UK Issues Travel Warning to U.S. States with Anti-LGBT Laws
The United Kingdom is the first country to take notice of the controversial anti-gay laws recently passed in the states of Mississippi and North Carolina. The UK government reportedly issued a travel warning to those states, particularly intended for the LGBT community, which may find those new laws offensive or invasive.
According to the Independent, the government's Foreign Office issues the new advice, which effectively repels the general advice the same agency issues before it. In that general advice, the LGBT community was advised to "take care abroad," but there was no specific mention of the U.S. states.
The new law in North Carolina, passed last month, provides that businesses in the state have the right to decline service to individuals who see themselves belonging to the LGBT community based on religion. In the "bathroom law," there is a specific provision that says that people should use the public toilet based on their biological sex they were born with, which suggests that they cannot invoke the gender they currently associate with.
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A similar law has been passed in Mississippi several weeks back, providing that businesses and people are allowed to deny services to gay individuals and couples by invoking religious beliefs. The proponents of the law defend it by saying that it is for the utmost protection of religious freedom, while those who oppose it consider it nothing but discrimination.
The Foreign Office states the following advice:
The US is an extremely diverse society and attitudes towards LGBT people differ hugely across the country. Laws vary from state to state. When you are physically present in a state, even temporarily, you are subject to that state's laws. You must carry a passport showing that you have leave to enter or remain with you at all times.
It also warned its LGBT citizens planning to travel to those states to first do a consultation before traveling and that they should refrain from showing obvious and physical expression of affection since doing so might subject them to discriminatory acts.
