Canada’s government has issued a travel advisory to its LGBTQ+ citizens regarding visits to the United States, outlining risks they could face due to new laws in several U.S. states.
The advisory reads, “Some states have enacted laws and policies that may affect 2SLGBTQI+ persons. Check relevant state and local laws.”
In a statement shared with CNN, Global Affairs Canada said, “Since the beginning of 2023, certain states in the U.S. have passed laws banning drag shows and restricting the transgender community from access to gender affirming care and from participation in sporting events.”
The Canadian travel advisory does not single out specific U.S. states or laws. The new warning follows the declaration of a national state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people by the Human Rights Campaign in June.
The updated advisory also includes advice on the manner in which LGBTQ+ travelers could be targeted when traveling to foreign countries.
The advice reads, “Foreign laws and customs related to sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) can be very different from those in Canada. As a result, you could face certain barriers and risks when you travel outside Canada.”
Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland defended the new advisory, telling CNN on Tuesday, “Every Canadian government, very much including our government, needs to put at the center of everything we do the interests and the safety of every single Canadian and every single group of Canadians.”
In a statement responding to the advisory, the U.S. State Department said the U.S. is focused on “promoting tolerance, inclusion, justice and dignity while helping to advance the equality and human rights of LGBTQI+ persons.”
The statement continued, “We all must continue to do this work with our like-minded partners not only in the United States, not only in Canada, but throughout the world.”
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