UK Issues warning to LGBT Travellers to the US

Fratton Fred

After the outrage here because Australian officials gave warnings about travel in Ireland, I was wondering what boardsies thought about the latest warnings about the US of A?

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-36104879

The UK government has warned gay and transgender travellers to be careful in the US due to legislation in North Carolina and Mississippi.
"The US is an extremely diverse society and attitudes toward LGBT people differ hugely across the country," a travel advisory from the UK reads.
Newly passed laws in both states allow businesses to refuse service to LGBT people.
The advisory comes from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Ush1

Yeah, the American South is extremely conservative. What's the big news story here?

JustShon

Fair warning imo. They haven't said anything that isn't true.

smash

Do they make rainbow roads instead of tarmacked drives?

_Kaiser_

Don't see the issue.. it's simply informing people that some States have very conservative views and they should be aware of this when visiting these locations.

But I know... we should be outraged that not everyone is as enlightened as we are and start an internet campaign to browbeat them into submission and change their ways, right? :rolleyes:

The Backwards Man

It's a handy way of condemning the legislation without having to say 'Hey America, Fcuk you and your inbred backwards hillbillies' to their biggest ally.

gandalf

Tbh they have to issue the warning. There is a risk for a certain demographic of their citizens and it would be remiss of them not to warn about this. Is it just me or is America getting more scary and extreme on a nearly daily basis now?

VinLieger

Hopefully stuff like this on top of the concerts and other stuff being canceled embarrasses them enough into seeing how bigoted they are as well

Wibbs

gandalf wrote: »

Is it just me or is America getting more scary and extreme on a nearly daily basis now?

Not just America G. Lines are beginning to be drawn all over the West.

kneemos

gandalf wrote: »

Tbh they have to issue the warning. There is a risk for a certain demographic of their citizens and it would be remiss of them not to warn about this. Is it just me or is America getting more scary and extreme on a nearly daily basis now?

Seem to be travelling back in time lately alright.

The Backwards Man

Wibbs wrote: »

Not just America G. Lines are beginning to be drawn all over the West.

Paranoia strikes deep

MRnotlob606

This is already on reddit. I think there's a bit too much hyperbole over it to be honest. It's sort of like how the Australian Government were warning Australian citizens about possible sectarian violence here in Ireland.

gandalf

Wibbs wrote: »

Not just America G. Lines are beginning to be drawn all over the West.

Yeah but it is particularly pronounced in the US, it's nearly at a surreal comedy stage now. Ffs to even have someone like Donald Trump running for president is bad, for him to be the front runner for the Republican nomination is insane!

SEPT 23 1989

Does any outsider actually feel safe in Mississippi?

osarusan

gandalf wrote: »

Ffs to even have someone like Donald Trump running for president is bad, for him to be the front runner for the Republican nomination is insane!

Actually Trump has a history of comments that are fairly supportive of LGBT. He's been talking about amending the 1964 Civil Rights Act to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation for nearly 20 years...or at least, was talking about it until he decided to run for the Republican nomination and did an about-face on a whole range of issues.

Duggy747

Lol, I'm not gay and even I wouldn't feel safe in the deep south :pac:

I think it's more of a public dig at the legislation than an outright warning to people, I'm pretty sure LGBT travellers would be aware of what kind of discrimination they'd face if they went to deeply conservative parts of America.

Fratton Fred

gandalf wrote: »

Tbh they have to issue the warning. There is a risk for a certain demographic of their citizens and it would be remiss of them not to warn about this. Is it just me or is America getting more scary and extreme on a nearly daily basis now?

It seems like reasonable travel advice, especially for transgender people to use the toilets (or washrooms, restrooms etc that Americans call them) in accordance with their birth gender.

This one particularly amused me actually, I have visions of two WASPS standing at a urinal and a woman coming in, hitching her dress up and pissing next to them.

JustShon

Fratton Fred wrote: »

This one particularly amused me actually, I have visions of two WASPS standing at a urinal and a woman coming in, hitching her dress up and pissing next to them.

Someone told me before but I've forgotten: What's a WASP?

smash

JustShon wrote: »

Someone told me before but I've forgotten: What's a WASP?

White Anglo Saxon Protestant

jimgoose

Ush1 wrote: »

Yeah, the American South is extremely conservative. What's the big news story here?

Nota bene: "The US is an extremely diverse society and attitudes toward LGBT people differ hugely across the country,"

Conservative it may be, but in states such as Texas the overriding thinking is that a man can walk abroad and scratch his balls (or whatever it may be playsin' him to have) at any hour of the day or night. And if people have a problem with that, they can debate the issue with Messrs Smith and Wesson! :pac:

Rothmans

JustShon wrote: »

Someone told me before but I've forgotten: What's a WASP?

