Canada has warned LGBTQ individuals planning to travel to the United States, describing potential discrimination and harassment due to anti-LGBTQ laws.
The Canadian government has issued an updated advisory urging LGBTQ citizens to verify relevant state and local laws before visiting the country. However, the report did not specify which US states pose the most risk, The Hill said.
The cautionary update comes amidst a significant rise in anti-LGBTQ state legislation in the United States. According to the Civil Liberties Union, nearly 500 such bills have been introduced in 46 states this year, with at least 83 becoming law. This figure more than doubled last year's total.
In April, Equality Florida, a San Francisco-based LGBTQ rights organization, issued a similar travel advisory to the city of St. Petersburg. The Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ civil rights organization in the US, followed suit with a warning of its own in the following months.
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Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland highlighted that the travel advisory is not political-oriented, but aimed at ensuring the safety of Canadian citizens abroad.
We have professionals in the government who's job is to look carefully around the world and monitor whether there are particular dangers to specific groups of Canadians, Freeland said.
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