'we're Being Left Out': These Travelers Feel Targeted By State Department Changes

Transgender and nonbinary Missourians weigh relocation

"I don't know if there is really a place that I would feel 100% safe." Some transgender Missourians are weighing whether to leave the state.

• The U.S. State Department removed language from its LGBTQI+ travel page that addressed the safety of transgender and other queer travelers.
• LGBTQ+ travelers are concerned about the removal of this information because it leaves them without important safety guidance.
• Travelers can consult resources like the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association and queer media outlets for additional travel safety tips.

Ash was looking at a map before their trip to Spain last year when they realized they would be close to Morocco.

"I love the food, the architecture. I started getting really excited," said the 34-year-old. "Then I was like, 'OK, before I get ahead of myself, I should pause and look online.' "

Ash, who is transgender and nonbinary, wasn’t sure whether it'd be safe to visit. There have been reports of violent crime and threats against members of the LGBTQ+ community in the African country, and same-sex sexual activity is criminalized.

The U.S. State Department’s LGBTQI+ Travelers page was one of the sites that helped the Bay Area resident determine not to stop there. But last month its language was modified to remove references to trans and other queer travelers, leaving only “LGB.”

Ash, who works in marketing, no longer feels represented in the guidance they once found helpful. “I mean, to me that spells it pretty clearly that this is not a resource for people like me, and I do not expect it to be useful at all,” they said. Some sources are identified by first name only due to safety and privacy concerns.

Ash is among a number of LGBTQ+ travelers who said the changes have left them questioning whether those State Department recommendations are useful or trustworthy.

The State Department has removed language addressing many LGBTQ+ travelers, including those who are transgender, queer, intersex and asexual, leaving guidance only for those who are lesbian, gay or bisexual, according to an archived version of the page.

Language warning travelers of conversion therapy practices in some countries has been pared down, and a section for those with an X gender marker on their passports has been removed almost entirely. The changes came after President Donald Trump issued an executive order requiring the federal government to recognize only male and female sexes and that they “are not changeable.”

Similar references were purged or edited on other government webpages, including at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Park Service.

Chicago-based Syd canceled a planned February trip to Mexico because they weren’t sure if their passport, which had an X gender marker, would be valid or not. The 26-year-old, who is nonbinary, eventually got the marker changed.

A spokesperson for the State Department told USA TODAY in January that it had suspended processing applications "seeking a different sex marker than that defined by the terms in the Executive Order.”

“It's definitely partially, like, we're being left out – like, trans people specifically are being left out of the conversation, but at the same time they're being targeted,” said Syd, who works as a teacher.

They noted that even the website's previous language felt more like a starting point than a comprehensive guide. “Was it super specific? No, it wasn't super specific. Did I have to do further research? Yes,” they said. “But at least the information didn't feel like it was completely bogus.”

The State Department referred a request for comment to the White House. A White House official referred USA TODAY to the president’s executive orders.

John Tanzella, president and CEO of the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA) said travel guidance “should reflect the full diversity of our community, not just because it’s the right thing to do but because it directly impacts traveler safety.”

“Trans and gender-diverse travelers often face unique challenges that their cisgender counterparts do not, including invasive airport screenings, difficulties with gender markers on passports, and barriers to accessing gender-affirming accommodations,” he said in an email. 

Depending on the destination, they may also face legal restrictions or heightened discrimination.

Even for some who are still represented on the site, the changes raise questions.

As a gay man, James Jones-Chatelain said he has used the website for travel planning in the past and found the updates “frustrating but also hurtful because (the Trump administration) had to go out of their way to remove a resource that was already there when they arrived.”

The 38-year-old Las Vegas resident is more skeptical of it now.

Some gay men have tried to distance themselves from the trans rights movement, arguing that they shouldn’t be automatically grouped together. However, Jones-Chatelain, who works as a maintenance coordinator for an apartment management company, felt the State Department’s move could have implications for all LGBTQ+ travelers.

“With them specifically modifying their website against one particular portion of the community, who's to say that it's still a safe or trustworthy source for the rest of the community?” he said.

The State Department isn’t the only place travelers can find recommendations.

“While the remaining information (on the State Department website) may still offer useful insights, we encourage travelers to consult multiple sources when planning their trips,” Tanzella said.

IGLTA offers travel guides (click here to open), and he noted that queer media outlets and LGBTQ+ content creators share on-the-ground experiences. Ash similarly said that Reddit is helpful for finding residents who can share local perspectives.

For their part, Ash’s approach to international travel hasn’t changed; they are still similarly cautious about where they choose to visit. They are more concerned by the idea of their plane being diverted to a U.S. state that is less welcoming to LGBTQ+ visitors.

“I would say my feelings still remain the same, more or less, in terms of my safety going abroad,” Ash said. “If anything, my feelings about my safety returning home have been the things that I've been most nervous about.”

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.