White Anglo-Saxon Protestant

jimgoose

JustShon wrote: »

Someone told me before but I've forgotten: What's a WASP?

We Are Sexual Perverts. These fellas:

511

gandalf wrote: »

Yeah but it is particularly pronounced in the US, it's nearly at a surreal comedy stage now. Ffs to even have someone like Donald Trump running for president is bad, for him to be the front runner for the Republican nomination is insane!

What a stupidly naive post. You do realise Ted Cruz is way far more conservative than Trump? You should be delighted Trump the front runner because his nearest rival is a lunatic: http://www.thejournal.ie/donald-trump-transgender-bathroom-2728911-Apr2016/

Donald Trump said today that transgender people should be able to use whichever bathroom they choose, wading into one of the most contentious issues in politics and opposing many in his party.


Trump’s main rival, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, immediately fired back, saying that Trump is giving in to “political correctness”.

“Grown adult men, strangers, should not be alone in a bathroom with little girls,” Cruz said, calling his view “basic common sense.”

His campaign also released a statement declaring Trump “no different from politically correct leftist elites.”

"He has succumbed to the left’s agenda, which is to force Americans to leave God out of public life while paying lip service to false tolerance."

arayess

the warnings are a bit over the top for some possible social discomfort it's not like they were warning over possible violence against LGBT.
A bit rich coming from the UK given large sectors of British society would be very anti-LGBT.

jimgoose

511 wrote: »

What a stupidly naive post. You do realise Ted Cruz is way far more conservative than Trump?...

Ted Cruz is a bible-thumping idiot.

Skylinehead

511 wrote: »

What a stupidly naive post. You do realise Ted Cruz is way far more conservative than Trump? You should be delighted Trump the front runner because his nearest rival is a lunatic: http://www.thejournal.ie/donald-trump-transgender-bathroom-2728911-Apr2016/

Ted Cruz being more of a lunatic doesn't stop Donald Trump being a lunatic.

turnikett1

I read that as LGBT Travellers, as in Travellers, as in Irish Travellers. I was very confused (it's early!).

kneemos

arayess wrote: »

the warnings are a bit over the top for some possible social discomfort it's not like they were warning over possible violence against LGBT.
A bit rich coming from the UK given large sectors of British society would be very anti-LGBT.

It's not legislated against.

The Randy Riverbeast

It's a fair enough warning. It points out that states can differ and some states may have laws allowing you to be discrimated against. People are voting in these politicians so there would be a section of society that is anti LGBT.

arayess

kneemos wrote: »

It's not legislated against.

neither are 99% of the warnings from the foreign office.

riffmongous

turnikett1 wrote: »

I read that as LGBT Travellers, as in Travellers, as in Irish Travellers. I was very confused (it's early!).

You read it correctly, travellers shouldn't be capitalised in the title

stoplooklisten

Do they need freeing?

Mesrine65

The Backwards Man wrote: »

It's a handy way of condemning the legislation without having to say 'Hey America, Fcuk you and your inbred backwards hillbillies' to their biggest ally.

I've had the pleasure of knowing some of these 'inbred backwards hillbillies' from Appalachia/Ozarks/Uwharries/Caraways & am privileged & honoured to class them as friends.

Popular culture has perpetuated the hillbilly stereotype, they're not all cast members of Deliverance/Southern Comfort & their ilk.

They are portrayed as genetically deficient, inbred, murderous & backwards but with enough wisdom to outwit the most sophisticated of city folk.

Hillbilly has now become part of the Appalachian identity & some Appalachians feel they are constantly defending themselves against this image.

In this day of hypersensitivity to diversity & political correctness, Appalachians have been a group that it is still socially acceptable to demean & joke about.

This hillbilly stereotype has had a traumatizing effect on some in the Appalachian region creating feelings of shame, self-hatred & detachment.

They are a people proud of their Scotch-Irish roots, they are family orientated, extremely loyal & some of the best friends a person could ask for IMHO & should you ever get to meet one, they may surprise you with their wit, intelligence & hospitality (once they get to know you)

FA Hayek

Have to love the pseudo racism lite shown here against Americans.

kneemos

FA Hayek wrote: »

Have to love the pseudo racism lite shown here against Americans.

You confuse criticism with racism.

One eyed Jack

FA Hayek wrote: »

Have to love the pseudo racism lite shown here against Americans.

As politely as possible but... what the ever loving fcuk is "pseudo racism lite"?

And how does it apply in the context of Americans, when "American" is not a race?

jimgoose

Mesrine65 wrote: »

I've had the pleasure of knowing some of these 'inbred backwards hillbillies' from Appalachia/Ozarks/Uwharries/Caraways & am privileged & honoured to class them as friends...

