LGBTQ+ Students Abroad
Students of all sexual orientations and genders should consider making study abroad a part of their degree program and consider it as a tool for developing their identity. Studying abroad can be a great time to learn about sexuality in different cultural contexts, gain perspective on sexual orientation in the United States and forge connections across cultures.
It is important to realize that in many of the countries where students study, issues related to sexual orientation and gender may be different from those in the United States. While some countries are very accepting of LGBTQ+ people, others may have more intolerant perspectives.
Tips to Prepare for Study Abroad
- Seek out information about the attitudes towards different sexual orientations and gender identities in the country where you are planning to study.
- Being knowledgeable about these issues, and how they will affect interactions with persons from the host country, will allow you to have a rewarding and safe international experience.
- You can view the U.S. State Department's Country Factsheet for your country of interest for specific laws pertaining to LGBTQ+ people abroad. Additionally, you may view the Education Abroad's country guide, which provides safety risks, laws and attitudes towards LGBTQ+ communities in popular study abroad destinations.
Resources
This article highlights the experiences and research of Ash Trebisacci, Assistant Director of Study abroad at Brandeis, as well as other perspectives and considerations for LGBTQ+ students studying abroad.
Identities Abroad is a resource developed by the Colleges of the Fenway to assist LGBTQ students in preparing for study abroad. We invite you to explore this in-depth resource and utilize some of these elements when considering programs and working with study abroad advising staff.
IES has a range of country-specific resources for LGBTQ+ students, as well as other identities.
An IES/ Chile study abroad student's blog post about pansexuality and pride abroad.
This article provides advice from a study abroad student in Bordeaux, France about choosing a location that will be open and welcoming, finding your support systems, and adjusting to cultural shifts while abroad.
A blog post from an IES Granada student that discusses the intersections of gender and race they observed while abroad.
Amnesty International is dedicated to advocating for the rights of peoples of all orientations and identities. This page describes their international initiatives on these issues.
OutRight Action International's mission is to protect and advance the human rights of all people and communities subject to discrimination or abuse on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or HIV status. The link above contains country-specific information on these issues.