Canada warns travelers over US state LGBTQ laws

Canada warned travelers visiting the United States about state laws impacting LGBTQ people.

The country added a cautionary message for travelers who identify as Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex or those who use other terminologies to its travel advice and advisory page for the U.S. on Tuesday.

“Some states have enacted laws and policies that may affect 2SLGBTQI+ persons,” the advisory said. The warning recommended travelers check relevant state and local laws.

“The Government of Canada takes the safety and security of Canadians abroad very seriously and provides accurate and up to date information in its Travel Advice and Advisories to enable travelers to make informed and responsible decisions regarding their destinations,” a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada told USA TODAY in an emailed statement.

The spokesperson added that abroad “laws and customs related to sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics can be very different from those in Canada. As a result, Canadians could face certain barriers and risks when they travel outside Canada.”

The warning did not specify which states it was referring to, and the spokesperson did not answer a question about that.

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The update to the advisory follows an uptick in legislation in U.S. state legislatures targeting members of the LGBTQ community. In the first few months of 2023 alone, more anti-LGBTQ bills were introduced than from 2012 to 2015 combined, according to the think tank Movement Advancement Project.

The Human Rights Campaign declared a “state of emergency” in June in response to the laws that targeted gender-affirming care, inclusive bathrooms and more.

"When another country is affirming the state of emergency that LGBTQ+ people in the U.S. are currently living through, it only further validates the grim reality that our community is facing," HRC president Kelley Robinson said in a statement in response to Canada's warning. "These declarations are anything but theatrical."

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

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Canada warns LGBTQ travelers over US laws