’s not something that everyone can just up and do,” he said. “Gay affluence” is a largely a myth, and transgender people often face structural hurdles to finding work and housing. Eureka, Wilks and others hope, can provide an affordable and safe refuge.
‘WE’RE MOVING’
Preparing for his first trip to Eureka Springs a year ago, Ethan Avanzino, 30, said he took out a lot of cash.
“My initial thought of Arkansas was like: ‘Do they take credit cards? Can we barter?’” Avanzino, a gay trans man who grew up on the West Coast and currently lives in Dallas, said. He’s been back four times since then, making the six-to-seven-hour drive with his husband.
On Diversity Weekend this April, he returned to enjoy the festivities and to lead a “Transgender 101” workshop for visitors and community members.
Ethan AvanzinoLudwig Hurtado / NBC News
In the town’s public library, people asked Avanzino about they/them pronouns, what it means to be intersex and how best to support the trans people in their lives. Outside the library window, if you looked east, you could see a 66-foot white statue of Jesus called “Christ of the Ozarks” towering over the hills.
In Dallas, Avanzino is out and does media production for a Fortune 500 company; things are pretty good. But there’s something about Eureka that he feels like he can’t get elsewhere. “The inclusivity in the South is what captured me,” he said. “I like to disconnect and be out in the middle of the wilderness and not have cell reception.”
misterb&b (misterbandb.com), the world’s largest short-term rental marketplace dedicated to the Gay community, has launched a Wefunder campaign to give guests, hosts, and the public the opportunity to invest in the company to help launch expansion to hotels.
Homosexuality is illegal in a third of the world, and in 8 countries, it is punishable by death. In the U.S., hate crime incidents increased by 17% from 2016 to 2017, as reported by the FBI’s yearly “Hate Crime Statistics” report, with 20.6% due to sexual-orientation — the largest increase since 9/11.
Not knowing whether a host will be welcoming makes “traveling while gay” for men, women, and gender non-conforming people around the world dangerous – and potentially life-threatening.
At hotels, global gay travelers have been rejected or forced to book separate rooms. The only solutions available to them are third-party, unverified, user-generated reviews.
misterb&b was created to give its community the freedom to book an entire home or rent a private room at the home of a gay or gay-friendly host, and with many located in gay-friendly neighborhoods.
Now, after verticalizing the short term rental industry, misterb&b wants to build equality into the sharing economy and give back to a community that’s been historically economically marginalized, by providing the misterb&b community with the power of part ownership of the company.
The funds, raised through Wefunder, which reached half a million dollars in just 7 days, will be used to provide gay and gay-friendly hotel rooms on the platform.
This new offering curates gay-friendly and welcoming hotels that have been hand-selected by the company’s editorial team, with high quality, exclusive, and verified reviews from LGBTQ travelers. What’s more, misterb&b travelers will be able to discover and connect with others from the misterb&b community staying at their hotel, and to explore the city together – especially because there’s truly safety in numbers.
Crowdfunding provides a way for all individuals (even non-accredited investors) to participate in investment opportunities and reap the benefits.
Matthieu Jost did not want to go the traditional route of investment for this round because he wanted to extend the opportunity first to the misterb&b community, many of whom may not be accredited investors.
“This is a unique opportunity to own a part of misterb&b and help us create a more welcoming world. We are reaching out to the most passionate people in the community: our hosts and our guests, as well as LGBTQ allies,” said Matthieu Jost, founder of misterb&b. “We want to provide the opportunity to financially benefit from our successes – giving back to a community that’s been historically economically marginalized.”
While the sharing economy for short-term rentals has increased, it has been difficult for gay hosts and travelers to feel secure and welcome. misterb&b is a response to strong demand for collaborative tourism in the booming niche of global gay tourism, a $100B market. The gay market is also a premium segment, traveling twice as much as other travelers.
“The online travel industry is already generating massive business worldwide and innovation keeps on thriving in this sector,” said Jean Bourcereau, managing partner at Ventech, a member of misterb&b’s board of directors. “misterb&b’s early commercial traction and tremendous growth over the past two years have proven the huge value of their differentiated offer for both hosts and guests.”
misterb&b is a graduate of 500 Startups and have raised US$13.5M from institutional investors like Project A and Ventech, and from angels like Joel Simkhai (founder of Grindr, sold for $300M USD).The marketplace has310,000 hosts in over 135 countries.
“We have a penchant for companies with strong growth and revenue. Not only does misterb&b have both, but they also have a stellar team,” said Christine Tsai from 500 startups
misterb&b is the world’s largest short-term rental marketplace dedicated to the Gay community. Matthieu co-founded misterb&b after he and his partner booked a room in Barcelona through a third party rental website, and were faced with a homophobic host, which prompted them to cut their trip short. The company was then incubated in Silicon Valley by 500 Startups and raised $13.5 million in venture capital. Today, misterb&b operates out of 3 offices on 3 continents, providing it’s community with access to more than 310,000 properties in 135+ countries. The marketplace is open to everyone across the spectrum of gender & sexual orientation. In the media, misterb&b has been recognized by CNN as being integral to ‘The Gay Travel Revolution’, has received coverage in Forbes, Forbes Travel, New York Business Journal, USA Today, Logo, and was the very first gay “App of the day” on the Apple Store.
