Canada issues travel advisory over US anti-LGBT laws

MADRID, 30 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Government of Canada has issued a travel notice on Tuesday to LGBT people who visit the United States due to the discrimination and possible harassment that they may face due to state laws on this matter recently approved in several states of the neighboring country.

As can be seen on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Canadian authorities have indicated that citizens who are considering traveling to the US should "verify the relevant state and local laws" before visiting, warning that some states have enacted laws and policies that may affect them.

The notice further redirects visitors to a page that provides extensive information on how members of the community could be attacked while traveling to foreign countries, without mentioning any specific state law or policy.

A spokesman consulted by the Canadian television network CBS has pointed to the laws directed against the transgender community: "Since the beginning of 2023, certain US states have passed laws that prohibit drag shows and restrict the access to affirmative care for the trans community. gender and participation in sporting events", he explained.

The Canadian Deputy Prime Minister, Chrystia Freeland, has shown her support for the decision to update the travel recommendations in this regard, and has asserted that the goal is to keep Canadians as safe as possible abroad.

"Every Canadian government, including ours, must put the interests and security of every Canadian and every group of Canadians at the center of everything we do. That's what we're doing now. That's what we will always do." has declared, according to the aforementioned chain.

The Ottawa warning comes in the middle of a year in which legislators have introduced nearly 500 bills in 46 states, according to data collected by the NGO American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Of those, at least 83 have become law.

Other organizations have previously issued travel visas for members of the class to keep in mind that Florida is a state that "may not be a safe place to visit or establish residence" due to measures that restrict the access of LGBT people to the reproductive health care and for less restriction of firearms.