Considering Honeymoon Destinations and we are majorly conflicted!
Look at us here… hands locked proudly as we walk around Vancouver without a care. We are lucky to live in a progressive city and country with laws that protect us. We are truly thankful ? ?️???.
We’ve had our eye on the Maldives so I did some research. Listen to this…The Maldives law criminalizes homosexuality and prescribes criminal penalties for same-sex sexual conduct.
The Penal Code of the Maldives works with Islamic Shariah Law to punish any acts relating to homosexuality through prison sentences, fines, and lashings. I thought to myself, “we can’t go there”!
Of course, they want tourists but something still doesn’t feel right. That sick feeling comes from the thought of me enjoying a drink in one of those huts perched over the ocean, while down the street, someone is living in fear for being gay and being lashed for it! It’s a sad reality, but does boycotting a country make sense?
I’ve read some travel blogs from gay couples who have been there who don’t believe in boycotting because being a visible symbol of the gay community will have far more positive consequences. They say if travelling there as a gay couple, you should consider booking a room with 2 single beds and refrain from any affection in public.
What? How are we a visible symbol of the gay community if we’re pretending to be buddies?
Yeah, lets head back into the closet, play it straight and show them what a confident gay couple looks like! Giving them our tourists dollars has not sparked change! We’ve only fallen into their trap of concealing our relationship, just like its citizens.
Maybe those who choose to boycott travel to countries like this are right. Gay travel to the Maldives has obviously not been the catalyst for change, not even in the slightest!
For a country that thrives on tourist dollars, what other options do we have? Do we give them more tourists dollars or boycott until we see a shift in human rights?
Boycott or not?
