A Slow Boil

Whenever I read something like this my blood pressure goes up,

Sun destinations for gay and lesbian seniors
Daily Xtra Travel
By Aefa Mulholland
Published Mon, Jan 26, 2015

Even more than in the maintream world, most ads and visuals that promote LGBT travel feature a bevy of fresh, youthful faces. But statistically, one in eight Americans (12.8 percent in 2009) and nearly one in six Canadians (an estimated 15.2 percent in 2010) are 65 or older. With the tourism industry seemingly focused on the young, where is an older LGBT person to go when temperatures sink up north and it’s time for some winter sun?

I will give them the fact that in the headline they only said gay and lesbian, but notice that they said “LGBT” thought out the article but it only list gay or lesbian travel agencies,

Crystal Cruises, a luxury, big-ship, mainstream cruise line, attracts many older gay couples on board its trips, while women of all ages choose from Olivia’s offerings. The much-loved Olivia always charters the entire ship (or buys out the whole resort) for its vacations, and while, overall, guests range in age from their early 20s to their 90s, the average age on Olivia’s riverboat and adventure trips skew toward the 60-plus set.

Are they trans friendly? I don’t know because we are never mentioned.

They go on to say “The top three destinations that she recommends for older LGBT travellers are Sicily, Arizona and Belize.” Hmm… I don’t know about Belize, last year they had a trans woman brutally murder there and Central and South America is known for their hostile treatment of trans people. I would like to know if it is okay for trans people before I went to Belize.

There was a LOGO TV drag cruise back in 2012 where the cruise line sent out a letter,

   Arrangements have been made for drag performances in the main theater featuring stars from LOGO TV. These functions will be private and only the performers are permitted to dress in drag while in the theater. Guests are not allowed to dress in drag for the performances or in public areas at any time during the cruise.

    We're sorry to say that any guest who violates our policies and/or whose behavior affects the comfort and enjoyment of other guests, will be disembarked at their own expense and no refund will be given.

So much for being trans friendly and this was a “drag cruise” what will it like for a trans person on a gay or lesbian cruise? They did apologize later, but the damage was done.

The article even through it said it was for LGBT travelers all they had listed were gay travel agencies, and lesbian travel agencies, but there was not one trans travel agencies listed. An agency such as Transgender Vacations that has a trip to Cancun, Mexico in August and a trip Greek Isles Cruise in October.

I wish that when an article says LGBT that it covers lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender not just gays and lesbians.