You kin go an' git with that thar Yankee book-larnin'. <CLICK> :mad:

jimgoose

One eyed Jack wrote: »

As politely as possible but... what the ever loving fcuk is "pseudo racism lite"?

And how does it apply in the context of Americans, when "American" is not a race?

It's do do with the Cajuns. You can be racist against him Cunass, but the chances are he'll kick the shit out of you, so you need to be all "pseudo" and "light" about it so he won't cop it, and just buy you a beer instead. C'est bon! Allez!! :cool:

ToddyDoody

Just go around spouting 10% (or whatever) to anyone who gives you hassle. Should be grand.

The Backwards Man

Mesrine65 wrote: »

I've had the pleasure of knowing some of these 'inbred backwards hillbillies' from Appalachia/Ozarks/Uwharries/Caraways & am privileged & honoured to class them as friends.

Popular culture has perpetuated the hillbilly stereotype, they're not all cast members of Deliverance/Southern Comfort & their ilk.

They are portrayed as genetically deficient, inbred, murderous & backwards but with enough wisdom to outwit the most sophisticated of city folk.

Hillbilly has now become part of the Appalachian identity & some Appalachians feel they are constantly defending themselves against this image.

In this day of hypersensitivity to diversity & political correctness, Appalachians have been a group that it is still socially acceptable to demean & joke about.

This hillbilly stereotype has had a traumatizing effect on some in the Appalachian region creating feelings of shame, self-hatred & detachment.

They are a people proud of their Scotch-Irish roots, they are family orientated, extremely loyal & some of the best friends a person could ask for IMHO & should you ever get to meet one, they may surprise you with their wit, intelligence & hospitality (once they get to know you)

Aye I'm over generalising a wee bit, but I was thinking more Sean Harris than Davy Crockett in fairness.

CrabRevolution

Mesrine65 wrote: »

I've had the pleasure of knowing some of these 'inbred backwards hillbillies' from Appalachia/Ozarks/Uwharries/Caraways & am privileged & honoured to class them as friends.

Popular culture has perpetuated the hillbilly stereotype, they're not all cast members of Deliverance/Southern Comfort & their ilk.

They are portrayed as genetically deficient, inbred, murderous & backwards but with enough wisdom to outwit the most sophisticated of city folk.

Hillbilly has now become part of the Appalachian identity & some Appalachians feel they are constantly defending themselves against this image.

In this day of hypersensitivity to diversity & political correctness, Appalachians have been a group that it is still socially acceptable to demean & joke about.

This hillbilly stereotype has had a traumatizing effect on some in the Appalachian region creating feelings of shame, self-hatred & detachment.

They are a people proud of their Scotch-Irish roots, they are family orientated, extremely loyal & some of the best friends a person could ask for IMHO & should you ever get to meet one, they may surprise you with their wit, intelligence & hospitality (once they get to know you)

No matter how kind and loyal and down to earth (terms which could apply to anywhere really) these people are, they're still the ones responsible for some pretty backwards views.

They may be lovely in person, but they still make up the population of the states which seceded and fought to maintain slavery, the states where lynching blacks was most common, the states who had to have Jim Crow and segregation clawed from their laws by the federal government, and now the states scrambling to pass laws infringing on the rights of LGBT people.

Dirty Dingus McGee

The Backwards Man wrote: »

It's a handy way of condemning the legislation without having to say 'Hey America, Fcuk you and your inbred backwards hillbillies' to their biggest ally.

I have a feeling that people in America don't really give a toss what any other country thinks of them and so this will have absolutely no impact on anything.

gandalf

511 wrote: »

What a stupidly naive post. You do realise Ted Cruz is way far more conservative than Trump? You should be delighted Trump the front runner because his nearest rival is a lunatic: http://www.thejournal.ie/donald-trump-transgender-bathroom-2728911-Apr2016/

Do you honestly think that Trump is good material to lead a country that has the best funded military in the world?

Cruz is another muppet, in fact most of the Republicans are scary. It's surprising that they are from the same party as Lincoln.

wakka12

gandalf wrote: »

Tbh they have to issue the warning. There is a risk for a certain demographic of their citizens and it would be remiss of them not to warn about this. Is it just me or is America getting more scary and extreme on a nearly daily basis now?

Just you. America is one of the most liberal countries in the world, minorities should be happy to live there. When you consider the fact that women can't drive in some muslim countries and a black person might not be served in restaurants in south east asia and gay people are hung in saudi and then theres north korea and other crazy places.

