British writer, director, actor and trans rights advocate Jake Graf spent $1,500 more than his planned budget in order to attend the annual convention of the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA) last month, because of his fears around airport security and anti-trans border policies.
“This trip has been fraught,” Graf told participants at the panel The Moment of Truth: Trans and Gender Diverse Travel Experiences, one of the many workshops and panel discussions at the three-day convention. The 41st global convention, held in Palm Springs, California, brought together more than 750 people from 32 countries to do business, network, share experiences and talk about the issues facing LGBTQ+ travellers and the travel industry as a whole.
At the Moment of Truth session, four panellists spoke candidly about the obstacles they’ve faced as trans and gender diverse travellers and how they managed them.
Graf was so concerned that he’d be challenged about his gender while en route to the convention, and possibly be denied entry, he flew from the U.K. to California via Ireland. That’s because Ireland is one of six countries where passengers to the United States can clear immigration before boarding the flight, rather than on arrival in the United States. Because preclearance does not take place on U.S. soil, someone who is denied entry, or who does not want to continue with the questioning, can exit the airport and return home, provided local laws have not been broken. By contrast, someone who is denied entry or deemed uncooperative at a U.S. entry point on U.S. soil can be detained and perhaps charged with a crime.
“I had months of anxiety about coming here,” Graf told attendees. “I had heard second- and third-hand stories. I was a wreck. A patdown, I don’t mind. I can handle that. But a culture of fear has been created. That’s the intention.” This year several countries have issued travel advisories for trans and nonbinary people considering visiting the U.S. Though more than 15 countries, including the U.S. itself, issue passports with X, rather than M or F as the gender marker, the X marker may trigger additional questions and possible denial of entry, and travellers may still be required to provide male or female identifiers.
“I pass as a cis white man,” said Graf. “But I don’t want to suddenly be in a room with angry people wanting me to take my clothes off.”
Panellist Jess Osborn, a trans masc, nonbinary community builder and fashion curator based in Miami, said they’ve chosen not to get an X passport to reduce the chances of getting on the wrong side of border agents—they’ve had enough additional scrutiny as it is. “It’s not a random check if it happens to me every time.”
The hassles can start before a trans or nonbinary traveller even leaves home. Panellist Gabrielle Claiborne, founder and CEO of Transformation Journeys WorldWide, a transgender-focused inclusion-based training and consulting firm, said that during her own transition, she’d give her name and pronouns while booking travel over the phone. But she’d still be addressed, “Yes, sir.” When all her travel documents were not fully aligned—photo, name, gender markers—she frequently had to out herself and even then faced misgendering. After resolving everything and going through security, she was then misgendered on the flight.
Claiborne, who is on PrEP to prevent HIV infection, as well as other medications, says she always carries a doctor’s note with her medications, and keeps them in the pharmacy packaging. “I’m always prepared to explain everything. I’ve become more methodical.” She brings extra medication with her in case of delays or other issues, bringing them in her carryon.
PrEP, HIV medication and testosterone are available for injection. Arranging for doses to come before or after a trip is one way of reducing the number of points of inquiry at a border crossing.
Panellist Jacob Anderson-Minshall, a park interpreter, naturalist and writer, said he tries to take his testosterone shots before heading out, but pointed out that taking it too early or too late can be damaging to his health. Because testosterone, unlike estrogen, is a controlled substance in the United States and other countries, trans men usually can’t get extra from their doctor to take with them.
Access to washrooms is particularly tricky for travellers who can’t simply wait till they get home—home is far away—and may not have their own mental map of what’s where in a destination. “Bathrooms are really hard,” said Osborn. “People have yelled, banged on the stall. People will check the bathroom sign, look at me. That hurts, like I’m some monster they can’t be next to.”
Claiborne had some advice for those who want to be more welcoming to trans and gender diverse travellers. “You can’t base your interaction on legal ID, on gender presentation, on vocal inflection. They are not accurate ways to determine someone’s gender,” she said. Instead, service providers should listen to what the traveller is telling them and ask polite questions like, “How would you like to be addressed?”
“You all can help us alleviate the anxiety of travel,” said panel host Bella Thanakarn Vongvisitsin, assistant professor in hospitality and tourism management at Lee Shau Kee School of Business and Administration at Hong Kong Metropolitan University.
Claiborne, Osborn, Thanakarn Vongvisitsin and Anderson-Minshall are members of ILGTA’s Gender Diverse Travel Advisory Group, which just published Trans & Gender Diverse Travel Guide: A Roadmap for Safe and Enjoyable Travel to empower the community to travel with less stress.
