Question: Genderqueer travel
cenozoic asks…
I’m a genderqueer-transmasculine person and I’m looking to travel overseas for an extended period. What countries are embracing of gender variant people? What countries should be avoided?
Please post your response in the comments below.
» Ask Genderfork «
Posted by Freiya on April 3rd, 2013 at 08:00 am
Category: questions 5 comments »
April 4th, 2013 at 2:02 am |
A lot depends on what parts of town you’re in, who you’re with, what gender people perceive you as, and if you speak the language (that is, if you can understand people talking rudely about you- sometimes ignorance is bliss). It’s hard to generalize a whole country. I am a nonbinary transmasculine person and have had great times in countries regarded as “conservative” with a history of intolerance and violence against the LGBT community, because I met great, accepting people there, and I’ve also had unpleasant incidents in countries that are considered more liberal and accepting.
One thing to keep in mind is that in some socially or religiously conservative countries (including where I live now), “genderqueer” is sometimes not a thing and the concept of a very masculine DFAB person or very feminine DMAB person just does not register for most people, so you will be read as male a lot more often than you would in the U.S. or other “western” country.
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April 4th, 2013 at 2:24 am |
Hi, well, “embracing” would be a lot and I am wondering if there is any country of the world, where this would be generally the case. Generally, I’d say western Europe is more open to Not-Heteronormal-Lifeforms than eastern Europe. Capitols have more “freaks” than villages… well I guess, that’s the case everywhere.
I live in Germany and I don’t feel “embraced” or even “seen” everywhere, but hardly ever endangered and often very welcome. Germany seems – in comparison with other countries in the world, including the USA – to have a relatively wide spectrum of expanding the genders (women with short hair and no makeup are not necessarily leftradicals or lesbians and long haired men can be bankers) and christianity doesn’t play a very big role in everyday life, so even if you are not seen as what you are, you are likely to be generally accepted or not stared at. The same for the netherlands, switzerland and southern sweden. I can’t really speak for other countries, but I assume something similar for france, austria, belgium, denmark, luxembourg, liechtenstein.
Maybe one indicator for you could be to look up countries with gay marriage/ civil unions?
Well, and if anybody knows about a country where genderqueers are generally EMBRACED, just let me know and I’ll pack my bags in no time ;)
Have fun!
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Hodge Podge replied:
April 4th, 2013 at 9:25 am
Berlin felt VERY safe when I visited recently (although I wasn’t dressed in a gender variant way).
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April 4th, 2013 at 2:10 pm |
Obviously Saudi Arabia is off the list, but in terms of other places, it really depends on how you present. It is a lot different for a female bodied person presenting masculine than a male bodied person presenting feminine. Either might expect a strip search in some places, if just out of curiosity, but the latter is going to have big trouble in some places (Egypt, Turkey, Russia, …) Sometimes if you present gender variantly, you’d better be aware of local customs and attitudes. A pre/non op transwoman should be aware of how to act in Pakistan or Ghana. In general, when going to a strange place, tune it down. Jeans, shirt, jacket, not much jewellery, little makeup. Good luck.
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April 6th, 2013 at 12:13 pm |
http://scandy.milkboys.org/article/in-sweden-even-the-church-is-gender-queer/
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/the-other-side/pc-preschool-bans-words-him-and-her/story-e6frfhk6-1226082516997
From these and other sources, Sweden seems nice. I’ve actually considered moving there.
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