Usa might have problems that could be improved but Im so ****ing sick of anybody saying america or any other western country for that matter is racist/homophobic/sexist etc

FA Hayek

gandalf wrote: »

Do you honestly think that Trump is good material to lead a country that has the best funded military in the world?

Cruz is another muppet, in fact most of the Republicans are scary. It's surprising that they are from the same party as Lincoln.

That is the second uninformed post you had in this thread. You were wrong about Trump in relation to LGBT and you were wrong about him again in relation to the US military.

Trump is way more dovish on foreign military affairs compared to Clinton who voted by the way to invade Iraq (but lets ignore that fact as she is a Democrat and a woman so that its her wonderful).

Trump at the time was hugely vocal agains the invasion of Iraq. People think Trump is scary because he wants to build a wall between Mexico and the US, something already happening in the EU. Yet invading Iraq is grand like.

Trump is a bit of a loudmouth buffoon but at least agrue in fact rather than hysteria.

Oh and before you harp on about that wonderful Socialist Sanders, have a look at what he says about China, makes Trump tame in comparsion.

gandalf

gandalf wrote: »

Is it just me or is America getting more scary and extreme on a nearly daily basis now?

I wouldn't say it's getting worse. Or say "America" is going one way or the other. I don't think NY or Illinois or California would be known for conservatism - we know the role NY and San Franciso played at the forefront of the worldwide gay rights movement. On the other hand, some States in the South are more conservative but have not become so, they weren't liberal in the 1950s or 1980s either. I would imagine if such warnings were common in previous decades, they would have been given then too.

I also understand that the legislation does not amount to enabling a refusal to serve gay people, but simply the right to refuse to host gay wedding ceremonies. If that is the limit of the use, at the risk of being pilloried here, I can't pretend to feel seriously offended by it. If it does extend to enabling refusal to serve people, I would agree that that's pretty outrageous.

12Phase

It's a reasonable warning. You could send up losing money or having no accommodation if a hotel in one of those states took offence and refused a gay couple.

Technically, they've given the right to refuse service to a gay person just on that basis.

It's not any different from saying it's fine to refuse service to Irish people, black people, women, men etc. Being gay isn't a fundamental personal attribute. It's not even cultural or religious.

The warning is perfectly reasonable and that is the PR cost of implementation of backwards, discriminatory legislation. People won't visit or do business with you if it's likely to impact them.

France issued warnings during the Atalanta Olympics for example about the risk to French citizens as Georgia had a wide range of laws banning normal sexual interaction between consenting adults that would be considered pretty much part of day to day life for French couples. These applied to straight and gay people.

So there is precedent for calling US states out on daft laws.

Mesrine65

CrabRevolution wrote: »

No matter how kind and loyal and down to earth (terms which could apply to anywhere really) these people are, they're still the ones responsible for some pretty backwards views.

They may be lovely in person, but they still make up the population of the states which seceded and fought to maintain slavery, the states where lynching blacks was most common, the states who had to have Jim Crow and segregation clawed from their laws by the federal government, and now the states scrambling to pass laws infringing on the rights of LGBT people.

Don't confuse hardcore fundamentalist christian's in the south with your everyday hillbilly.

Like Ireland back in the day, religion was used to keep people subservient.

The majority of southerners fought not for slavery, but for the south & against the perceived notion of the Yankees demeaning, predjudicial views on their way of life & the conviction that they would not secede to northern interference.

Attitudes in the south reflect this religious indoctrination even in the 21st century in much the same way I imagine national socialist ideals still simmer under the surface for some, in modern day Germany.

12Phase

12Phase wrote: »

It's a reasonable warning. You could send up losing money or having no accommodation if a hotel in one of those states took offence and refused a gay couple.

Technically, they've given the right to refuse service to a gay person just on that basis.

Presumably one way of avoiding that risk is to book in larger chains, like Holiday Inn, that can hardly claim strongly held religious convictions.

12Phase

The other problem with these laws is that if you start to allow discrimination based on religious belief for one thing where does the line get drawn and why?

I mean if you go a little further they could extend the logic to refuse service to Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Muslims, there are some obscure religious beliefs were used to justify apartheid and discrimination against black people in the past.

It's a la carte religious fundamentalism that's being used selectively to justify homophobia.

It's largely highly selective reading and interpretation of a religious text to justify one particularly form of nasty discrimination that the rest of the developed World has moved on from.

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Presumably one way of avoiding that risk is to book in larger chains, like Holiday Inn, that can hardly claim strongly held religious convictions.

Until you encounter some fundamentalist who refuses to serve breakfast or something and is protected by the law to do so. Major corporations don't operate their own legal systems (as much as they would like to!)

I know I wouldn't spending one cent in those states. I'm sure they have lots of lovely people but they elected politicians who enacted these laws.