US State Department issues unusual worldwide LGBTQ+ travel alert

Americans traveling abroad for Pride Month should take precautions because of an increased risk of terrorist violence, the State Department said Friday in an unusual message to LGBTQ+ people.

The State Department said in a travel advisory that U.S. citizens should stay alert in tourist areas and places popular with LGBTQ+ people. It did not mention specific threats or advise against travel.

U.S. diplomats have been directed to email the travel warning to all Americans who have registered with the State Department while abroad, according to a U.S. official granted anonymity to discuss internal matters.

The warning came as Secretary of State Antony Blinken marked the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia.

“Even as more countries make meaningful advancements towards full equality, LGBTQI+ persons continue to be sentenced to death for daring to live their sexual orientation or gender identity, subjected to coercive conversion ‘therapies’ and ‘normalization’ surgeries, discriminated against while receiving health services, restricted from exercising fundamental freedoms, and denied the dignity of same-sex partnership and fulfillment of family,” Blinken said in a statement.

The State Department alert came a week after the FBI and Department of Homeland Security issued a similar joint public service announcement warning of potential foreign terrorist violence against LGBTQ+ events and venues. The earlier announcement also did not specify any locations or provide any details about specific threats.

The alerts released come days ahead of the start of Pride Month, an annual celebration recognizing LGBTQ+ people.

Over the past year, LGBTQ+ people have been targeted in the United States through various anti-LGBTQ+ bills, amounting to over 500 bills introduced this year, according to the ACLU. The Human Rights Campaign also declared a state of emergency in 2023 for LGBTQ+ people due to the rise in anti-LGBTQ+ bills being introduced in state legislatures.

Nahal Toosi contributed to this report.